Guest guest Posted January 11, 2006 Report Share Posted January 11, 2006 Hi! I noticed one of the new vegetarians had posted about leg cramps. I just wanted to give a tip based on personal experience. Pleae make sure you're taking a Multi-Vitamin daily (they make vegetarian ones too) and also on top of that, a B Complex vitamin. When I 'went veg', I wasn't taking a B Complex I started getting cracks around my lips (symptom of vitamin deficiency). With 1 B Complex a day, they went away and never returned. Also, if your legs hurt, it could be a Potassium or Calcium imbalance. If after taking a multivitamin and B Complex they still hurt, you could consider taking a " Calcium/Magnesium/Zinc " supplement to replace what you may not be getting by just eating fruits and vegis. Take care, Suzanne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 11, 2006 Report Share Posted January 11, 2006 I take " Calcium/Magnesium Citrate " (liquid) for leg cramps and restless leg syndrome. Works great. The liquid is also absorbed better and faster. It doesn't taste bad either. It comes in different flavors and you can mix it with your juice. Jan ) , " Suzanne " <dicegirl72> wrote: > > Hi! > I noticed one of the new vegetarians had posted about leg cramps. I > just wanted to give a tip based on personal experience. Pleae make > sure you're taking a Multi-Vitamin daily (they make vegetarian ones > too) and also on top of that, a B Complex vitamin. When I 'went veg', > I wasn't taking a B Complex I started getting cracks around my lips > (symptom of vitamin deficiency). With 1 B Complex a day, they went > away and never returned. Also, if your legs hurt, it could be a > Potassium or Calcium imbalance. If after taking a multivitamin and B > Complex they still hurt, you could consider taking > a " Calcium/Magnesium/Zinc " supplement to replace what you may not be > getting by just eating fruits and vegis. > Take care, > Suzanne > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 12, 2006 Report Share Posted January 12, 2006 Don't take me wrong, I am a convinced vegeterian (I've never eaten meat) and intend to stay so. But I've often wondered whether the need for supplements, quite common with vegetarians (I also have leg cramps at times), is not actually a sign that a vegetarian/vegan diet does not provide us with the all the necessary nutritional elements - although I try to eat in a varied and balanced way. And what am I to reply to doctors when they blame vegeterianism for such deficiencies (with solid scientific arguments on their side) and say the best solution is to start eating meat...? Natalia Suzanne <dicegirl72 wrote: Hi! I noticed one of the new vegetarians had posted about leg cramps. I just wanted to give a tip based on personal experience. Pleae make sure you're taking a Multi-Vitamin daily (they make vegetarian ones too) and also on top of that, a B Complex vitamin. When I 'went veg', I wasn't taking a B Complex I started getting cracks around my lips (symptom of vitamin deficiency). With 1 B Complex a day, they went away and never returned. Also, if your legs hurt, it could be a Potassium or Calcium imbalance. If after taking a multivitamin and B Complex they still hurt, you could consider taking a " Calcium/Magnesium/Zinc " supplement to replace what you may not be getting by just eating fruits and vegis. Take care, Suzanne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 12, 2006 Report Share Posted January 12, 2006 > Don't take me wrong, I am a convinced vegeterian (I've never eaten meat) and intend to stay so. But I've often wondered whether the need for supplements, quite common with vegetarians (I also have leg cramps at times), is not actually a sign that a vegetarian/vegan diet does not provide us with the all the necessary nutritional elements - Well . . . Now don't take me wrong either LOL but this argument is just plain wrong-headed. Anyone can have an unhealthy diet. There are omnivores who get leg cramps too, ya know :-) And most omnivores would benefit from supplements if they wrong-headedly insist on ignoring basic tenets of nutrition - eg. plenty of fruits and veggies and a good helping of whole grains along with everything else they eat. Nah, hon, I don't think it's the *vegetarian diet* that is unhealthy - just some people's eating habits, vegetarian or not. You can relax and be happy with your wonderful life choice! >And what am I to reply to doctors when they blame vegeterianism for such deficiencies (with solid scientific arguments on their side) and say the best solution is to start eating meat...? Thank them nicely, I'd say - doctors are in short supply these days - and then get a good book on vegetarian or vegan nutrition and put things right for yourself. Remember (although they don't much like to be reminded) that most med schools provide very little instruction on nutrition - that's what dietitians/nutritionists were invented for :-) Meanwhile, if one has cramps in the legs, it's not a bad thought to take a supplement as a quick short-term fix until you get your eating plan sorted out. I eat almost completely vegan - a once-in-a-while aberration when I'm dining out, although not every time I dine out by a long shot - and I don't suffer from leg cramps or any of the woes that vegetarians and vegans are said to get. Our doctor is vegetarian, as it happens, but our last one wasn't and actually *applauded* our vegetarian lifestyle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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