A few tips for feeding your inner athlete.

Since I started running a month or so ago, I've been more prone to leg cramps, specifically in my calves and feet. (I realize I just referred to leg cramps in my feet. I'm having them in my brain too.) So tonight I went searching the interwebs for information about preventing them, (my cramps, not my feet or legs. Or brain. Wow, is it bedtime yet?) and here's what one article had to say:

(Paraphrased) The most notorious cause of cramps is dehydration. Most athletes (is that what I am?) don't drink nearly enough water. Also, when you sweat a lot, you lose a lot of minerals, and that also contributes to cramps. Here are the most important ones to replace, along with my recommendations for what foods to get them in:

Sodium. That's easy. Everybody knows the best source of sodium is potato chips.

Potassium. Did you know bananas are not the best source of potassium? Sweet potatoes and regular potatoes are. So we need to eat more french fries and sweet potato pie.

Magnesium. The best natural source of magnesium is pumpkin—the kind you put in The Pumpkin Bread. I'm sold on this as the cure-all.

Calcium. Fortified dairy products are fine, but what you really need here is spinach and kale. Dark green leafy stuff. No joke. Get a bag of baby spinach and start munching. Your muscles will thank you.

Vitamin D. In order to help your body absorb the calcium, you need plenty of vitamin D, which just happens to be called "the sunshine vitamin" because you get it when you're out in the sunshine, which you find at the beach. So it only makes sense that in order to get enough vitamin D you must go to the beach regularly. I'm sold on this too.


I'm going to get a bag of chips and book a flight to Maui.

Be thankful ~

Karen