How to deal with muscle cramps (Tips on healthy living)

By Sarah Akinlose
Muscle cramps can be best described as a mild twitches, painful, cramps typically caused by an intense pain in the muscle.Often a muscle that is cramping
feels harder than normal to the touch or may even show visible signs of twitching.
Muscle cramps occur when muscles involuntarilycontract and cannot relax. The skeletal muscles (those over which we have voluntary control) are most prone to cramping. The skeletal muscles in the calf, thigh, and arch of the foot are most notorious sites of cramps.
It is not known exactly what causes muscle cramps. Insufficient stretching before exercise , exercising in the heat, and muscle fatigue may all play a role in their
causation. Imbalances in the levels of electrolytes (sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium and phosphate) in the blood can also lead to muscle cramps.
Here are tips on how to deal with muscle cramp.
1. Gently massaging the muscle will often help it to relax, as will applying warmth from a heating pad or hot soak. If the cramp is associated with fluid loss, as is often the case with vigorous physical activity, fluid and electrolyte (especially sodium and potassium) replacement is essential. and massage.
2.Stretch the cramped muscle and gently rub it to help it relax. For a calf cramp, put your weight on your cramped leg and bend your knee slightly.
3. Apply heat or cold. Use a warm towel or heating pad on tense or tight muscle
If it happens while you are lying down or in bed, try to simply stand up and put some weight on the affected leg or foot. This can sometimes be enough to stop that tender stiffness. Use warm/heating pads to increase blood circulation to the muscle and to relax it.
During athletic games or exercising in hot/humid environment, remember to keep drinking adequate amount of water (with some salt) or drink rehydration solutions.
For more stubborn pain, you can try a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication, such as ibuprofen.
NAFDAC tasks stakeholders on food fortification (News)
By Azoma Chikwe
The Acting Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Mrs Yetunde Oni, has called for the need to expand and sustain the food fortication programme considering the devastating effect of malnutrition and poor dietary intake in the country. This call was made at the National Fortification Alliance meeting held in Lagos.
Mrs Oni noted that out of about 21 widely known micronutrients, five of them are of public health significance (vitamin A, iron, iodine, zinc and folic acid.). “They contribute significantly to a good health and are necessary for proper growth and development of the body and for human survival. Infants, young children, teenagers, pregnant and breast feeding mothers are prone to becoming malnourished and as such require additional nutrients all the time,” she said.
She emphasized that one in four children under the age of five suffers from vitamin A deficiency. “Thirty-one percent (31%) of mothers in Nigeria are iodine deficient. Available statistics show that nutrition contributes to over 50% child mortality in Nigeria. These statistics make it unimaginable to question the importance of micronutrients to achieving the socio economic development of any country and attaining the Sustainable Development Goals.
Oni said in order to meet UN targets, NAFDAC developed the Vitamin A Food Fortification Regulations, 2005. Among other contents, the Regulations addressed the following: Prohibition of manufacture, importation, exportation, advertisement, distribution and sale of any designated food vehicle that is not fortified with vitamin A and other elements as prescribed. “Control of advertisement of vitamin A fortified foods -to be censored and given permit before use. Labelling requirements for vitamin A fortified foods. Logo on all packaged vitamin A fortified food-an eye with letter ‘’A’’ inside it etc.
She acknowledged that the support of International organisations and the development partners such as Global Alliance for Improved Nutrtion (GAIN), United Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and Micronutrient Initiative (MI), Nigeria has attained remarkable success in addressing micronutrient deficiency problems.
While pledging NAFDAC support towards the success of the National Fortification Alliance programme, Oni tasks stakeholders to be committed to the mandate of the National Fortification Alliance.