PFTL News, November 2010

PROTEIN – WHAT YOU NEED AND WHY YOU NEED IT

Our associate dietitian, Susan Stein, R.D. will present a seminar on Monday, November 15 at 7:00pm at our Linden studio.  The cost is only $10 per person and space is limited, so register early.

Program Description: Learn protein’s role in achieving your goals for endurance and strength training, while, at the same time, emphasizing the importance of variety and adequate intake of protein-sparing nutrients in the diet.  It will provide information on your protein needs as well as suggestions for protein sources at meals and snacks.

Presenter:  Susan Stein, RD.  Susan is a well-known Registered Dietitian with a background in Health Education and Corporate Wellness. In addition to being a consultant with PFTL, Susan is also affiliated with two medical practices, Northwest Gastroenterologists in Arlington Heights and Affinity Healthcare in Buffalo Grove.

Her client-centered counseling incorporates Medical Nutrition Therapy to set strategies for dietary and behavioral goals that also support health and fitness goals.

NIGHTTIME LEG CRAMPS  (from WebMD)

What are nighttime leg cramps? Nighttime (or nocturnal) leg cramps are usually sudden spasms, or tightening, of muscles in the calf. But the muscle cramps can sometimes happen in the thigh or the foot. They often occur just as you are falling asleep or waking up. These painful cramps can last a few seconds to a few minutes. These leg cramps are also called “charley horses”.

What causes nighttime leg cramps? Though nighttime leg cramps are common, experts don’t know exactly what causes them. But most of the time it is not because of illness. Some of the things that may cause leg cramps include:

• Getting too much exercise or overusing the muscles.
• Standing on concrete for a long time, sitting for a long time, or putting your legs in awkward positions while you sleep.
• Not having enough potassium, calcium, and other minerals in your blood.
• Being dehydrated, which means your body has lost too much fluid.
• Taking certain medicines, such as antipsychotics, birth control pills, diuretics, statins, and steroids.
• Having flat feet (orthotics may help).
• Having thyroid disease.

How can you stop a nighttime leg cramp when it happens? You may need to try several different ways to stop a leg cramp before you find what works best for you. Here are some things you can try:

• Walk around, or jiggle your leg.
• Stretch your calf muscles. You can do this stretch while you sit or stand:
  • While sitting, straighten your leg and flex your foot up toward your knee. It may help to place a rolled towel under the ball of your foot and, while holding the towel at both ends, gently pull the towel toward you while keeping your knee straight.
  • While standing about 2ft from a wall, lean forward against the wall. Keep the knee of the affected leg straight and the heel on the ground. Do this while you bend the knee of the other leg.

These exercises stretch your calf muscles, and you will probably feel the leg cramp go away after a few minutes.

• Some people find that a hot shower or a warm bath helps. Others get relief by rubbing the calf with an ice pack.

How can you prevent them? Use these tips to help prevent nighttime leg cramps:

• Drink plenty of water and other fluids during the day.
• Limit or avoid drinks with alcohol or caffeine. These can make you dehydrated, which means your body has lost too much fluid.
• Make sure you are eating healthy foods (especially if you are pregnant) that are rich in calcium, potassium, and magnesium.
• Ride a stationary bike to condition and stretch your muscles.
• Stretch your leg muscles for a few minutes before you go to bed.

If you are taking medicines that are known to cause leg cramps, your doctor may prescribe different medicines.

If your leg cramps bother you a lot, your doctor may prescribe medicines that calm leg nerves or relax the muscles. In the past quinine was commonly recommended for leg cramps. But there is little evidence that it helps, and it may even be harmful.

What if nighttime leg cramps keep coming back? Talk with your doctor if you have muscle cramps that keep coming back, are severe, or occur in other muscles of your body. These may be symptoms of another problem.

ROTARY CLUB OF WILMETTE FOUNDATION – WINE AND DINE AROUND THE WORLD

The Wilmette Rotary Club’s only fund-raising event this year will be on Friday, November 12 at the Kenilworth Club in Kenilworth, from 6:30PM to 9PM.  This should be a fun way to spend the evening and support a worthwhile cause at the same time.

The event will be a “Wine & Dine” tour of the Mediterranean including food samplings and wine pairings from France, Italy and Spain.  Additionally, renowned wine expert, Johnson Ho, will be presenting a “Wine Myths” seminar for your enjoyment.  We have reserve tickets available for $60 at the PFTL studio (they will be $75 at the door).   All proceeds benefit the Rotary’s local and international projects. 

THANKS

I want to extend a special thank you to our Office Manager, Julie Cohen, for setting up and overseeing PFTL’s participation at the recent Pumpkin Walk event in Linden Square, and also to Andrea Stoneback and Chris Sutcliffe for their help with this function.