STOMACH CRAMPS
Written by Slawomir (“Swavak”) Gromadzki, MPH
Stomach spasms (cramps), also known as abdominal cramping, are involuntary contractions in the abdominal area that can feel like anything from a twitching stomach to sudden, sharp pain.
CAUSES
– The problem is usually caused by magnesium deficiency and chronic stress, nervousness, and anxiety as brain is very closely connected to stomach and entire GI tract through the nervous system. For this reason irritability, stressful situations, anxiety and any negative emotions may have a very bad influence on stomach and vice versa. When we irritate our stomach with alcohol, hot spices, vinegar, toxins, hot water, hot food, etc. we also irritate our nervous system. The problem gets worse when nervousness and frequent stress are associated with magnesium deficiency and lack of other vitamins and minerals.
– Other factors that contribute to this condition include lack of exercise, lack of zinc and B vitamins, medications, refined diet high in sugar and white flour products, use of stimulants (caffeine, alcohol, illegal drugs), artificial sweeteners, and lack of probiotic bacteria in the gut due to bad refined diet, antibiotics, consumption of meat and dairy products, sugar, stimulants, overgrowth of harmful bacteria and candida (yeasts), toxins, stress, lack of dietary fibre, etc.
TREATMENT
– The most important aspect of successful treatment is lifestyle and diet according to the recommendations listed in the HEALTH RECOVERY PLAN >
Please study it carefully and do your best to use the remedies and implement all the principles. If you manage to do it you will recover from this problem.
HERBAL REMEDIES & SUPPLEMENTS
– Magnesium citrate or another well absorbed magnesium: 2 times a day 200-400 mg between meals. The more vitamin D3 is used the more magnesium must be taken as D3 leads to magnesium deficiency. The most important supplement to use for stomach cramps is a good quality magnesium. It relaxes nervous system and muscles including stomach colon! Take 800 mg of magnesium a day (400 mg an hour before breakfast and 400 mg 1-3 hours before bed). Start from small doses such as 100 mg 2 times a day and gradually increase the dose. Magnesium citrate is very good but is mildly laxative, which can be very beneficial for those who are constipated. But if you want to avoid laxative effect try magnesium Taurate as it is also easily absorbed (magnesium and taurine stabilize cell membranes together), and it has no laxative effect. Magnesium glycinate (magnesium bound with glycine, an amino acid) is one of the most bioavailable forms of magnesium, and also shouldn’t trigger diarrhoea. Avoid magnesium oxide, magnesium sulfate (Epsom salt), glutamate, and aspartate (glutamic acid and aspartic acid are components of the dangerous artificial sweetener aspartame, and both of them may become neurotoxic when unbound to other amino acids).
– Beneficial herbs to calm down the nervous system and stomach: Tulsi (Holy Basil), Lemon balm (Melissa), Valerian root, Chamomile, Hops, etc.
– Good quality Multivitamin-mineral formula or Vitamin B-complex: 1 tablet after breakfast. Please do not buy cheap formulas as their potency is very low and they contain only short list of inorganic ingredients. It must be a good quality formula such as Healthy Mega (HealthAid), VM75 (Solgar) or Special Two (NOW Foods) which are an excellent multi-vitamin and mineral formulas fortified with alfalfa powder, rutin, citrus bioflavonoids, bromelain, herbs, digestive enzymes and many other super nutrients. If your diet is very healthy and you stay away from refined foods, sugar and stimulants then take only 1/2 tablet after breakfast.
– Since Vitamin B complex (B1, B2, B3, B6, B12, Folate) play very important role in dealing with stomach cramps I recommand getting B complex with a good quality multivitamin-mineral formula which is high in B vitamins. One of my favourite ones is Healthy Mega (HealthAid) as it is not only high in B vitamins and at the same time it contains zinc, selenium, herbs, digestive enzymes, micronutrients, and few super grasses. Compared with other popular formulas Healthy mega may contain even up to 60 times more vitamins per tablet!
Adults may take 1 tablet of Healthy Mega after breakfast, children 1/2 tablet (or less) crushed and mixed with juice after breakfast.
Healthy Mega contains many ingredients such as B vitamins, Zinc, Selenium, Alfalfa, Golden seal, Digestive enzymes or Guar gum which are very beneficial in IBS.
– Use activated charcoal (especially in case of diarrhoea) to detoxify and heal stomach lining. In addition Charcoal tablets have therapeutic value in the treatment of patients with irritable bowel syndrome > also known as spastic colon, a condition in a sense similar to stomach cramps.
– Take good quality probiotic formulas as gut health greatly depends on a healthy ratio between good and bad bacteria.
Please be careful in choosing supplements with probiotic bacteria s not long ago scientists tested many popular products and supplements which were supposed to contain live probiotic bacteria and tests revealed it was true in only 30% of them! Also majority of yogurts are deprived of live cultures and even if they contain some it is much lower number than good quality probiotic supplements.
– Vitamin B12: 1,000 to 2,000 mcg a day under the tongue (must be sublingual Methylcobalamin!). Many people with IBS have low levels of this most important vitamin. Read a fascinating article on B12 >
– You must take Vitamin D3 because almost all people today are deficient in Vitamin D! While using vitamin D3 supplements always remember to take also well absorbed magnesium (such as citrate) as vitamin D supplements lead to magnesium deficiency over time. Take at least 5,000 – 10,000 IU of vitamin D3 a day with breakfast. Another requirement for proper absorption of vitamin D is 200 mcg of Vitamin K2 MK-7 (Derived from Natural Natto) a day. Read more about vitamin D >
– Take good quality Omega 3 fish oil supplements (HealthAid makes excellent omega 3 fish oil as it is molecularly distilled and therefore perfectly free from mercury and other contaminants >): 1000 mg 2 times a day with meals. I recommand this one also because it is high in both EPA and DHA (DHA omega 3 is more important in improving brain function while EPA in coping with inflammation).
If you don’t want to use a molecularly distilled omega 3 fish oil (such as the mentioned above one by HealthAid) it’s much better to use high in DHA omega 3 oil from algae (expensive) and not from fish as unlike fish oils, the algae-derived omega 3, is free from toxins that may be present in some low quality fish oils. In case you prefer to avoid swallowing gelatine capsule pierce or cut the omega 3 capsule and squeeze it into a meal or liquid.
– Zinc citrate (citrate doesn’t cause nausea) – 30 to 50mg a day after breakfast.
– Clean greens powder (Pukka) is my favourite and one of the most powerful natural remedies I know. Many of our customers told me how effective this formula was in dealing with skin conditions, inflammations, back pains, chronic fatigue, diabetes, cancer, gastro-intestinal problems, liver and kidneys problems, weak immune system, etc. It consists of organic blend of very potent 11 super-rich mostly freeze-dried green super foods including Wheat Grass Juice (30 times stronger than regular juice!), Nettle, Chlorella, Spirulina, Kale Sprouts, Seagreens, freshwater plants and digestive herbs. Made with some of nature’s finest herbs, grown in fertile organic soils it captures the incredible essence of nature’s bounty. Take 1 teaspoon of the powder 30 min before breakfast and 1 teaspoon 30 min before lunch with Aloe vera juice (Pukka) or vegetable juice or distilled water.
NUTRITIONAL AND LIFESTYLE RECOMMENDATIONS
– No Splenda or other artificial sweeteners!!! Use Xylitol or Stevia instead.
– No sugar and high glucose / high fructose syrup!!! Use Xylitol or Stevia instead.
– Drink and use for cooking only distilled or at least filtered water. Not all water filters remove fluoride, so make sure the one you have does or use only distilled water (buy a water distiller). Taking chlorella and turmeric help to get rid of fluoride and heavy metals such as mercury.
– Avoid gluten (wheat products, etc.)
– Avoid or reduce consumption of acidic foods: all meat and dairy products (cheese is the worst!).
– Eliminate stimulants (alcohol, smoking, anything with caffeine or other similar harmful alkaloids: coffee, tea, green tea, mate, yerba mate, cola, chocolate, etc.).
– Go on vegan unrefined diet as it gives best results. Eat especially plenty of raw vegetables salads and raw vegetable juices. Hallelujah diet leads to remission >
– Eliminate all junk food, processed food, artificial sweeteners, trans fats, and anything with bad preservatives and chemical.
– Eat whole, unprocessed foods, and choose as many organics as possible.
– Avoid sorbitol as sorbitol intolerance may be associated with abdominal pain, bloating and diarrhoea >
– Vitamin U (has powerful stomach and colon healer): Kale juice is the highest source. Mix kale juice with carrot juice. Drink 3 times a day before meals.
– Get adequate sun exposure if possible (20 minutes a day during summer time between 10 am and 2 pm) to maintain vitamin D levels.
– Use glass bottles as Bisphenol A (BPA) which is found in plastic bottles and cans (they are lined up with plastic) disrupt endocrine system.
– Avoiding chlorine, fluoride (toothpastes with fluoride, etc.), and bromine.
– Avoid hydrogenated fats and trans fats (margarines, doughnuts, cakes, etc.) and pro-inflammatory omega 6 fatty acids (soy oil, corn oil, sunflower oil, etc.).
– Increase consumption of omega 3 fatty acids in the form of ground flax seeds, chia seeds. Omega 3s are the building blocks for hormones that control immune function and cell growth.
– Detoxifying body from heavy metals by using combination of: Chlorella, Milk Thistle, Turmeric, Cilantro.
– Remove any dental fillings containing mercury.
– Increase intake of healthy fats such as raw coconut oil, coconut milk, avocado, chia seeds (soaked for at least 30 minutes or overnight), ground flaxseed, and hemp seeds as they will balance hormones. Coconut oil is a saturated fat comprising medium chain triglycerides (MCTs), which are known to increase metabolism and promote weight loss. Coconut oil is very stable (shelf life of three to five years at room temperature), so body is much less burdened with oxidative stress than it is from many other vegetable oils.
– Increase consumption of vitamin A in the form of beta-carotene found in carrots, apricots, green leafy vegetables, etc.
– You need more fibre but increase it gradually. Start from vegetable juices as they are deprived of fibre and will heal colon. You can try steamed and cooked vegetables and slowly add more raw vegetables.
– Avoid hot spices, fried foods, and salt.
– Avoid antibiotics and aspirin.
– Exercise at least 30–60 minutes per day.
– Get enough sleep.
– Practice deep breathing.
– Address adrenal fatigue. A prolonged stress response can lead to adrenal exhaustion (also known as adrenal fatigue). Find out more about ADRENAL FATIGUE >
– Proper stress control and positive thinking – extremely important!
– Treat unresolved emotional issues as a source of stress. Stomach cramps reflect emotions and mental attitude. Stress, anxiety or depression are often key culprits. It is important to identify the stressors and learn use ways such as prayer that can help to control stress and negative emotions.
– Read about the DEADLY CONSEQUENCES OF UNFORGIVENESS >
– If you believe in existence of God don’t forget about daily fervent prayers and reading or listening to a good spiritual literature (such as the Bible, Desire of Ages > and “Ministry of Healing” > by Ellen G White available online free of charge) which presents God as loving, healing, forgiving, carrying and saving from eternal death Person. All this will greatly increase the effectiveness of your improved diet and lifestyle: “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1Thessalonians 5:16-18, NIV); “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7, NIV). Because from my own experience I know and remember how difficult it was, in my case, to change my eating habits and give up on junk food and stimulants using my own pathetic at that time will power, I recommend to you reading or listening to a book “Steps to Christ” > and Great Controversy > by Ellen White. If you carefully study all the information presented there and follow the steps, you will not only become victorious but will actually experience an inward transformation which will enable you to enjoy your new lifestyle (including diet and physical activity).
– Read HEALTH RECOVERY PLAN from my website and implement principles for at least one week.
SOURCES
Hafström I, Ringertz B, Spångberg A, et al. A vegan diet free of gluten improves the signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis: the effects on arthritis correlate with a reduction in antibodies to food antigens. Rheumatology (Oxford) 2001, 40:1175-1179.
Proudman SM, James MJ, Spargo LD, et al. Fish oil in recent onset rheumatoid arthritis: a randomised, double-blind controlled trial within algorithm-based drug use. Ann Rheum Dis 2013.
Tursi A, Brandimarte G, Papa A, et al. Treatment of relapsing mild-to-moderate ulcerative colitis with the probiotic VSL#3 as adjunctive to a standard pharmaceutical treatment: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study. Am J Gastroenterol 2010, 105:2218-2227.
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