A Horse Apart

Friday, April 08, 2022

A physical problem slowly is becoming more frequent. I am awakened from sleep by leg muscle cramping, commonly called a “Charlie horse.” It’s a painful condition. Managing to get on my feet and walking may fade the cramping. I understand that cramping may arise from drinking too little water and eating too few bananas.

I’m attempting to head off the cramps by adding electrolytes to water, and making a point of drinking loaded water instead of sugarless soft drinks. Electrolytes are okay, by giving the water a reasonably good taste, and hopefully hydrating me better.

Yesterday at work, I spent my shift working at a cash register. A familiar customer came through my line, and we talked about muscle cramping. She said, “I coach baseball and basketball teams, and travel. Frequently, my muscles start cramping.” She opened her bag, produced a jar of green-looking fluid. Holding it up, she said, “Here’s your solution, and right from your refrigerator. Say hello to pickle juice!”

“Huh!”

“Yes,” she nodded, “Works every time! The instant I start feeling a cramp, I swallow a couple of big slugs, and immediately, the cramp disappears. I always have pickle juice with me, everywhere, whether or not I’m actively coaching, because I get lots of cramps.” She shook the jar, “This stuff keeps me going.”

“Must it be refrigerated? Would it still work if overnight it’s on a nightstand?”

“Sure! Just make sure it’s dill pickle juice.”

Who argues with an experienced athletic coach? I remembered long ago buying dill pickles, but where could they be?

After work, I discovered an unopened jar of Claussen Dill Spears in a back corner of my refrigerator. I ate a spear and tasted the juice, not bad. I set the jar in front on a shelf. Around midnight, I awakened, feeling a tiny business occurring in a leg muscle. Ordinarily, maybe not enough to worry about, but I went to the refrig for that jar, ate a pickle and sipped some juice.

Immediately, I forgot the tiny cramp.

Dear Friends: Suggesting again, a brain’s incredible power over how a body feels. Diana