Dept. of Irritating Pain

[kaffy_r]

In the Market for Sweet Potatoes

Did you know that sweet potatoes are good sources of potassium? And did you know potassium is apparently really good tool in a body's fight against muscle cramps and spasms? I thank minnehaha  for reminding me of this, since I'm still dealing with my most recent back spasm event. I like sweet potatoes. I also like avocados, which are apparently another good source of potassium. Bob isn't that fond of avocadoes, with the exception of guacamole, and he loathes sweet potatoes. He'll have to live with my new food faves - and I'll look for foods that he likes, because he needs more potassium, too. Bananas; bananas are good. 

I would normally litter that first paragraph with links to the various sites I found with information about potassium (and also magnesium), but today I lack the spoons. I'm considering heading to bed, and it's only 9:23 p.m. I can't even blame my exhaustion on the heat outside, since I haven't braved the outdoors, even to take garbage out to the dumpster. Our blinds and curtains have remained shut today, and will remain shut tomorrow (Tuesday), since tomorrow is supposed to be even more awful: 93F degrees with 55 percent humidity, and a heat index of 104F. Eurgh.

My exhaustion is, instead, undoubtedly due to the continuing spasms. Gotta love the human body. 

I've slid back into the habit of checking the American political scene, now that Chicago has bid goodbye to the Democratic Party convention. but I'm still not completely free of my unexpected aversion to said scene. 

I did get some work done, setting up two interviews for a feature I need to complete before the end of this week. I consider that a victory. 

Comments

[mxcatmoon]

Hope you're feeling better soon!

I've been having issues with heat cramps this summer as well. It hits so fast that I really have to discipline myself to do what I need to do to prevent them. In my case, it's Gatorade, tonic water, and making sure to take my mag and pot every day.

[kaffy_r]

Yep, the lack of electrolytes is definitely a problem. I hope you have no further cramps (or at least very few) in the dying days of summer 2024.

[mxcatmoon]

Thanks, you too!

[lilacsigil]

Magnesium too! And rehydration! My cramps are not as bad as they used to be (my thyroid was the primary issue, my gut not absorbing magnesium or calcium was the secondary issue) but every summer I forget... I hope that by reminding someone who is currently suffering hot weather, I might remember when it's my turn...

[kaffy_r]

That's right; you folks are in a relatively cool part of your Southern Hemisphere cycle - is it spring? Spring-ish?

I might remember when it's my turn...

I keep forgetting as well - (hence my use of this icon) so you're not alone!

[thisbluespirit]

Heh, yes, bananas are a good source of potassium! (Can you put up some shelves in a pinch, too?) Sweet potatoes are lovely; enjoy them - a very nice sort of medicine. XD

I hope the cramps calm down, though. That sounds nasty. ♥

[kaffy_r]

bananas are a good source of potassium!

I'm glad you caught that; wrt shelves, it would definitely have to be "in a pinch." I helped Bob build bookcases at our former place, but that was 26 years ago (!) so my skills might be rusty.

Thanks for your good wishes! Today, the cramp/spasm is under control, which is why I set the first of my interviews at 11 a.m.; I know that the pain will increasee after noon.

[thisbluespirit]

Let's be honest, I bet the Doctor's shelf-building skills are even worse! He last tried it several hundred years ago and whatever he built probably wasn't shelves!

*hugs*

[kaffy_r]

*snort*

Agreed!

[redbird]

I knew about potassium being good for those things, but I didn't know that sweet potatoes are a good source of potassium. I am very fond of sweet potatoes, so that is good to know.

For potassium, I try to have a banana every couple of days, and drink orange juice. OJ isn't a reasonable source of potassium, and here and now it's generally available year-round.

Cantaloupe is another good source of postassium, but last night, while eating cantanloupe, we were talking about the fact that it's difficult to find a good cantaloupe, especially given that masking indoors means we can't tell whether a lot of fruit in the supermarket is ripe.

[kaffy_r]

Yep, bananas and orange juice are decent sources of potassium; apparently the orange juice wins for the number of milligrams of potassium it delivers. And sweet potatoes trump top them both.

It's a good thing both Bob and I love cantalope. I understand the difficulty in choosing good ones if your mask interferes with an olfactoric check.