[pct-l] RE: pct-l-digest V1 #860 Cramps

[Barbara Ann Rudlich <rhubarb@dwp.net>]

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"Beth in Portland OR" writes:
>Another possible culprit is calcium. I've read several places >that backpackers and thru-hikers, especially, tend to not get >enough calcium in their diets

That's true. I believe there was a post by Birgette Jensen on the subject suggesting that hikers, especially thruhikers especially women, carry Ca & mineral tablets, to be spaced out during the day and taken with food. Very good advice, which I have not seen in published guidebooks. The small quantities of powdered milk in the hiker diet do not begin to meet our daily requirement for this important substance.

I now think of calcium as one of my ten essentials, and feel foolish I neglected my bone health on long hikes previously!  Barb



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