Natural Treatment for Restless Leg Syndrome
by: Andrew Bicknell

Restless leg syndrome is a condition in which people who suffer from its affects find great difficulty in going to sleep. The symptoms, which include unpleasant sensations like burning, creeping, tugging like having insects crawling beneath the skin, of RLS strike just as one is lying down or has just drifted off to sleep. This creates an unavoidable urge to get up and move around, which in many instances causes the cessation of the symptoms.

Most people who suffer from this condition want to find a treatment for their restless leg syndrome that prevents the symptoms in the first place. While it?s nice to know that getting up and walking around will make the symptoms go away, for most people they would rather not be affected by the strange crawling sensations in the first place. For many finding a natural treatment for restless leg syndrome is a top priority.

Many experts have theorized that one of the causes of restless leg syndrome is a deficiency in folate and iron.

Folate is a water soluble B vitamin that is found naturally in dark leafy green vegetables such as asparagus, spinach or kale. You can also get folate from fortified breakfast cereals, whole wheat products, liver, eggs, beans and sunflower seeds. A good way to get enough folate is to drink a folate rich juice such as kale juice once a day.

For some people their restless leg syndrome has been tied to an iron deficiency. In one study subjects with RLS and an iron deficiency were given 74 mg of iron three times a day over a two month period. This resulted in reduced symptoms of restless leg syndrome. Iron deficiency is not very common so it is important to be tested to see if you do indeed have iron deficient blood. Taking an iron supplement when not deficient can have adverse effects and may cause more harm then good.

Massage is another natural way to treat restless leg syndrome. Massaging or needing your calf muscles helps promote blood flow to the area and helps to relieve restless legs. Combined with moderate exercise, massage is a great way to naturally treat restless leg syndrome. It is important to ease into any exercise program because many sufferers of RLS who exercised excessively reported that their restless leg syndrome symptoms were aggravated excessive exercise.

One aspect of changing your lifestyle when it comes to the natural treatment of restless leg syndrome is elimination of things that seem to cause and worsen the effects of RLS. Caffeine intake needs to be cut or eliminated as well as all tobacco use. Reduction or elimination of any type of stimulant as well as alcoholic beverages will normally lead to a decrease or total cessation of RLS symptoms.

Finding a natural treatment for restless leg syndrome should be done in conjunction with consultations with your doctor. While many people want to treat themselves a licensed physician can provide the best treatment options for your restless leg syndrome.

To learn more about natural treatments for restless leg syndrome, its causes and coping strategies click here.

To find other free health content see e-healtharticles.com