TEACHING AN OLD DOG--
New Tricks

All these years and I had never heard of this one:

Drink a tablespoon or two full of pickle juice and it will make your muscle cramps go away.

Evidently it doesn't matter if it is dill or sweet, Gerkins or Bread and Butter; just pickles!

We were playing Euchre with friends Bill and Darlene Gilliam one recent evening and I developed a painful, lower leg cramp.

When I shot to my feet and began to exercise the cramp away, Darlene thoughtfully inquired, "Cramp?

"Yes." I squawked as the pain hammered its course.

She headed for the refrigerator and came back with a jar of pickles.

Sure enough, just as I sat down and started to massage my painful leg, a new spasm nailed me.

She promptly poured me a tablespoon full of juice and I slurped it down, thankful it wasn't the dill variety.

Amazingly I enjoyed near instant relief--and continued our spirited game the rest of the evening free of further attacks.

Later, in one study I found, experts said it was not hydration or electrolyte infusion that caused the near miracle of pain elimination.  That left the likelihood the juice was acting on the nervous system as the pathway to relief.

Naturally, I now keep a jar of pickles handy in my local refrigerator.