What is potassium and what does it do for you?
Potassium is an essential mineral found in every cell in the body. It has a strong relationship with sodium, calcium, and magnesium. Maintaining a balance between all of these minerals is important for good health. Potassium is the third most abundant mineral in the body. It is an electrolyte that regulates the proper function of every cell in your body. It is often referred to as the wonder mineral and, when you read the list below, you can see why!
When most people hear about potassium they usually think about eating ‘bananas‘. Bananas are a good source of potassium, but they’re not a great source as they are a high sugar food–so no more then one a day. You should also make sure you want more potassium!
Potassium helps your body:
Deficiency in potassium symptoms:
Although having ratio of potassium too high is rare, it is possible. It is usually due to other medical conditions such as diabetic kidney disease and Hypokalemia which is the inability of the kidneys to filter out excess potassium from the body. The consequences can be fatal. If potassium becomes too high one may feel some weakness, numbness and tingling and can cause an irregular heartbeat or a heart attack. Again, this is rare.
Caution: If you think you have a medical problem, consult your physician. There is as simple blood test to detect low or high levels of potassium.
Most people eat way too much salt, sugar, and fats–which are the only food substances with no potassium in them. The no-potassium foods are table salt, sugar, pancake syrups, hard candies, cornstarch, baking powder, shortening, and salad oils (peanut, olive, sesame, sunflower, safflower, corn, soybean and canola). So, if your diet is full of these, then you may be potassium deficient.
Potassium is an essential mineral found in every cell in the body. It has a strong relationship with sodium, calcium, and magnesium. Maintaining a balance between all of these minerals is important for good health. Potassium is the third most abundant mineral in the body. It is an electrolyte that regulates the proper function of every cell in your body. It is often referred to as the wonder mineral and, when you read the list below, you can see why!
When most people hear about potassium they usually think about eating ‘bananas‘. Bananas are a good source of potassium, but they’re not a great source as they are a high sugar food–so no more then one a day. You should also make sure you want more potassium!
Potassium helps your body:
- keep your heartbeat regular
- makes sure your muscles work right
- aids rheumatic or arthritic conditions by causing acids to leave the joints, thus eases stiffness
- maintain fluid and electrolyte balance in the body
- transmit nerve impulses
- regulate your fluid and electrolyte balance, keeping you hydrated
- maintain healthy, strong bones
- maintain blood pressure
- regulate the transfer of nutrients into cells
- eliminate wastes
- control convulsions, headaches and migraines
- in the healing of cuts, bruises and injuries faster
- promote balanced pH levels
- decrease bone loss associated with aging
- reduce kidney stone risk
- increase energy
Deficiency in potassium symptoms:
- fatigue
- irritability
- muscle spasms and fatigue, leg cramps, and ‘restless leg syndrome’
- hypertension (increased blood pressure)
- can cause kidney stones
- in the most severe cases, heart attacks
- people eating mostly processed foods
- consuming excessive quantities of licorice
- severe vomiting or diarrhea
- anorexia or bulimia
- alcoholism
- excessive salt intake
- diuretics
- magnesium deficiency
- certain medications (diuretics, laxatives, cortisone, aspirin, cardiac drugs, steroids)
Although having ratio of potassium too high is rare, it is possible. It is usually due to other medical conditions such as diabetic kidney disease and Hypokalemia which is the inability of the kidneys to filter out excess potassium from the body. The consequences can be fatal. If potassium becomes too high one may feel some weakness, numbness and tingling and can cause an irregular heartbeat or a heart attack. Again, this is rare.
Caution: If you think you have a medical problem, consult your physician. There is as simple blood test to detect low or high levels of potassium.
Most people eat way too much salt, sugar, and fats–which are the only food substances with no potassium in them. The no-potassium foods are table salt, sugar, pancake syrups, hard candies, cornstarch, baking powder, shortening, and salad oils (peanut, olive, sesame, sunflower, safflower, corn, soybean and canola). So, if your diet is full of these, then you may be potassium deficient.
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