Proper potassium balance essential to healthy blood pressure and reduced heart attack risk

by: John Phillip

(NaturalNews) Increasing incidence of high blood pressure continues to be the most significant factor in death from a heart attack and advancing cardiovascular disease. Elevated blood pressure readings cause thickening of the coronary arteries as micro-cracks develop that the body attempts to correct with deposits of coronary plaque. Overweight and obesity, smoking, physical inactivity and stress are known contributing factors to the hypertension epidemic. Researchers publishing in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that the imbalance of potassium to sodium in the diet is a significant factor driving high blood pressure. Maintaining an optimized ratio of 2:1 (potassium to sodium) by cutting salty processed foods and increasing natural fruits and vegetables is shown to significantly lower out of control blood pressure readings.

Potassium from natural food sources has been rapidly depleted from the typical diet due to the dramatic rise in sodium-laden processed foods over the past half century. Combined with a reduction in raw vegetables and fruits that are excellent sources of potassium, the balance of potassium to sodium in the diet has shifted from an ideal ratio of 2:1 to a blood pressure raising rate of 2:3. Current potassium intake is fully one-third that of our generational ancestors and is attributed to the skyrocketing increase in high blood pressure incidence and associated cardiovascular risk.

Researchers examining the potassium intake across 21 countries including the US found that average daily consumption of the mineral ranged from 1.7 to 3.7 grams, well below the recommended daily allowance of 4.7 grams. Similarly, sodium consumption averaged 5 grams per day with many individuals taking in as much as 9 to 12 grams. The recommended sodium intake is 2,400 mg daily and 1,500 mg or less is suggested for those with established cardiovascular risk factors.

The study found that only 20% to 30 % of the adult population maintains normal blood pressure readings. The study authors found "An effective way of increasing potassium intake is to follow the guidelines for healthy nutrition more closely, including a higher consumption of vegetables and fruit. In addition, the use of mineral salts in processed foods - by which sodium is partly replaced by potassium - would contribute to an improved intake of both sodium and potassium."

The study concluded that increasing potassium in the diet has a significant effect on lowering blood pressure and is equal to the effect seen by lowering sodium consumption. Higher potassium intake from natural sources including avocados, spinach, carrots and tomatoes and elimination of sodium-infused processed foods (snacks, soup and fast food) can combine to lower systolic blood pressure readings by 5% to 7%. Improving this single risk factor could reduce hypertension rates enough to dramatically lower cardiovascular risk and heart attack deaths.

Article References:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/...
http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/archinter...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/release...

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Prevent illness by increasing your intake of potassium

by: Ethan A. Huff, staff writer

(NaturalNews) High blood pressure, which afflicts roughly one-third of Americans, and heart disease, the leading cause of death in the US, are both often attributed to bad habits like excess sodium intake and poor overall diet. However, a new report released by the US Institute of Medicine suggests that potassium deficiency may also be a critical factor in these diseases, and that Americans would do well to consume more potassium-rich foods as part of their regular diets.

According to the report, the average American consumes half of the recommended daily amount of potassium, which is 4,700 milligrams (mg) a day for adults. A 2010 study published in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine found that consuming this amount of potassium every day can significantly improve blood pressure, as well as reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease (http://www.sciencedaily.com/release...).

Potassium is also responsible for helping to keep a balanced pH level inside the body. When pH levels go awry, the body is more prone to developing disease. And maintaining healthy bone mass, nervous system health, muscle function, kidney health, and adrenal function, all require regular high intake of potassium.

But to put 4,700 mg of potassium into perspective, a person would have to eat roughly ten bananas a day in order to meet the government's bare minimum threshold for potassium intake, which is most likely lower than what is needed to obtain full, optimal health benefits. Even an whole avocado contains only about one-third of this minimum recommendation.

So what can you do to help increase your daily consumption of health-promoting potassium? Besides eating more bananas and avocados, which contain about 500 mg and 1,600 mg of potassium each, respectively, you can also integrate more beets, Brussels sprouts, Swiss chard, Lima beans, potatoes, and raisins into your diet. Winter squash, tomatoes, spinach, and prunes also have very high levels of potassium.

To learn more about potassium, and to see a more detailed list of potassium-rich foods, visit:
http://www.thepotassiumrichfoods.com/

Sources for this story include:

http://www.lef.org/news/LefDailyNew...

Learn more: http://www.naturalnews.com/032456_potassium_disease_prevention.html#ixzz1NTuYLGVW