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Potassium and Fitness Go Hand in Hand!Are you getting enough Potassium? There are benefits of an adequate dietary supply of this important nutrient including:
A deficiency of this mineral can leave you in a bad state. Slow reflexes, weak muscles and strength, cramping of muscles are all symptoms. So is depression and nausea. Simply feeling this terrible could have you thinking you have some dreaded disease or are on the verge of death. And yet, it could be something as simple as a deficiency in potassium. I’m not advising you to avoid your doctor for a diagnosis in the event you are experiencing these symptoms, but you might want to consider examining your diet to ensure you are getting enough of this mineral and perhaps taking a supplement to elevate the levels. It is the third most abundant mineral in the body and is essential for your good health. It helps keep your muscles strong (including your heart) and helps control blood pressure and the water balance in your cells. It also helps keep nerve impulses firing in top form, and releases energy from protein, fat and carbohydrates during metabolism. Further benefits include protecting you from heart disease, hypoglycemia, diabetes, obesity and kidney disease. It helps keep muscles strong, bowels regular and helps to reduce irritability, and stress. Eat these foods: Be sure to incorporate the following foods in your diet. You will need to take in anywhere between 2000 to 3500mg per day, which can be easy to do as a balanced diet will provide 2000 to 6000 mg per day.
But remember that this mineral is lost when food is cooked so eat raw ( except of course for the meats and fish). Also, be aware that salt intake will reduce the amount of potassium available as a chemical reaction takes place that combines it with sodium in your body. As salt is a too-large part of the diet in North America, even a diet rich in this mineral may not be sufficient. This makes it important to also take a supplement. Remember too that processed foods will have less in them than whole foods. The processing removes it and the increased salt eliminates the rest. Avoid processed foods! More bad news. Coffee, cola and alcohol will lower your levels too. I hate to have to preach this one. It is clear that nutritional supplements containing this mineral are a good thing, but as with all good things, don’t overdo it. Extreme intake can be toxic. Which Form of Potassium is Best? It is important to consider the form that potassium takes in the supplement you buy. The bicarbonate form is better as it helps to neutralize acid (good), whereas the chloride form will acidify you (bad). Look for the bicarbonate form and avoid the chloride form. Read our pages on: Taking Supplements and Which Ones Are Right For You
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