FEBRUARY 12: DONT FORGET YOUR POTASSIUM!

29 Days to a Healthier Heart

Sodium and potassium make up the majority of electrolytes in the body. They are the main substances responsible for maintaining fluid balance in the tissues and have a lot of other important functions in the body.

Currently, the average North American gets 3-7 gm/day of sodium and only 1-3 gm/day of potassium. The average dietary sodium/potassium ratio is 5 to 2 whereas ideally, this should be 1 to 5, or even 1 to 10!! Thus people should be ingesting a much higher amount of potassium in their diets, similar to what hunter/gatherers consumed many years ago.

Why is the sodium/potassium ratio so important? Here are some of the functions of these electrolytes in your body:

Acid/base balance: Both are intimately involved with acid/base balance. If there is an imbalance, the heart many beat irregularly.

Electrical activity for nerve and muscle cell function including the heart: Both a deficiency and an excess of potassium can cause electrical disturbances in the heart, which can lead to arrhythmias and other problems. Deficiency in muscles can cause cramping and spasms in the muscles. In addition, because it is essential for the storage of glycogen (fuel) in muscles, a deficiency can cause muscles to become fatigued and weak.

Water balance: Sodium is pumped out of cells while it is pumped into cells. Without this active pumping of sodium of cells, swelling of the cells occurs.

Kidney and adrenal function: Sodium is intimately involved in the proper functioning of adrenals and kidneys.

So don’t forget to eat your potassium!! To get started, here is a list of potassium-rich foods:

• Avocados
• Tomato Sauce
• Potatoes
• Watermelon
• Pork
• Turkey (white)
• Mushrooms
• Celery
• Peanut Butter
• Asparagus
• Green Beans
• Chicken (white)
• Strawberries
• Orange Juice
• Raisins
• Spinach

-Karen Hack, BHSc, ND