Potassium

[noblehead]

This makes interesting reading, a potassium rich diet can reduce the risk of a stroke by around 21 per cent:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/artic ... troke.html

Nigel

 

[carty]

There is always a catch though isnt there , if I ate 3 bananas a day my BS would skyrocket :cry: .
CAROL

 

[noblehead]

There is always a catch though isnt there , if I ate 3 bananas a day my BS would skyrocket :cry: .
CAROL

Carol,

Many veg which are low-carb and contain just as much potassium as bananas, for example spinach, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and tomatoes to name a few.

Nigel

 

[carty]

Thanks Nigel
Yes I eat loads of that sort of veg ,it was just that the article mentioned eating 3 bananas a day :lol: Its like anything else a well balanced diet is the best way (providing we keep the carbs in check)
CAROL

 

[noblehead]

Thanks Nigel
Yes I eat loads of that sort of veg ,it was just that the article mentioned eating 3 bananas a day :lol: Its like anything else a well balanced diet is the best way (providing we keep the carbs in check)
CAROL

I would imagine they are just using bananas as a example Carol as they are a good source of potassium, I eat 2 bananas everyday plus all the veg listed earlier so I am sure I get a adequate amount but appreciate its harder for type 2's to eat fruit like bananas.

Nigel

 

[Beav]

I was warned about Potassium putting extra stress on my kidneys. I mentioned to the nurse I was lifting weights 4x a week and biking a 5 mile bike ride 3x a week and she said "watch out that can be dangerious due to the potassium released after heavy workouts".

 

[catherinecherub]

Have a read through this article Beav, it explains it more in the context of exercise,
http://www.sportsinjurybulletin.com/arc ... lysis.html

 

[phoenix]

I'm sure that a variety of fruit and veg is important. It's true that it can lowe blood pressure and cut the risk of stroke.
Too little potassium and someone can become very ill very quickly. When my elderly mother's potassium levels became too low she was slipping in and out of conciousness.
But there are dangers in trying to get higher levels of potassium, particularly for many of us with diabetes.
People with renal problems, unfortunately that's many people with diabetes have impaired renal excretion of potassium.
On top of this many of us take:
angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors, (like captopril, enalapril, lisinopril, ramipril)
or angiotensin II receptor blockers, ( like irbesartan, Aprovel , valsartan, candesartan)
or potassium sparing diuretics(like bendroflumethiazide).
These drugs increase the risk of too much potassium
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, can also increase potassium.

That's why there is a tiny warning printed on the lo salt packet as the product contains potassium.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1124926/

 

[ailz]

I was told to drink slimline tonic water to boost my potassium levels - I get a lot of cramp and am on water tablets.

Cheers
Ailz