While there is no solid proof of what causes high blood pressure, most physicians will agree that NaCl, salt or sodium, plays an important role in bringing it on. Most people who consume less than 3 grams of salt a day do not have high blood pressure or hypertension. However, the reverse is not true. Most people who consume 3 to 6 grams of sodium also do not have HBP. The missing element is potassium.
Our bodies are amazingly complex organisms and they are designed to function efficiently when certain balances are met. One of those balances is between salt and potassium. Persons who consume the higher amount of salt and do not get HBP most likely have a higher consumption of potassium which keeps the balance in check.
Western diets, unlike European, are hugely heavy in salt and low in potassium. Doctors routinely put high blood pressure patients on a salt free diet. This assumes that the intake of potassium will remain constant and the balance can only be achieved by reducing the intake of salt.
What if you increased potassium intake? The issue here is not salt by itself but salt and its’ relationship to the amount of potassium in our body. How difficult is it to get more potassium?
While salt is all around us in the U.S., a can of chicken soup has 33 times the amount of sodium compared to potassium, potassium is also available in abundance, we just can’t identify it.
Visit your local produce aisle at the grocery store and see if any of these are currently in your crisper or pantry at home:
Bananas
Raisins
Apricots
Figs
Potatoes
Beets
Tomatoes
Prunes
Oranges
Not only are these fruits and vegetables high in potassium but several are high in antioxidants and fiber as well.
Think about what you ate for breakfast, lunch and dinner yesterday. How many servings of this food group did you consume? If you’re like most Americans you probably got a slice of tomato on your burger to go with the fried potatoes. If you had pasta you probably got some tomato sauce as well. Other than that you probably didn’t get any.
You can’t overdose on potassium. You can eat as much of it as you like. Bananas, raisins and figs make great snacks and are loaded with potassium. Try just a little change in your lifestyle and start munching on those instead of the chips. Your blood pressure will thank you for it.
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