How To Control Potassium Level By Daily Foods:

Potassium is a vital micronutrient for every healthy individual. For human it is one abundant action that plays many crucial roles, we can summarize these in following ways;

• Every single cell of your body needs potassium the correct amount to maintain their cellular function and homeostasis (means balance) in between them.
• Like sodium, potassium helps to transmit electrical pulse, which mainly helps in proper muscle function as well as nerve functions.
• Importantly it also controls the rhythm of your heart as well.
• Potassium is also essential for strong and healthy bones as it regulates the serum level of calcium and phosphorus in blood etc.,

So we all need potassium and to get this micronutrient in the correct amount, we require a healthy diet consist of many foods rich in potassium naturally.

How much need in respect to age and work patterns:

The concentration of potassium in the extracellular fluid is around 5mmol/L while the cells have about 150mmol/L. Potassium content decreases with age and adiposity. The newborn infants need 400-700mg/day for growth and development. Potassium requirement in pregnancy is around 4700mg per day, which likely to be supplied by an increase in cereal and pulse intake. The safe potassium and sodium intake in a tropical country like India need to be determined in terms of a higher loss of sodium in sweat. Therefore heavy worker needs more NaCl and water and less potassium than the sedentary worker. But in general, adult needs 4700mg potassium per day as well.

Why potassium crisis? Food restrictions if high level:

Potassium is absorbed by diffusion and readily distributed in your whole body fluid. It always maintains a balance between its absorption and way out through urine. High level of potassium in the blood is called hyperkalemia or potassium intoxication, it has a deleterious effect on heart. For a healthy kidney, potassium crisis is not possible. Kidney disease(Acute and Chronic renal failure,), hormonal imbalance, heart failure etc are some risk conditions when potassium crisis can take place and should consult with a dietician before trying to increase their dietary potassium level.

Foods to restrict:

During high crisis potassium rich source, like tomato juice, different fruit juice, coconut water, coffee, tea, cocoa and potassium rich vegetables are should be avoided.

Dietary Solutions:

The best dietary solution is to limit the foods that are high in potassium content. Eat variety foods but in moderation. Leaching of vegetables before cooking is one such procedure that reduces potassium content in food. Don’t take fruit juices, canned food or cooked meat. If you feel weakness, numbness, and tingling also if your blood report says a high level of potassium (more than 5mmol/L) then immediate consultation with doctor and a dietician is required.