| Potassium is a vital mineral salt that helps balance | | | | Potassium Rich Foods |
| the pH of your body's fluids, making it imperative | | | | Packed with anti-oxidants, fruits and vegetables |
| that you maintain a diet of foods rich in | | | | also offer a wide range of vitamins and minerals, |
| potassium. In addition, potassium is important to | | | | including potassium. Bananas and cantaloupes are |
| your body in maintaining healthy blood pressure, | | | | loaded with the mineral, but they are not alone. |
| proper bone mass, and adrenal functions. It | | | | Other potassium rich foods include apricots, |
| regulates the nervous system, muscle function, as | | | | strawberries, and oranges. Tomatoes, cucumbers, |
| well as your heart, kidney, and renal functions. A | | | | and squash are also high in potassium, as are |
| deficit in potassium can be very dangerous to the | | | | halibut and tuna. Brussels sprouts, chard, and |
| overall health of your body and lead to very | | | | cabbage also make the list. |
| serious complications. The good news is that for | | | | Symptoms of Low Potassium |
| most people, potassium levels can be maintained | | | | Your body will let you know that your potassium |
| with a balanced diet of potassium rich foods, | | | | levels are not what they should be before your |
| including fruits, vegetables, and lean meats. | | | | supply is dangerously depleted. If you experience |
| Medical Conditions | | | | any combination of the following symptoms, |
| Pertaining to Potassium For most people, | | | | consult your physician and increase your intake of |
| maintaining healthy potassium levels is easy, and | | | | potassium rich foods: weakness and tiredness, |
| only requires a diet of potassium rich foods. | | | | cramping in the legs or arms, extremely low blood |
| However, there are conditions in which a person's | | | | pressure, numbness, or arrhythmias. |
| body does not absorb potassium, or stores too | | | | Signs that Your Potassium is Low |
| much of the mineral. Hypokalemia, or low | | | | It is dangerous to deprive your body of |
| potassium, exists when your body does not | | | | potassium rich foods, whether due to poor overall |
| absorb the potassium that you ingest, and | | | | nutrition or starvation diets; your body will give |
| supplements are required to bring your potassium | | | | off a number of warning signs if your potassium |
| levels up to a healthy range. Its counterpart, | | | | levels dip too low. At the first signs of weakness, |
| hyperkalemia, is a condition in which your body will | | | | exhaustion, cramping in the extremities, a sever |
| not dispose of unneeded potassium, which can | | | | drop in blood pressure, numbness, or heart |
| then reach toxic levels. Both conditions are | | | | arrhythmias, see your doctor immediately to |
| treatable with medication and an appropriate diet. | | | | have your levels checked. |