Tasty Talk
Potassium
Support Our Advertisers Hannah Rogers recently returned home after serving 5 years in the U.S. Coast Guard as a cook. She enjoys time with her dog, baking, hiking, and serving others. Hannah is currently in the process of establishing Hananel Bakery in Batesville.
Many Americans do not get enough potassium in their diets, yet it is an essential mineral for our health. Potassium is vital for proper heart function, healthy blood pressure, and health of the kidneys, nerves, and muscles. Normal metabolism of protein and carbohydrates also depends on the proper amount of potassium. In January 2020, new food labels were introduced listing potassium content as a requirement, as Americans typically do not get enough of this mineral in our diet. A major contributor to the problem is processed foods that are generally high in sodium and contain little or no potassium. Yet as we all know, real food, such as vegetables and fruits, contain much more potassium with little or no sodium. This ratio is important, as sodium and potassium work together for optimal health. When you have enough potassium, excess sodium is more readily excreted from the body. This aids the body in maintaining healthy blood pressure, thus helping to avoid hypertension, heart disease and stroke. Many foods are rich in potassium, including beans, fish, vegetables, and fruits. A few potassium rich foods include bananas, sweet potatoes, potatoes, spinach and other greens, beets, tomatoes, avocados, cantaloupe, salmon, and clams. Some salt substitutes replace sodium with potassium chloride, providing higher doses of this essential mineral. Salt substitutes are just fine for healthy bodies, but always check with your doctor, if you have any health issues or concerns. Potassium supplements can produce an overload for some people. Caution should be exercised, especially if you have diabetes, heart failure or kidney disease, to avoid potassium overload. Some medications can raise potassium levels, so be sure to check with your doctor about this issue before adding supplements to your diet. Prescription diuretics can also deplete potassium from your body. Even over-the-counter drugs can cause potassium levels to be raised, such as ibuprofen and naproxen. Dangerously high levels of potassium can cause fatigue, weakness, irregular heart rhythms and in extreme cases, heart attack and death. So once again, use caution when adding potassium supplements or medications. Consult your family doctor for a simple blood test that will check your potassium levels. The best way to increase potassium is through our diet, and there are many foods available for those picky eaters. Eating our nutrients are always the best option for optimum health, instead of adding medications and/or supplements. Also, when we eat our essential minerals, there are many other health benefits as well. Stay healthy! N
Attention Medical Supply-------------------------------26 Bad Boy Mowers----------------------------------------14 Baker Family Dentistry---------------------------------15 Batesville Area Chamber of Commerce----------------21 Batesville Spine & Health Solutions--------------------- 3 Citizens Bank--------------------------------------------18 Choice Realty-------------------------------------------16 Crowly’s Ridge Development Council------------------26 CustomEyes Vision Care of Newport-------------------25 Delta Medical--------------------------------------------- 3 DownTown Guide---------------------------------------27 Eagle Pest-----------------------------------------------24 Elizabeth’s Restaurant----------------------------------27 First Community Bank----------------------------------- 2 Greenway Equipment, Inc------------------------------26 GTS Physical Therapy------------------------------------ 4 Independence County Library--------------------------27 Independence County Recycling Center---------------10 Kallsnick, Inc.-------------------------------------------10 KBAP 88.1 FM-------------------------------------------24 Kent’s Firestone-----------------------------------------20 Main Street Closing and Title---------------------------11 Main Street Nutrition-----------------------------------21 Merchants and Planters Bank--------------------------13 M & P Insurance and Investment Services------------13 NADT Dance Academy----------------------------------- 7 Red Tie Meat Shop--------------------------------------- 9 Studio Salon--------------------------------------------27 Thompson’s Jewelry------------------------------------27 UACCB--------------------------------------------------20 Unity Health Harris Medical Center--------------------32 White River Health Systems----------------------------31 White River Medical Center-----------------------------12 Woodcrest Assisted Living------------------------------- 5
28 Bald Knob . Batesville . Bradford . Cave City . Melbourne . Mnt. View . Newport . Newark . Southside . Sulphur Rock . Swifton . Sidney . Tuckerman
