Potassium is one of those minerals that is very valuable as a supplement when you are recuperating from an illness. It also has a number of other benefits:

Helps your muscles and nerves function properly - I have found eating foods high in potassium keeps me from getting cramps in my legs.

Maintain the proper electrolyte and acid-base balance in your body - Your electrolyte levels can get out of balance when you are ill.

Helps lower your risk of high blood pressure

Potassium is very important in regulating the activity of muscles and nerves. The frequency and degree to which our muscles contract, and the degree to which our nerves become excitable, both depend heavily on having the right level of potassium in our body.

Potassium is also involved in the storage of carbohydrates for use by muscles as fuel. Potassium helps the body maintain the proper electrolyte and acid-base (pH) balance. Potassium may also decrease urinary calcium loss which is caused by a high-salt diets (typical of most Americans), thus helping to prevent bones from thinning out at a fast rate.

You can have a potassium deficiency if you have had excessive fluid loss, through vomiting, diarrhea or sweating, or if you take certain medications (Prolonged use of stimulant laxatives,Cisplatin – a chemotherapy medication, Steroidal anti-inflammatory medications, Neomycin – an antibacterial drug, Theopylline and aminopylline – medications used in the treatment of asthma,Tobramycin – an antibiotic, Diuretics, or “water pills”)

Symptoms of potassium deficiency include:

Acne
Dry skin
Insomnia
Nervousness
Nervous eczema
Greasy skin
Sudden hair loss
Muscle weakness
Confusion
Irritability
Fatigue

List of foods high in potassium are:

Dates
Figs
Peaches
Tomatoes
Blackstrap molasses
Peanuts
Raisins
Seafood
Spinach
Fennel
Kale
Brussel Sprout
Broccoli
Winter Squash
Eggplant
Cantaloupe
Parsley
Cucumber
Bell Pepper
Tumeric
Strawberries
Bananas
Apricots
Ginger Root
Tuna
Halibut
Cauliflower
Cabbage

There are cases where you can have too much potassium in your system. Hyperkalemia is a condition where there is too much potassium in the blood. This is usually caused by an underlying medical condition such as a kidney disease or diabetes. If this is the case your doctor may want you to restrict your levels of potassium. Also some drugs (Angiotensin-(ACE) inhibitors used to treat high blood pressure, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications, such as ibuprofen (Advil), Heparin, an anticoagulant prescription medication, Sulfonamide antibiotics) may increase the level of potassium in your body.

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