potassium. how can i get more into my diet.

Dawny75

google potassium rich diets (but I agree with other postings here... potassium is an element, affecting many different things - smooth muscle contractility, heart rhythm etc) so you do need to be careful. The only way to diagnose a low potassium is blood work (and there may be other things out of sort when your potassium is low). Potassium does not directly reduce your blood pressure.

If you are looking at the relationship between blood pressure and electrolytes, you need to be looking at sodium. When you eat sodium rich foods, your body holds onto extra 'water'. This directly increases your blood pressure. It is transient, unless you have a chronic condition in which your sodium might be high (again, you need to look at your blood work). Magnesium, and Calcium, Caffeine, and tons of other elements, electrolytes play a role in balancing your body's function(s).

Talk to your doctor, and have your blood work drawn.

hollyberry2012

Be careful. Potassium is one of those electrolytes that in high amounts can be very harmful and the window of what is in "normal window is very small. Too high you can get heart arrhythmia, too low you could have a heart attack. Don't try to supplement it yourself. See your doctor.

That's why supplements only contain 3% of your daily value. You are not likely to leave the window ..at least not by much.

ImSoPerfectlyFlawed

mine comes from bananas and orange juice

Dawny75

When my feet cramp from losing water fast, I take three or four potassium supplements..and the cramps stop altogether.. Works faster than a banana for me. But I ate my first avocado the other day and noticed MFP database said it was high in potassium, too. I was reading all the posts and wondering if anyone knew the science of how potassium and sodium work in the body, how they effect each other.

Now that is a very dry topic when you get into it. You are talking about electrolytes and how their relationship(s) to each other. This is a seriously complex question, there would be numerous THICK textbooks out there to cover discussing each electrolyte and their functions within the body. They do relate to each other (but these relationships might be different under the cover of different situations. For example, they play a role in cellular functions on a second to second basis. They also play a role in smooth muscle contractility (heart beats etc), They play a role in blood pressure, metabolism, kidney function (every organ function in the body). They are affected by countless variables (dehyrdration, fever, infection, injury, illness, diet, medications, environment, genetics... etc).