Not enough potassium

Beet greens. Potatoes. Low sodium v8.

The v8 should be especially handy for you at work, and has loads of potassium.

I'm just starting with the exercise again. I'm having difficulty really getting going right now though because when my systolic is up I get terrible headaches. I'm trying to get my BP down and my healthy eating in place before I worry too much about my calories or really getting hard into exercise. I'm working out about 20-30 minutes a day.

What's your sugar intake like? When I cut out added sugar and restricted my carbs to staying between 70 and 100 grams per day, my b.p. plummeted to the point where I could eliminate both of the maximum dosages of b.p. meds I was on. Some new research suggests that fructose (table sugar, sucrose, is 50% fructose) metabolism, because it raises uric acid levels in the blood, causes high blood pressure. The link is pretty strong and even though my case is just anecdotal, if certainly proved it to me. Our greatest single exposure to fructose is in all the sugar people eat. National consumption has gone from about five pounds per year per capita in 1900 to an estimated 150 pounds per person per year today. Only about 40% is consumed in sugary foods--the rest is hidden in processed food. I got a salad at a restaurant the other day that had 14 grams of sugar (and, btw, 1,800 mg. of sodium) somewhere in it (I looked it up on the restaurant chain's website). I guess it was in the salad dressing but I couldn't tell because it was so incredibly salty that I could barely eat it. :frown: I should have asked for the dressing on the side.

I, too was told by my Dr. that I needed to add more potassium to my diet. He gave me a prescription for potassium pills but I, like you didn't really want to have to take a pill. So, I searched the internet and found and potassium rich shake that I drink in the morning for breakfast. I add a scoop of whey protein to help fill up and stay fuller longer.

If you (or anyone for that matter) is interested in the recipe, I would be happy to share it with you. Just send me a message and I will give you the recipe. The shake itself has 1,320 grams of potassium. To me that's a pretty bring jump start to the day.

I'm just starting with the exercise again. I'm having difficulty really getting going right now though because when my systolic is up I get terrible headaches. I'm trying to get my BP down and my healthy eating in place before I worry too much about my calories or really getting hard into exercise. I'm working out about 20-30 minutes a day.

What's your sugar intake like? When I cut out added sugar and restricted my carbs to staying between 70 and 100 grams per day, my b.p. plummeted to the point where I could eliminate both of the maximum dosages of b.p. meds I was on. Some new research suggests that fructose (table sugar, sucrose, is 50% fructose) metabolism, because it raises uric acid levels in the blood, causes high blood pressure. The link is pretty strong and even though my case is just anecdotal, if certainly proved it to me. Our greatest single exposure to fructose is in all the sugar people eat. National consumption has gone from about five pounds per year per capita in 1900 to an estimated 150 pounds per person per year today. Only about 40% is consumed in sugary foods--the rest is hidden in processed food. I got a salad at a restaurant the other day that had 14 grams of sugar (and, btw, 1,800 mg. of sodium) somewhere in it (I looked it up on the restaurant chain's website). I guess it was in the salad dressing but I couldn't tell because it was so incredibly salty that I could barely eat it. :frown: I should have asked for the dressing on the side.

I get my sugar in the morning from my coffee creamer. Other than that, I have pretty much cut out sugar and am eating mostly fruits, veggies, meat, rice pasta etc. My BP used to be great when I was eating healthy, exercising daily etc but then I began to eat out a lot at work, stress and two teen boys...it slowly crept up. I'm still trying to learn how to eat a variety of veggies in order to get more nutrients. I'm thinking about researching a juicer. That might be the route for me. I don't normally eat a lot and am really having a hard time trying to eat enough to get all of my nutrients in.

You might want to try going fruit free for a couple of weeks. That's what I did in order to reset my fructokinase levels (the enzyme that makes it possible for us to digest fructose). What are your blood sugar levels like? The bodies of many people are quite efficient at turning high blood glucose into fructose and then on to uric acid. What about your stress levels? As you know, stress raises cortisol levels which, in turn, raise blood sugar and blood pressure levels. Have you tried meditating or praying to reduce stress? Have you had a HbA1C done?

I'm just starting with the exercise again. I'm having difficulty really getting going right now though because when my systolic is up I get terrible headaches. I'm trying to get my BP down and my healthy eating in place before I worry too much about my calories or really getting hard into exercise. I'm working out about 20-30 minutes a day.

What's your sugar intake like? When I cut out added sugar and restricted my carbs to staying between 70 and 100 grams per day, my b.p. plummeted to the point where I could eliminate both of the maximum dosages of b.p. meds I was on. Some new research suggests that fructose (table sugar, sucrose, is 50% fructose) metabolism, because it raises uric acid levels in the blood, causes high blood pressure. The link is pretty strong and even though my case is just anecdotal, if certainly proved it to me. Our greatest single exposure to fructose is in all the sugar people eat. National consumption has gone from about five pounds per year per capita in 1900 to an estimated 150 pounds per person per year today. Only about 40% is consumed in sugary foods--the rest is hidden in processed food. I got a salad at a restaurant the other day that had 14 grams of sugar (and, btw, 1,800 mg. of sodium) somewhere in it (I looked it up on the restaurant chain's website). I guess it was in the salad dressing but I couldn't tell because it was so incredibly salty that I could barely eat it. :frown: I should have asked for the dressing on the side.

I get my sugar in the morning from my coffee creamer. Other than that, I have pretty much cut out sugar and am eating mostly fruits, veggies, meat, rice pasta etc. My BP used to be great when I was eating healthy, exercising daily etc but then I began to eat out a lot at work, stress and two teen boys...it slowly crept up. I'm still trying to learn how to eat a variety of veggies in order to get more nutrients. I'm thinking about researching a juicer. That might be the route for me. I don't normally eat a lot and am really having a hard time trying to eat enough to get all of my nutrients in.

You might want to try going fruit free for a couple of weeks. That's what I did in order to reset my fructokinase levels (the enzyme that makes it possible for us to digest fructose). What are your blood sugar levels like? The bodies of many people are quite efficient at turning high blood glucose into fructose and then on to uric acid. What about your stress levels? As you know, stress raises cortisol levels which, in turn, raise blood sugar and blood pressure levels. Have you tried meditating or praying to reduce stress? Have you had a HbA1C done?

My sugar is good. I really don't eat much fruit. I add either blueberries or strawberries to my granola and that's about it. I did add banana to a shake today just to add more potassium. My mom is a diabetic so I monitor my sugar regularly.

You eat granola? Granola is usually loaded with sugar. I'm assuming you've had your kidney function checked? Typically, blood pressure that is very sodium sensitive has a lot to do with kidney function.

ETA: Have you had your uric acid levels checked? Might not be a bad idea. Also, you likely need to get your magnesium levels checked. You can have a boatload of potassium in your food but if your blood levels of magnesium are low, the potassium will not do you a lot of good. People who have stressful jobs and drink a lot of caffeinated beverages tend to have very low serum magnesium levels (we dump magnesium under those circumstances). Eating spinach is great for getting both magnesium and potassium. Grain is not very helpful in raising magnesium levels because, even though it contains a lot of magnesium, it is not very bio-available because grain contains a lot of phytic acid (that is why traditional methods of soaking grain came about--to reduce the phytic acid content) and lectins. I make steel-cut oats in the traditional way. I soak them overnight and then rinse them in the morning before simmering them for an hour or more. The soaking and rinsing cuts the phytic acid and the long cooking helps bread down the lectins. The magnesium is much more bio-available that way.

I'm just starting with the exercise again. I'm having difficulty really getting going right now though because when my systolic is up I get terrible headaches. I'm trying to get my BP down and my healthy eating in place before I worry too much about my calories or really getting hard into exercise. I'm working out about 20-30 minutes a day.

What's your sugar intake like? When I cut out added sugar and restricted my carbs to staying between 70 and 100 grams per day, my b.p. plummeted to the point where I could eliminate both of the maximum dosages of b.p. meds I was on. Some new research suggests that fructose (table sugar, sucrose, is 50% fructose) metabolism, because it raises uric acid levels in the blood, causes high blood pressure. The link is pretty strong and even though my case is just anecdotal, if certainly proved it to me. Our greatest single exposure to fructose is in all the sugar people eat. National consumption has gone from about five pounds per year per capita in 1900 to an estimated 150 pounds per person per year today. Only about 40% is consumed in sugary foods--the rest is hidden in processed food. I got a salad at a restaurant the other day that had 14 grams of sugar (and, btw, 1,800 mg. of sodium) somewhere in it (I looked it up on the restaurant chain's website). I guess it was in the salad dressing but I couldn't tell because it was so incredibly salty that I could barely eat it. :frown: I should have asked for the dressing on the side.

I get my sugar in the morning from my coffee creamer. Other than that, I have pretty much cut out sugar and am eating mostly fruits, veggies, meat, rice pasta etc. My BP used to be great when I was eating healthy, exercising daily etc but then I began to eat out a lot at work, stress and two teen boys...it slowly crept up. I'm still trying to learn how to eat a variety of veggies in order to get more nutrients. I'm thinking about researching a juicer. That might be the route for me. I don't normally eat a lot and am really having a hard time trying to eat enough to get all of my nutrients in.

You might want to try going fruit free for a couple of weeks. That's what I did in order to reset my fructokinase levels (the enzyme that makes it possible for us to digest fructose). What are your blood sugar levels like? The bodies of many people are quite efficient at turning high blood glucose into fructose and then on to uric acid. What about your stress levels? As you know, stress raises cortisol levels which, in turn, raise blood sugar and blood pressure levels. Have you tried meditating or praying to reduce stress? Have you had a HbA1C done?

My sugar is good. I really don't eat much fruit. I add either blueberries or strawberries to my granola and that's about it. I did add banana to a shake today just to add more potassium. My mom is a diabetic so I monitor my sugar regularly.

You eat granola? Granola is usually loaded with sugar. I'm assuming you've had your kidney function checked? Typically, blood pressure that is very sodium sensitive has a lot to do with kidney function.

ETA: Have you had your uric acid levels checked? Might not be a bad idea.

Yup, my doc monitors me every 3 months! And the granola I eat isn't loaded with sugar, but my body does require a certain amount or I will suffer from hypoglycemia. I'm actually a paramedic so I monitor my FSBS quite often.

A better treatment for hypoglycemia seems to be higher fat/lower carbs (to avoid insulin spikes). Sorry, I made my comment about magnesium as an edit after you picked up my last comment. You might want to take a look at your magnesium levels.

I'm just starting with the exercise again. I'm having difficulty really getting going right now though because when my systolic is up I get terrible headaches. I'm trying to get my BP down and my healthy eating in place before I worry too much about my calories or really getting hard into exercise. I'm working out about 20-30 minutes a day.

What's your sugar intake like? When I cut out added sugar and restricted my carbs to staying between 70 and 100 grams per day, my b.p. plummeted to the point where I could eliminate both of the maximum dosages of b.p. meds I was on. Some new research suggests that fructose (table sugar, sucrose, is 50% fructose) metabolism, because it raises uric acid levels in the blood, causes high blood pressure. The link is pretty strong and even though my case is just anecdotal, if certainly proved it to me. Our greatest single exposure to fructose is in all the sugar people eat. National consumption has gone from about five pounds per year per capita in 1900 to an estimated 150 pounds per person per year today. Only about 40% is consumed in sugary foods--the rest is hidden in processed food. I got a salad at a restaurant the other day that had 14 grams of sugar (and, btw, 1,800 mg. of sodium) somewhere in it (I looked it up on the restaurant chain's website). I guess it was in the salad dressing but I couldn't tell because it was so incredibly salty that I could barely eat it. :frown: I should have asked for the dressing on the side.

I get my sugar in the morning from my coffee creamer. Other than that, I have pretty much cut out sugar and am eating mostly fruits, veggies, meat, rice pasta etc. My BP used to be great when I was eating healthy, exercising daily etc but then I began to eat out a lot at work, stress and two teen boys...it slowly crept up. I'm still trying to learn how to eat a variety of veggies in order to get more nutrients. I'm thinking about researching a juicer. That might be the route for me. I don't normally eat a lot and am really having a hard time trying to eat enough to get all of my nutrients in.

You might want to try going fruit free for a couple of weeks. That's what I did in order to reset my fructokinase levels (the enzyme that makes it possible for us to digest fructose). What are your blood sugar levels like? The bodies of many people are quite efficient at turning high blood glucose into fructose and then on to uric acid. What about your stress levels? As you know, stress raises cortisol levels which, in turn, raise blood sugar and blood pressure levels. Have you tried meditating or praying to reduce stress? Have you had a HbA1C done?

My sugar is good. I really don't eat much fruit. I add either blueberries or strawberries to my granola and that's about it. I did add banana to a shake today just to add more potassium. My mom is a diabetic so I monitor my sugar regularly.

You eat granola? Granola is usually loaded with sugar. I'm assuming you've had your kidney function checked? Typically, blood pressure that is very sodium sensitive has a lot to do with kidney function.

ETA: Have you had your uric acid levels checked? Might not be a bad idea.

Yup, my doc monitors me every 3 months! And the granola I eat isn't loaded with sugar, but my body does require a certain amount or I will suffer from hypoglycemia. I'm actually a paramedic so I monitor my FSBS quite often.

A better treatment for hypoglycemia seems to be higher fat/lower carbs (to avoid insulin spikes). Sorry, I made my comment about magnesium as an edit after you picked up my last comment. You might want to take a look at your magnesium levels.

Lower carbs...but not "no carbs" I don't have insulin spikes nor does my BS fluctuate a lot. But your body needs carbs.

How about your magnesium? You can eat potassium rich foods all day but if your serum magnesium is low, it won't do you a lot of good. Fortunately, most foods that are rich in potassium are also rich in magnesium but there are two things (among many) that can can cause low magnesium levels--a lot of caffeine and stress. It might be pertinent in your case since you spoke about drinking a lot of coffee at one point and paramedics tend to have high stress jobs. (You should go back and check my comment on magnesium from before as it has more info on grains that might be helpful for you.)

Actually, our bodies don't need anywhere near as many carbohydrates as we tend to get in the standard diet. It is just converted to high blood sugar that provokes high insulin responses which, in turn, many diabetes experts believe, are responsible for the epidemic of Type II.

Electro-mix packets. They are made by the makers of Emegen-C. They are lemon lime flavored, have zero calories, and 400 mg of potassium. They can be added to water, smoothies, etc. I also am a fan of coconut water.