How Potassium Affects the Health of the Elderly

We know for a fact that nutrients are one of the greatest necessities for every human body. It can be achieved by staying healthy by following proper diet that gives your body the vitamins and minerals you need.

It is that easy and it does not have to be hard and complicated. But growing older may cause deficiency in vitamins and minerals. It is important then for the elderly to eat food rich in potassium and everyone who takes care of them should be knowledgeable about it.

With the help of sodium and calcium, potassium helps keep your heart healthy as it maintains the normal heartbeat, aids in maintaining the normal balance of water in the body, and as a result, it helps conduct nerve impulses and muscle contraction. An average-sized body may contain about 5 ounces (140 g) of potassium. Kidneys are responsible in controlling the blood levels of the minerals and help the body get rid of excess urine.

Potassium deficiency is easy to prevent because this mineral is present in almost all foods. Potassium rich foods include whole grains, lean meat, beans, green leafy vegetables and fruits such as bananas and oranges. Eating these foods will help the body gain the needed amount of potassium.

For some people, potassium deficiency is not really terrifying since there are plenty of sources of this mineral and it is easy to obtain. But for the elderly, potassium intake is of great importance because as the body grows old, the kidneys and other body organs have the tendency to deteriorate thereby making it hard for the body to absorb potassium.

For high blood pressure, medications that are prescribed by doctors as a treatment may not be that effective for the elderly. High blood pressure leads to serious a health condition and illnesses such as heart problems and diabetes. This is common to the elderly so on top of the medications for reducing high blood pressure, there is a need to have potassium supplement and it is best to discuss it with their doctor.

If you happen to observe an aged person having muscle weakness, gastrointestinal problems, irregular heart rate, and abnormal skin conditions such as numbness, it is best then to increase the potassium intake because these are symptoms of potassium deficiency.

One way for doctors to detect if the patient is potassium deficient is by taking a blood sample and checking for the potassium content. A person is declared potassium deficient if the potassium present in the blood is below 5.6 grams.

Visit my latest website called folding utility cart where you can find information, suppliers, and purchasing guides about folding shopping carts which includes plastic and metal types for kitchen, garden, and grocery purposes.

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Foods High in Potassium - Good for Your Health

Sodium, calcium and potassium act as an electrolyte to the body maintaining a regular fluid balance, regularizing the functioning of the kidney, nervous system, heart, muscles and adrenals. A person suffering with potassium deficiency would seem to get tired fast, have heart irregularities and at times even lack in muscular coordination. To maintain the exact potassium level in the body one should eat foods high in potassium.

No doubt a well balanced and nutritious diet has the required amount of potassium that a body should have. However, in the cases of starvation diets, excess sweating, and frequent diarrhea etc. the level of potassium reduces making you feel weak and tired easily. Contrary to this people suffering with diabetics or kidney problems should be careful not to get excess potassium into their diets.

It is advisable to consult your physician regards the amount of potassium that your body would require, as the importance of potassium has not been introduced in diet charts till very recently. A few healthy tips on foods high in potassium could be very helpful. These foods are not meant for those suffering from diets that restrict the intake of potassium. However your dietitian could advise you on the right type of foods rich in potassium that can be eaten.

You can include all types of meat, fish and poultry as these are rich in potassium. Fruits and vegetables such as kiwi, fresh apricots, lima beans, avocado, banana, honeydew, milk, potatoes, oranges, spinach, vegetable juice, prunes and winter squash have a high content of potassium. These foods are readily available in local markets in your area and can be included with meals or during breaks in between meals.

For a medium amount of potassium one can have beets, apple juice, broccoli, asparagus, carrots, cherries, blackberries, grapefruit, fresh mushrooms, eggplant, corn, green peas, lettuce, raisins, strawberries, pineapple, onions, watermelon, zucchini and other summer squashes increase the potassium level in the body making you feel healthy and light. Your heartbeats are regularized and you have normal breathing etc.

Since potassium has not been included in the diet charts in earlier times most people are not aware of this supplement that is of equal importance for the body's health. However dietitians today have made it known to the people that certain kidney failures and other health problems affecting the nervous system and the muscular functions could be due to lack of potassium in the body. With a steady intake of foods high in potassium these deficiencies can be rectified.

Foods high in potassium are always good for your health. You can find more such things at http://www.momswhothink.com

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.