When it comes to hypertension and stroke, everyone is very afraid: hypertension requires a lifetime of antihypertensive drugs; Stroke, mild paralysis, severe direct life-threatening…
Hypertension and stroke are so terrible, is there any way to prevent them from diet? Of course there is!
FDA has approved such a health statement:
Diets containing high potassium and low sodium diets can reduce the risk of hypertension and stroke. As long as a food contains more than 350 milligrams of potassium, this statement can be marked.
In other words, the diet of low sodium and high potassium is helpful to prevent hypertension and stroke.
Low sodium and high potassium, why is it so magical?
1. Low sodium, reducing the risk of hypertension and stroke
[Eating less salt is good for your health] is a common saying, while eating less salt means reducing sodium intake.
China’s dietary guidelines recommend that sodium intake should not exceed 6 grams per day, relative to the amount of a beer lid. However, the World Health Organization and the American Heart Association have stricter restrictions on salt, which are no more than 5 grams and 3.75 grams per day respectively.
Because a large number of studies show that high salt diet will increase the risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases such as hypertension, coronary heart disease and stroke.
2. Potassium, an essential nutrient element for the body
Potassium is crucial to the normal operation of human cells, tissues and organs, especially the contraction of heart and muscle.
Studies have found that hypokalemia is associated with high blood pressure. Some studies have shown that potassium supplementation can slightly lower blood pressure, but others have shown no effect. Researchers speculate that [potassium supplementation to lower blood pressure] may only be effective when potassium intake is insufficient or sodium intake is too high.
In addition, hypokalemia may also be related to heart disease, arthritis, cancer, digestive system disorders and infertility.
When the potassium content in the blood is too low, there will also be [hypokalemia], which is typically characterized by fatigue, listlessness, muscle spasm, stomach disorder, irregular heartbeat, etc. However, hypokalemia is generally not caused by insufficient intake of potassium in the diet, but due to diseases or vomiting, diarrhea and other reasons, resulting in excessive loss of potassium.
Low sodium and high potassium are good, how to supplement potassium?
The diet of low sodium and high potassium is good for the body, but there is no very clear conclusion on how much potassium is needed every day.
The domestic recommendation is 2 grams per day for healthy adults and 3.6 grams for preventing chronic diseases. The WHO recommendation is 3.5 grams per day, while the US recommendation is even higher, 4.7 grams per day.
However, the survey shows that the intake of sodium in Chinese residents is generally too high, while the intake of potassium is insufficient. Increasing potassium-rich foods in diet and reducing the amount of salt in cooking are beneficial to controlling blood pressure, preventing hypertension and stroke.
In life, many foods are rich in potassium, such as potatoes, bananas, avocados, almonds, peanuts, oranges, green leafy vegetables, dairy products, etc.
If we stick to a diversified diet, it is not difficult to obtain enough potassium through a regular diet. If partial eating is serious, smoking and drinking alcohol, the risk of potassium deficiency is relatively high.
Do you want to take potassium supplements?
When talking about the possible lack of nutrients in what, many people will ask [How about taking supplements? ]
If hypokalemia is diagnosed, taking potassium supplements under the guidance of a doctor is effective.
If it is not hypokalemia, it is a safer and more reasonable choice to adjust the diet structure and increase potassium intake through [food supplement]. Because when the potassium content in the blood is too high, [hyperkalemia] will occur, which is fatal, although it mostly occurs in acute renal failure or chronic diseases.
If you want to take potassium supplements, you should pay attention to the dosage and do not take too much. For most people, normal doses of potassium supplements are safe. However, some people may also develop allergy or gastrointestinal discomfort after taking them.
In addition, potassium may react with some drugs. If you are taking drugs for diabetes, hypertension or heart disease, you should be careful and decide whether to take them after consulting a doctor. Patients with kidney diseases and gastric ulcers should be more cautious.