Potassium – Get More & Lose Muscle Cramps
Ever had a muscle cramp? Sure you have. Most people experience cramping from time to time. Those of you with more active lifestyles may run (pun intended) into that problem more often than you’d like.
It’s possible that you’re not getting enough potassium.
Potassium is an essential mineral. It has a large impact on how your muscles contract. It also plays a role in maintaining proper fluid balance and blood pressure. In other words, potassium equals good for you equals less risk of heart and kidney problems.
Fortunately, many common foods contain a significant source of potassium. You could take a supplement, but why not indulge your sweet (sort of) tooth? Go on. It’s for a good cause. And who among you would turn down a nice, cooked beet?
Anyway, here’s a list of some potassium-packed chow:
- raisins
- prunes
- apricots
- dates
- strawberries
- bananas
- watermelon
- cantaloupe
- citrus fruits
- beets
- greens
- spinach
- tomatoes
- mushrooms
- soy products
- veggie burgers
- peas
- beans
- turkey
- fish
- beef
- salmon
- cod
Consider what you eat. Are you getting enough potassium in your diet? To determine how much potassium is recommended, use common sense (shameless self-promotion) and the chart below.
| Age (years) | Recommended potassium intake (milligrams a day) |
| 1–3 | 3,000 |
| 4–8 | 3,800 |
| 9–13 | 4,500 |
| 14 and older | 4,700 |
| Women who are breast-feeding | 5,100 |
Beware: certain conditions, like those affecting the kidney’s, may have a negative impact on your potassium levels. Too much or too little potassium is a bad thing. Contact a health care professional before limiting your potassium intake.
What You Can Do Today To Get More Potassium:
- Add spinach or other leafy greens to your sandwiches.
- Toss fresh or dried apricots into plain nonfat yogurt for a snack.
- Enjoy a cup of low-sodium bean soup for lunch.
- Try a fresh banana for a mid afternoon pick me up
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Interesting, I actually had no idea that potassium played such an important role in our health. I also enjoyed the list of foods that contain potassium, I used to believe it was really just eat a banana if you wanted to get potassium but still did not understand the role of the potassium in our health.