Tuesday, March 15, 2011

I Did This and I Did That

I know, it sounds egotistical. But, many who read my blogs regularly know that sometimes if people post something that goes against the accepted nutritional "gold standard recommendations based on years of evidence-based medicine by peer-reviewed professionals who are licensed and registered to know more about it than you do", they can get into trouble. But, it is OK if they post their personal experience.

I'd like to tell you about my own personal experience with potassium.

It is in all their books, and the Eades' say that a good way to get more potassium is in salt substitute. The other day I was in the garden, and it was very hot, the first really hot day, and I got dizzy. Remembering the Eades' recommendation, I decided to try some salt substitute. I bought a container of Morton salt substitute and just put one shake on some food. (1/4 teaspoon has 17% of the RDA.) I felt better immediately. Now when I come inside from some heavy-duty exercise in the heat, I have a bit of the potassium in a glass of water.

The Eades recommend it along with a low-carb diet. Here's Dr. Mary Eades take on it:

Dr. Eades also has a great post about pumpkin. She does comment on our usual solution, which is to run to the high-carb banana for potassium and why pumpkin is better for people concerned about their carb intake.

It turns out that most of the potassium I eat comes from jerusalem artichoke, avocado, fish, winter squash, turnips, kale and swiss chard.

Here's a link to a page with potassium content of foods:

http://www.pamf.org/patients/pdf/potassium_count.pdf

I am not as fond of this list because it shows many of my favorite selections cooked or boiled, and this doesn't include the water. I always save and use my cooking water, and it contains lots of the potassium that was contained in the food. I am kind of fond of this list also:

http://www.vaughns-1-pagers.com/food/potassium-foods.htm

Just as a reminder to all that a certain weight-loss website dietitian says the low carb diet is "disastrous, dangerous and above all-- boring!" and she also does not recommend potassium supplements. I would not recommend such practices anywhere on the Internets, but I hope you enjoyed my anecdote. Just take everything I say with a grain of, um, salt. (Well, I guess that sounded like a recommendation, but it's not.  If you want advice about potassium please see your doctor.)

2 comments:

  1. I read a couple of the Drs. Eades books when I was researching low-carb diets, so I have been taking potassium and sometimes magnesium supplements (magnesium gives me diarrhea when I take too much). I also use a potassium-chloride salt substitute. Because I saw that Dr. Phinney and Gary Taubes and Dr. Westman all talk of the importance of getting enough sodium to prevent many symptoms at least in the beginning, I have also been sprinkling a seasoning salt made with sea salt & powdered veggies (reasoning the veggie powder would also contribute some potassium) along with the salt substitute. I see it as keeping my electrolytes in balance in spite of the water-loss typical with low-carb diets. Both the potassium-chloride salt and the seasoning sea salt are Herbamare brand.

    Thanks for this very informative blog posting!

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  2. I try to get more magnesium, but I really don't watch much else.

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