[image from cancerfoods.com]

Due to the poor monoculture farming practices of Big Ag (agriculture), most of the topsoil for plant based foods has been depleted of key minerals over the past 100 years. This recorded fact and junk or processed foods diets has left most modern culture individuals mineral deficient.

Ed McCabe, author of Flood Your Body With Oxygen, once surveyed several holistic health practitioners and nutritional scientists to determine the nutrient order of importance. Ed’s final list order is: Oxygen, water, enzymes, minerals, and vitamins. Without enzymes nutrients are not assimilated in our cells, but minerals are more important than vitamins.

Magnesium, considered the “master mineral” since it’s involved in over 300 metabolic processes, has been written about considerably. But the much less discussed mineral potassium is also a vital nutrient. Too little leads to hypokalemia, which can result in irregular heart rhythms and death.

Although many MD holistic types claim very few are potassium deficient and warn against supplementing potassium that may induce equally dangerous hyperkalemia (too much serum potassium), according to Dr. Michael Greger, 98% of Americans are potassium deficient.

And that’s measured against the RDA (recommended dietary allowance) of 4700 mg daily. RDA amounts are usually considerably lower than more realistic amounts of what is needed for optimum health.

Potassium’s Importance

Potassium is essential for the heart, kidneys, muscles, nerves, and digestive system to operate normally. It’s also required for regulating fluid balance, the body’s acid-base balance, and blood pressure. Every cell in our bodies require potassium to function properly. Insufficient potassium is linked to high blood pressure, osteoporosis, kidney stones, heart health issues, and strokes.

Dr. Micheal Greger, MD and author of How Not to Die, quotes a study from the Journal of the American College of Cardiology that demonstrated a reduced risk of strokes with higher uptakes of potassium.

He goes further to explain how even higher levels of potassium have been studied to reduce pain from rheumatoid arthritis, suggesting that low potassium levels may promote autoimmune diseases, while higher levels can help prevent autoimmune diseases.

Dr. Greger advocates consuming many more greens as a solution for potassium deficiency. Of course, properly cultivated greens that enrich the soil’s mineral content are optimum. Even while certifying non-use of pesticides and other harmful chemicals, USDA certified organic crops cannot guarantee proper soil cultivation.

If practical, use farmers markets and local growers and ask questions. Or grow as much of your own as possible. However, if those options are out of reach, buying organic produce is better than using conventional produce. By the way, highly touted bananas are a good source of potassium, but several others are even better.

Surprisingly, a baked potato with skin offers over twice the amount of potassium that bananas offer. A list of most foods with their potassium content levels is available here.

Some natural cancer fighting protocols, including the Gerson Therapy, the current Hoxsey treatment, and cesium chloride treatments use potassium supplements.

It’s especially critical with cesium chloride treatments to fight cancer that rapidly and dramatically increase pH levels. If the potassium in your body gets depleted enough from this type of treatment, cardiac arrest can occur.

Too much potassium may lead to hyperkalemia, which is actually quite rare. It is usually associated with renal (kidney) dysfunction or failure. Some MDs claim you can’t intake too much potassium and others claim you can. Obvious symptoms of both hyperkalemia and hypokalemia are similar: Nausea, muscle fatigue, limb cramping, and irregular heart rhythms.

It seems that many doctors are paranoid about suggesting potassium supplementation for fear of inducing hyperkalemia. The Lugol iodine supplement is potassium iodide, both the element iodine and potassium. You get the best of both necessary nutrients this way. There are other valid potassium iodide supplements on the market as well.

Vitamin B12 promotes potassium absorption, and different types of potassium supplements are available. Research to determine which type would be suitable for you.