Diet and Relaxation

We eat much more than we actually need and much less of the things that actually feed us. This is what I’ve been discovering over these last months of pursuing an overall healthier lifestyle. We, as a culture, are filling our bodies with “food” that not only does not feed us but also actually makes it harder for our bodies to function the way it is made to!

A couple of weeks ago, I began to feel anxious, was having trouble sleeping, got a migraine headache, and was excessively thirsty with no apparent triggering event. After about a week I began to wonder if my body was just out of whack. So I started with checking into my electrolyte levels. I began to research what symptoms of low sodium or potassium levels looked like and, low and behold, I had about 10 of the 13 symptoms of low potassium! Now I should preface this with telling you that I eat almost extremely healthy these days. (Oh I’ve had my burgers, fries, pizza, fried chicken and Mountain Dew days in the past!) I consume almost no sugar and pretty much only lean meat and tons of veggies and fresh fruits. Since this major change in my intake I feel so much better, but even with the amount of fresh food I’m consuming I still dropped way low on potassium. So I ran out and grabbed a good potassium supplement from a local health food store.

In my research I found that the amount of milligrams of potassium that the average person is supposed to consume is 4700 per day! Now, to put that in perspective one banana has a little over 500mg! That’s 9 ½ bananas per day to get all you need! The average American consumes a little less than half that per day. And things like stress and caffeine and excessive sugar intake can inhibit your body’s ability to absorb potassium. You may be asking what’s the big deal? Well, Potassium helps regulate your heart beat and they have found that increased intake of potassium can lower risk of stroke, help to regulate blood pressure, and even help to prevent osteoporosis just to start. It is recommended to consume the same amount of potassium as sodium per day to keep your body in balance and prevent the damages of high sodium levels in your blood stream. So it’s time to increase the fruit and veggies just like your mama told you!

You can find high amounts of potassium in fruits and vegetables, particularly potatoes, plums, prunes, raisins, bananas, tomatoes and tomato juice, orange juice, artichokes, lima beans, acorn squash, spinach, nuts and seeds, apricots, avocado and garlic. Other foods with substantial amounts of potassium are fish, meat, poultry, whole grains, and yogurt.

How does this relate to massage? Well, I’m all about overall health and well being, so if a little diet change can help reduce anxiety, depression, headaches, cramps and help you sleep better, it’ll make my job easier… 😉 and you’ll feel better and be healthier, I’m all for that!

To learn more about Potassium check out this site!:http://www.naturalnews.com/024539_potassium_sodium_diet.html#ixzz22bYhKY7o