What do balanced levels of potassium and sodium prevent?

Dr. Mehmet Oz, MD

Cardiology (Cardiovascular Disease)

Maintaining a diet that balances your body's levels of potassium and sodium can aid in preventing and/or treating heart disease, high blood pressure, hypoglycemia, diabetes, and kidney disease or kidney stones.

The daily recommended dietary intake of potassium is 4700mg. While supplements can help you reach this goal, the best sources of potassium occur naturally in a delicious variety of foods.

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Important: This content reflects information from various individuals and organizations and may offer alternative or opposing points of view. It should not be used for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. As always, you should consult with your healthcare provider about your specific health needs.

Minerals

Our bodies need some inorganic substances like iron, calcium and chromium for proper health. If you're not getting enough of a particular mineral, there are a wide array of mineral supplements available. Often it is not as easy to take in or absorb minerals by themselves, so look for recommendations about taking supplements with a meal or seeing how supplements are frequently combined -- like calcium with vitamin D.

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