Inspiration to your inbox

Science Explains 10 Things That Happen To Your Body When You Walk Every Day

A 30-minute walk every single day is the easiest exercise to do. Fortunately, it has multiple positive effects on your physical and mental health. Walking is so accessible for anyone who wants to start getting fit. You only have to wear comfortable, quality shoes and step out of your house to get this workout rolling.

Doctors never miss telling their patients to walk regularly to prevent disease development. Numerous studies suggest walking as an effective form of exercise as it cuts a person’s risks of developing heart problems by 31 percent. It also lowers your risks of death by 32 percent, as per Harvard Health.

People who have a sedentary lifestyle could improve their health immensely if they tried walking at a casual pace each day and covering at least 5 1/2 miles a week.

10 Things That Happen To Your Body When You Walk Every Day

“Walking is a man’s best medicine.” – Hippocrates

1.    Your heart becomes healthier

Walking is the best form of exercise that can prevent cardiovascular diseases among inactive individuals. This information comes from experts in a study published in the journal Current Opinion Cardiology.

  • If your body is not used to vigorous workouts but you’ve been advised to increase your physical activity, then you can start getting fit with regular walks.
  • The immediate gains from this activity include lowered blood pressure and a better lipid profile (cholesterol and triglycerides). This, in turn, can bring long-term benefits to your cardiovascular health.
  • With consistent walks, you lower your chances of encountering coronary episodes and death at a young age.
  • Walking also increases your heart rate and strengthens your heart muscles. So, it can better pump blood and oxygen that your other organs need.

2.    Your brain gets a positive boost

A study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine learned that women who walked for at least 200 minutes every week felt emotionally better despite their depression diagnosis. Experts tracked these women’s improvements for three years and discovered that while walking made their body healthier, the psychological benefits for someone suffering from depression were even greater.

Depression is projected to become a widespread global disease by 2030, especially in countries where people earn a higher income, as per the World Health Organization. So, it is more important than ever to encourage people to exercise every day.

Even low-intensity walking has tremendous benefits to your mental well-being. When you are outdoors surrounded by trees and nature, you benefit from “forest bathing” where your brain does nothing else but relax.

A study in the Journal of Physiological Anthropology also showed that a 20-minute walk in the park, woods or forest lowers the brain’s cortisol levels, which is also known as the stress hormone. Walking clears your mind so you can have better, clearer, and more positive thoughts.

3.    Your lung capacity strengthens

Walking encourages your lungs to properly function as you inhale oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide.

  • You breathe harder when you walk, so your body makes use of more oxygen and dispenses more carbon dioxide.
  • If your body is already used to the physical activity, your lungs will make use of the oxygen and carbon dioxide more efficiently.
  • Your circulation also speeds up as your lung muscles keep moving.
  • This process strengthens your lung capacity or the amount of air that your lungs can take in.

According to a study on the journal Breathe, a good walk will make you out of breath or breathless, but this is very different from being short of breath. The latter happens when your lungs aren’t functioning well. As you age, your lung capacity and function slow down so you experience more shortness of breath. But it will work differently if your body is used to walking.

4.    Your eyesight improves

Glaucoma is on the rise and may cause 111.8 million people between the ages of 40 to 80 to develop the condition by 2040. Experts from the American Academy of Ophthalmology say that controlling the risks of this disease entails the same methods as preventing diabetes.

One of these methods is to maintain a positive and beneficial physical activity like walking. Experts also say that with regular walks, you can lower the risks of developing glaucoma by as much as 73 percent.

You can alter the flow and pressure of blood around your eyes every time you take a walk. Since this activity keeps your blood pressure at a normal level, you won’t risk having blood vessels burst and causing damage to your eyes. Thus, you preserve the health of your eyesight and avoid vision loss.

5.    Your digestion picks up

A group of German researchers stated in a study on Gastrointestinal Liver Disease that walking may speed up how food travels in the stomach to aid with digestion. So, following a heavy meal, you may choose to rest for 20 minutes and then take a stroll around your neighborhood instead of sitting down to watch television.

If you don’t want to take a walk outside, consider pacing on the treadmill but set the machine at a slow setting. You don’t need to do a rigorous walk, move quickly, or burn more energy during this exercise as you might end up with indigestion.

Additionally, a good walk may also ease up your stomach if you’re experiencing constipation. This activity stimulates the muscles in the intestines so that you never have to strain when you need to relieve yourself. You’ll also keep your digestive tract healthier from the reduction of the toxins.

6.    Your pancreas also becomes more efficient

The pancreas found in the abdomen is necessary for the digestive system. This organ produces the enzymes, hormones, and insulin that break down the food you eat.

According to the journal Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity, low-intensity walks increase the efficiency of the pancreas so your body’s metabolism and insulin production improve. Thus, you reduce your risks for developing diabetes and other metabolic disorders.

7.    Your blood sugar levels off

When you walk for 20 minutes after a big dinner, you help your body level off its blood sugar. According to a study in Diabetes Care, the habit of taking short walks a few minutes after eating your last meal for the day is even better than a 45-minute walk in the morning. This is because the body clears glucose in the bloodstream since walking burns energy as it works up the muscles.

This is how some diabetics are able to manage their condition well. The research looked into older adults who have diabetes, weight and obesity problems or live a sedentary lifestyle

  • When you are older, your body becomes more resistant to insulin production.
  • Your pancreas also won’t function efficiently compared to when you were younger.
  • This creates a double whammy on your system.
  • Your body’s insulin production tends to dip later in the day
  • Your system struggles after you’ve enjoyed a big dinner.
  • As a result, you could end up retiring for the night with high blood sugar level in your bloodstream if you don’t walk it off.

8.    You experience relief from lower back pain

If you are suffering from lower back pain, it won’t be advisable for you to run or do high-impact exercises as these workouts might worsen your condition. But when you regularly walk, you still get the required physical activity. At the same time, you’ll also be able to improve your blood circulation, especially around the spinal structure.

lower back pain = walk

When blood properly flows around your spine, you’ll improve its flexibility. So, you’ll start feeling more relief in your lower back area if you keep a regular walking schedule. In fact, experts from a study in Disability Rehabilitation recommend walking for people with chronic low back pain.

9.    You’ll tone your muscles

Obviously, walking directly impacts your leg muscles. But since this activity is not intense, you won’t experience muscle soreness and you can still do the same routine the next day.

Eventually, however, as you keep your pace and increase the intensity of your walks, you may also integrate more intervals or take different routes where you have to walk uphill or climb the stairs. This is how you can develop and tone your legs. Muscle toning is helpful if you also have a goal to lose weight and achieve a good physical form.

10. You strengthen your bones and joints

According to the National Institutes of Health, weight-bearing exercises like walking force your bones and joints to move against gravity. As a result, you build stronger bones and joints. When your bones and joints are stronger, you reduce your risks of fractures, immobility, and bone mass loss that normally happen when you age.

The Arthritis Foundation also recommends walking regularly if you suffer from joint stiffness and inflammation. Similar to lower back pain, walking promotes better blood circulation in your joints that helps reduce discomfort.

Final Thoughts On The Things That Happen To Your Body When You Walk Every Day

Now that you know the positive effects of a 20-minute walk every day, you should make it your goal to fit this quick exercise into your routines. There are plenty of ways to incorporate walking as a daily habit.

  • You might want to have walking meetings with your colleague at work instead of sit-down meetings.
  • You could also take a stroll during your lunch breaks.
  • Instead of driving or riding a public transportation, consider walking to do your errands.
  • Take your partner, kids, and dog with you and make walking a family activity.
  • Invite a group of friends to walk with you every day.

According to the Mayo Clinic, it’s more encouraging for people to do walking exercises as a group because you can collectively support each other’s fitness goals. It’s also a lot more fun to walk when you have a companion. Even if you traverse the same routes every day, you don’t easily get bored when you have someone to talk or laugh with as you walk.

Once you get the hang of it, you can supercharge your walking exercises. Try walking faster, or wear weight-bearing pads on your ankles. You can even carry weights to pump your arms as you walk. You have many options to keep the motivation high and the body healthy through daily walks.

17 Bladder Infection Symptoms (And How to Fix It)

Women are more likely to experience a bladder infection (a type of urinary tract infection) than men are because we have a shorter urethra. Diagnosing your infections isn’t necessarily hard if the tale tell symptoms arise.

The problem? You can have an infection without the burning pee and frequent bathroom trips. So many bladder infection symptoms overlap common conditions, like the flu, an non-bladder UTI, and stomach bugs. This can make a self-diagnosis and self-treatment hard.

Don’t Rely on Classic Bladder Infection Symptoms for Diagnosis

My first bout brought me the not-so-pleasant classic symptoms. Years later, I began vomiting and running a fever. I’d just given birth to my first child, and the first thought was an infection from my C-section. Makes sense, right?

Wrong.

Turns out, I had a bladder infection with no actual urinary symptoms.

What is a Bladder Infection?

Infections like this can be either chronic or acute. If left untreated, the infection can spread. You might find that your infection has already spread by the time you see a doctor for a proper diagnosis.

Certain individuals might be at a higher risk for UTI type infections, whether they start in the bladder or progress there. Your age, health, sex, and sanitary habits can increase these risks too.

What Causes a Bladder Infection?

Bacteria that enters the urethra.

E.Coli is the most common bacteria introduced to the urinary tract system due to unhealthy wiping habits. While other strains can be the culprit, the presence of E. Coli shows a strong correlation between wiping hygiene and UTI related infections. This knowledge can go a long way in preventative measures.

17 Bladder Infection Symptoms

 

1. Frequency of Urination

With an infection, your urge to use the bathroom increases rapidly. While no actual number exists to describe frequency, if you have other symptoms on this list, you should consult your doctor.

2. Fever

Your body’s response to infection is fever. Many people prefer to let their bodies fight it off while others will take measures to lower their temperature. Keep in mind that adults running a low-grade fever (below 100.4 for adults) won’t cause your body harm as long as you stay hydrated. Any temperature above that and you should greatly consider treating your fever.

Remember, you can have an infection and not have a fever.

3. Chills

Many people associate chills with fever, but you don’t need a fever to have chills. Anxiety, stress, low blood pressure, and allergies can cause this reaction in your body.

Treating chills depends on whether a fever is present. When you’re running a fever, you don’t want to raise your body temperature. Avoid hot showers and baths, heavy blankets, or other heating devices. Instead, utilize light layers in both clothing and coverings.

4. Vomiting

Severe to mild vomiting can be a symptom. A good practice is to sip or take a spoonful of light liquids every 15 minutes. Do this even if you continue to vomit. Most of the liquid will absorb and fend off dehydration.

If your vomit appears like coffee grounds, you should seek a doctor immediately as this can be a sign of internal bleeding.

5. Cloudy Urine

Your urine can change color for a number of reasons. Normal urine can vary, but it’s generally a pale yellow that is fairly transparent. If you see a lot of foam or cloudiness, you might have an infection. Pus in your urine can cause cloudiness.

Again, if you have no other UTI-like symptoms, you might have another condition. Mild dehydration, which can be a side effect of fever or any infection, is the leading cause for cloudy urine.

6. Bloody Urine

Streaks of blood in your urine or red tinted urine can cause alarm. Certain foods can alter your urine’s color, but you can easily rule those out. The same goes for certain medications.

Foods that turn your urine pink or red:

• Beets
• Rhubarb
• Blackberries

Medications that turn your urine pink or red:

• Rifadin
• Thorazine
• Thioridazine
• Medications containing senna

However, if you haven’t eaten these foods or taken the listed medications, you should contact your doctor immediately. This might be a sign that your infection has moved to your kidneys.

7. Pain and/or Burning when Urinating

Pain is the hardest to describe because the threshold varies between people. Some people feel a fiery pinch. Others call it a quick stabbing pain. The pain could be in your bladder, urethra, or the small stretch of skin that connects your genitals to your anal region.

Painful urination might make you think you have a UTI-type infection; however, many conditions list this as a possible symptom.

Other causes:

• Sexually transmitted infections and diseases
• Prostatitis
• Cystitis
• Kidney stones
• Soaps, bubble baths, and lotions

8. Stomach Pain

Sharp or dull pains in your lower stomach can be a bladder infection symptom. Commonly, people will confuse it with other conditions, such as the stomach flu or appendicitis. Others might describe it as indigestion. When it’s combined with other symptoms, especially painful or frequent urination, you might have a UTI.

9. Lower Back Pain

You might feel stabbing to dull pain equally on both sides of your lower back or on one. A heated water bottle or a heating pad might alleviate some discomfort. You can also try meditation and essential oils.

10. Sweet or Ammonia Smelling Urine

Like color of urine, an infection can change the way your pee smells. Sometimes, medical sites call it a foul or strong smelling odor. However, both are general terms. You can associate the change in smell to the bacteria and pus that might be present. This symptom will clear once your infection is gone, but increasing your fluids can assist in decreasing the odor.

11. Decreased Urine Output

This could be a side effect of dehydration, but generally, when you have any type of UTI, you have decreased urine output in combination with frequency of urination. In lay terms, you feel like you’re about to burst, but only a trickle releases. Your bladder relief doesn’t last. You relive the same sensation and small output minutes later.

Drinking more fluids can help, but it might not increase your output.

12. Lack of Appetite

Losing your appetite could be a side effect of fever, vomiting, or nausea. Eat when you’re hungry and don’t force it. Fluids are more important to stop dehydration.

13. Nausea

With or without vomiting, you might have a swimming sensation in your lower stomach. Sipping ginger ale or ginger based teas might help this symptom pass. Do make sure your ginger ale actually contains ginger, and you should avoid most commercial brands that contain large amounts of unhealthy additives.

14. Incontinence

You could lose sphincter and/or bladder control if you have a bladder infection. Urinary incontinence is more common due to your extreme sensation to pee. However, many of the nerves associated with urination also reach your sphincter.

15. Fatigue

Have that rundown feeling? That’s because your body is expending energy and resources to fight off your infection. Do yourself a favor and rest. Skip the caffeine, sip some green tea, and let your body work its magic. You can also consider stimulating your vagus nerve with meditation or other techniques.

16. Mental Fog and Anxiety

Again, you might experience mild confusion if you’re running a low grade or higher fever. However, many people who have UTI-like symptoms find they can’t sleep. The urination frequency, urges, or pain keep them awake. The lack of or disturbed sleep can play a large role in your mental fog, anxiety, and irritability.

17. Bloating

Constipation and bloating can occur with UTI-type infections. Often it’s due to a lack of fluids, so your body retains what it can to function.

When to See Your Doctor

Call your doctor at the onset of UTI or bladder infection symptoms. You can continue to self-treat at home, but you need medical care before the infection spreads to your kidneys. In most cases, you will require a round of antibiotics.

bladder infection

Remember, even if your symptoms subside before your appointment, you could still have an active infection. Don’t take the risk. Only your doctor can perform a urinalysis to ensure your infection is gone.

Preventing Bladder Infections

Proper bathroom hygiene can stop infections long before they start. Because it’s still the leading cause of introducing E. coli into your urinary system, it shows that better and mindful wiping practices can lead to fewer infections.

Other Methods That Prevent Bladder Infections:

• Drink a glass of 100% cranberry juice daily
• Drink water
• Don’t hold it
• Wipe front to back
• Urinate and wash after sex
• Shower instead of frequent baths
• Don’t use douches

Managing Your Bladder Infection Symptoms

Managing your symptoms can help aid your recovery by reducing the stress you place on your body. Good old-fashioned rest and hydration are key remedies you can use in combination with antibiotics.

Essential Oils for Bladder Infection

• Juniper berry
• Tea tree
• Fennel
• Bergamot
• Rosemary
• Lavender
• Sandalwood
• Frankincense
• Cedarwood
• Fir
• Cypress
• Lemongrass
Clove

You can make a blend of your favorites or use them alone in your favorite diffuser. These essential oils contain healing properties that might benefit your ability to fight your infection. If you use them topically, you should use a carrier oil.

Foods that Fight Infection:

• Garlic, whole cloves or crushed in other foods
• Probiotic foods, such as kefir, yogurts, sauerkraut, and kimchi
• Vitamin C containing foods or a Vitamin C supplement

If you have an appetite and aren’t vomiting, you could consider eating large amounts of some of these common antibacterial foods.

Final Thoughts

Like many women, I’ve suffered from my fair share of bladder infections. While I strongly believe in natural medicine and preventative measures, I also believe there is a time and place for conventional medicine. I do see my doctor for an official diagnosis and take the antibiotics while managing my symptoms naturally with the methods shared above.

If you do suspect an infection, you should seek out your doctor or naturopath for a confirmation. Many people who practice natural medicine will avoid antibiotics, due to the increasing concerns over resistance. This is a case where your infection can lead to renal failure and/or death if untreated. Please, if your doctor prescribes antibiotics, please take them and manage your symptoms naturally while your antibiotic tackles your infection.

8 Genetic Gifts Most People Don’t Have

Genetic gifts are truly fascinating. The human body is capable of countless amazing, wondrous things. Some people even beat out the odds to win genetic lotteries of sorts – they’re the proud owners of “superpowers”!

Many times, the secrets to special “superpowers” lie in genetics. Gene mutation might sound like something straight out of a horror sci-fi film, but that’s far from the case. Mutations just mean that something different developed due to an abnormal transformation.

Genetic mutations can provide incredibly gifts to those who inherit them. Are you one of them? Statistically, you may not be, but it’s certainly interesting to think about! Here are some genetic gifts most people don’t have.

Here Are 8 Genetic Gifts Most People Don’t Have

1.    Needing less sleep

It’s fairly standard knowledge that the average person needs between 7 and 9 hours of sleep every night. Getting less than that can lead to health and concentration issues. Often, those who fail to receive sufficient sleep end up feeling tired, falling sick more easily, and neglecting positive thinking.

But some people only need 6 hours – or even less – of nightly sleep! They feel well-rested after what seems like barely any rest to us. They eagerly get out of bed and don’t feel detrimental effects from what we consider a lack of sleep.

Why does this happen? According to this study, this is a result of a very rare genetic mutation. What happens is the gene DEC2 mutates. These individuals will then experience REM states more intensely, which causes more efficient sleep. Basically, they get better sleep naturally, so they have a lower psychological need for sleep than most other individuals.

Sadly, this hack to getting more hours in your waking day isn’t very common. It’s found in less than 1% of those who consider themselves short-sleepers! This means even if you think you can sleep for six hours and be totally fine, chances are, you really can’t. Positive thinking can’t help you here!

2.    Cold tolerance

Naturally, the majority of the population is more adaptable to heat than cold. We are better equipped at handling and surviving in hotter temperatures than cold climates.

But in countries all around the world, there are people who live in extremely chilly locations. Siberians and Inuits, for example, have to survive and even thrive in their very, very cold homes. As it turns out, though, for some, they haven’t just adapted – their genetic code has evolved.

People who live in cold climates have become biologically different from the rest of us. Their body responds in a different way physiologically to the cold. Here are some notable features:

  • Fewer sweat glands
  • Lack of shivering, even at very cold temperatures
  • Much higher basal metabolic rates (by 50%!)
  • Naturally maintain higher skin temperatures

These abilities are, in fact, on a genetic level. In other words, people who live in these same environments – even for decades – will not develop this feature. Research has revealed that indigenous Siberians are able to adapt to their cold homes better than Russians who live in the same locations and under the same temperatures.

These impressive features are likely why Inuits and Siberians are capable of living in freezing conditions and doing well for themselves there. It’s an incredible feat!

3.    Seeing more colors

The eyes view color through the use of cone cells. Most people have three types of cone cells. Those with color blindness have two types.

But people with tetrachroma have four types of cone cells, allowing them to see more than a hundred times more colors than average people. While ordinary individuals can only see a million colors, tetrachromats can see more than one hundred million.

There aren’t too many studies on those with this unique gift, mainly because most individuals who have this condition don’t realize they see the world differently. Sometimes, their eyes might need to be trained to look for these extra colors. This means that, sadly, for many, this gift goes unnoticed.

Still, the ability to see more colors is certainly an intriguing one. According to those who are believed to have this condition, they see mosaics of different shades where people with ordinary color vision see just one solid hue!

4.    Denser bones

When one ages, they have a tendency to develop physical issues. One of these is the loss of bone density and bone mass. This problem is commonly known as osteoporosis. Cases of this disease cause fractures, breaks, and deformations in bones.

Although this is a terrible condition, there is some positive light being shed. It’s all thanks to certain members of the Afrikaner population. This population consists of South African individuals who have Dutch blood in their genetics. Some people who have this ethnicity have a special gene mutation of the SOST gene.

The SOST gene is responsible for the control of a protein called sclerostin, which works to regulate and manage the growth of bones. According to TheScientist, people with this SOST genetic mutation don’t lose bone mass as they grow older. Instead, they continue to gain bone density and mass as time goes on!

There is a downside to this, however. Afrikaners who inherit only one copy of this mutated gene are fine. But those who inherit two copies have what is called sclerosteosis. This condition causes:

  • Overgrowth of bone
  • Facial disfigurement and distortion
  • Gigantism
  • Loss of hearing
  • Shortened lifespan

It’s certainly unfortunate that only gene carriers who are heterozygous enjoy positive benefits throughout their lives. Still, plenty of research is being carried out on this gene mutation. Researchers hope to be able to find ways to reverse skeletal disorders such as osteoporosis through their studies.

5.    Crystal clear vision underwater

For the most part, animals’ eyes are only able to see truly clearly either in air or when underwater. As humans, our strengths lie in seeing in the air. Although we can open our eyes when underwater, that can be a little irritating, and our vision won’t be that clear anyway.

Water’s density doesn’t allow us to see very well through it. It’s approximately the same density as our eye fluid, so it makes sense that refracted light isn’t able to pass properly through it and into the eye. This is why our vision gets so blurry when we try to see underwater.

But for a select group of people, this isn’t a problem. This group of people is called the Moken, and they spend approximately eight months annually either on stilt houses above the water or in boats. This lifestyle means only going back on land to get supplies, purchased through a bartering process.

Moken children are typically tasked with diving to the sea floor to collect different kinds of food, including sea cucumbers and clams. Over time, this has allowed Moken children to be born with genetic gifts that cause their eyes to completely change shape underwater! This research was published in the journal Current Biology.

Their genetic gift allows the Moken people to have crystal clear underwater vision. Light refracts correctly into their eyes, giving them underwater vision twice as sharp as Europeans. They have this perfect vision even at 75-foot depths!

6.    Better survival at high altitudes

Anyone who has been mountain climbing knows that high altitudes are pretty difficult for the body to deal with. The body struggles to breathe with so little oxygen around, and you have to be conditioned before heading up a tall hill.

As it turns out, some people possess genetic gifts that allow them to survive at these high altitudes. Tibetans are one of them. Many live at a whopping 13,000 feet above sea level, and their living arrangements have caused genetic modifications in their bodies over the years. Here’s how.

·         Chest and Lungs

In order to compensate for the oxygen-depleted locations they call home, many Tibetans are born with larger chests that contain bigger lung capacities. This means that they breathe more than the average human with every inhalation.

·         Red Blood Cells

The average person will produce a higher count of red blood cells when their bodies are low on oxygen. Meanwhile, Tibetans do the opposite – they produce fewer! This is due to the fact that red blood cells cause thicker blood over time, which can cause blood flow issues and clots. If they had these issues, they wouldn’t get sufficient oxygen to their brains!

To top it all off, these traits are maintained even when Tibetans live lower. They are not simply phenotypic adaptations, but genuine genetic ones. Sherpa guides and Nepalese individuals also share these characteristics.

7.    Golden Blood

It’s common knowledge that type O blood is the true universal blood type. But this isn’t actually entirely true. We all know of the eight standard, most common types of blood:

  • O +
  • O –
  • A +
  • A –
  • B +
  • B –
  • AB +
  • AB –

But these aren’t all the blood types out there. In fact, according to The Atlantic, while blood outside the ABO system is very rare, there are actually 35 known types of blood in the world. Many of them have millions upon millions of kinds of variations, too, apart from just positive or negative.

Due to how rare these blood types are, people who need transfusions from them often run into difficulty finding compatible blood. Their main help comes in the form of the rarest blood type to ever exist: Rh-null blood. Rh-null blood lacks all Rh antigens, which is so uncommon that only around 40 people have been found to have it! Talk about a genetic anomaly.

Rh-null has been dubbed the golden blood type due to the fact that it can work with almost all blood types. Most people’s bodies will naturally reject blood with unfamiliar antigens to it. Since Rh-null blood does not have antigens, this won’t happen. Essentially, it’s a life-saving gift!

8.    HIV Resistance

According to Scientific American, HIV infects the body through the use of a protein called CCR5. This protein is essentially an open door for the HIV virus. But there are some people in the world who have a special genetic condition. Their CCR5 protein is disabled, meaning HIV has no way in.

5 Foods that detox your blood

It’s important to note, though, that these people are not completely immune. Instead, they are resistant to contracting HIV. In some rare cases, though, they may still develop the disease. This is because some strains of HIV are able to use other proteins in order to get to the cells they want.

Currently, the individuals with the most reliable resistance to HIV have two copies of the CCR5 disabling gene. This makes up about 1% of the Caucasian population, and it is even less common in different ethnicities. So when it comes to HIV, you still should never take your chances.

Final Thoughts On Genetic Gifts Most People Don’t Have

We all want some sort of superpower, even if it’s just a minor one. Although the gifts on this list aren’t exactly superpowers, they do spring from genetic mutation – and that sounds like a stereotypical superhero origin story, don’t you think?

So, do you have any of these rare genetic gifts? Do you suspect you may have a different one? Or are there just some odd “superpowers” you seem to have? Whatever the case, it’s things like these that make the body, brain, and human race that much more beautiful!

70 Best Relationship Quotes Every Couple Should Read

Relationship quotes can inspire us to take our love to new heights. These thoughtful relationship quotes will give you new ways to think about your love.

The best relationship quotes are those that reflect the special aspects of your journey. These quotes will give you new ways to express your admiration for your partner.

Psychologists suggest that the people who are most strongly in love are willing to share special parts of themselves with their partners. Relationship quotes (1) can help you put these feelings into words. Our relationship expert has put together 70 beautiful relationship quotes that will help you enhance your partnership.

70 Best Relationship Quotes Every Couple Should Read, According to a Relationship Expert

Quotes About Love at First Sight

These sweet relationship quotes will remind you of the joy of falling in love.

  • “The moment I saw her, a part of me walked out of my body and wrapped itself around her. And there it still remains.” – Arundhati Roy
  • “Every cell in my body was telling me that he was my happily ever after.” – C.J. English
  • “Did my heart love till now– Forswear it, sight! For I ne’er saw true beauty till this night.” – William Shakespeare
  • “The very first moment I beheld him, my heart was irrevocably gone.” – Jane Austen
  • “We can’t fight fate. Instead, we must accept that fate has given us a special opportunity.” – Lisa See
  • “As he sat in the tree he looked down at the girl in the floral dress and felt his heart miss a beat.” – Isabella Kruger
  • “When I saw you I knew the universe had mastered my love language and I’d go through any amount of anguish to be a student of its genius.” – Curtis Tyrone Jones
  • “Do not seek the because— in love there is no because, no reason, no explanation, no solutions.” – Anais Nin
  • “Oh honey, someday a real man is going to make you see stars and you won’t even be looking at the sky.” – Grace Willows
  • “I believe in love at first sight… But it’s not the first moment you lay eyes on a person, it’s the moment you first see the person they truly are.” – Ranata Suzuki

Quotes about Friendship and Love

The best relationship quotes remind us that lovers are also friends.

  • “A friend is someone who knows all about you and still loves you.” – Elbert Hubbard
  • “It is not a lack of love, but a lack of friendship that makes unhappy marriages.” – Friedrich Nietzsche
  • “I would rather walk with a friend in the dark, than alone in the light.” – Helen Keller
  • “We accept the love we think we deserve.” – Stephen Chbosky
  • “Love is like the wind, you can’t see it but you can feel it.”– Nicholas Sparks
  • “What is a friend? A single soul dwelling in two bodies.” – Aristotle
  • “Only a true best friend can protect you from your immortal enemies.” – Richelle Mead
  • “One love, one heart, one destiny.” – Robert Marley
  • “No person is your friend who demands your silence, or denies your right to grow.” – Alice Walker
  • “Words are easy, like the wind; Faithful friends are hard to find.” – William Shakespeare

Quotes about Lasting Love

Love at first sight is magical, but true love lasts forever.

  • “If and when infatuation passes on and you still have infatuation for the same person then you may have love.” – Lamine Pearlheart
  • “Our eyes will know the heavens if our lips stay for each other.” – Roman Payne
  • “Love is an irresistible desire to be irresistibly desired.”– Robert Frost
  • “As long as you remember the person who loved you, and whom you still love, then you’re making love endure.” – Guillaume Musso
  • “If you can make a woman laugh, you can make her do anything.” – Marilyn Monroe
  • “Where there is love there is life.” – Mahatma Gandhi
  • “Love doesn’t go away overnight. It sometimes stays for coffee.” – Ljupka Cvetanova
  • “Marriage is not a competition. Marriage is the completion of two souls.” – Abhijit Naskar
  • “We loved with a love that was more than love.” – Edgar Allen Poe
  • “The secret to a long and loving marriage is to choose, every day, to be married.” – Jacqueline Patricks

Quotes about Growth and Change

These are the best relationship quotes that show how love evolves over time.

  • “Love is so short, forgetting is so long.” – Pablo Neruda
  • “There is no pretending… I love you, and I will love you until I die, and if there is life after that, I’ll love you then.” – Cassandra Clare
  • “The very essence of romance is uncertainty.” – Oscar Wilde
  • “If you love somebody, let them go, for if they return, they were always yours. If they don’t, they never were.” – Kahlil Gibran
  • “So it’s true, when all is said and done, grief is the price we pay for love.” – E.A. Bucchianeri
  • “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” – Holy Bible
  • “Never love anyone who treats you like you’re ordinary.” – Oscar Wilde
  • “My heart only ever had one thought, one want. One need. Despite all, in spite of all… All my heart has ever wanted is you.”– Stephanie Laurens
  • “Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.” – Rumi
  • “Love can change a person the way a parent can change a baby- awkwardly, and often with a great deal of mess.” – Lemony Snicket

Quotes about Romance

These relationship quotes will teach you to keep the romance in your relationship alive.

  • “She is the closest thing to magic.” – Giovannie de Sadeleer
  • “What you see on the outside, never tells the true story of someone’s heart.” – Jacquelyn Middleton
  • “I will wait for a thousand years to be with you.” – Avijeet Das
  • “When I want a kiss, I will be the one to take it.” – Natalie C. Parker
  • “There are no ‘shoulds’ and ‘ought to haves’ in life.” – Tatiana Vedenska
  • “Love is a rebellious bird that nobody can tame.” – Veronica Rossi
  • “Do you think there’s a difference? Between belonging with and belonging to?” – Jenny Han
  • “When love is not madness it is not love.” – Pedro Calderon de la Barca
  • “I’ve never loved anyone ’til you. You were so worth the wait. You’re my first, my always.” – Jacquelyn Middleton
  • “Your hand touching mine. This is how galaxies collide.” – Sanober Khan

relationship quotes

Love Can Be Difficult

  • “Behind every beautiful thing, there’s some kind of pain.” – Bob Dylan
  • “The marks humans leave are too often scars.” – John Green
  • “Turn your wounds into wisdom.” – Oprah Winfrey
  • “We don’t even ask happiness, just a little less pain.” – Charles Bukowski
  • “One thing you can’t hide – is when you’re crippled inside.” – John Lennon
  • “Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.”
    – Alfred Lord Tennyson
  • “Relationships don’t always make sense. Especially from the outside.” – Sarah Dessen
  • “I would die for you. But I won’t live for you.” – Stephen Chbosky
  • “Some mistakes cost everything.” – Jean Haus
  • “Moving on is easy. It’s staying moved on that’s trickier.” – Katerina Stoykova Klemer

Happily Ever After

Some of the best relationship quotes show us how love lasts forever.

  • “Happy is still happy, with or without the ever after.” – Mandy Hale
  • “It is only possible to live happily ever after on a daily basis.” – Margaret Bonanno
  • “And they… lived! Life isn’t always ‘Happily Ever After’, rather, loving forever, regardless.” – Carmen DeSousa
  • “They all had their own struggles and stories to tell and they all made it to this point, happy and in love.” – Jennifer L. Armentrout
  • “Your wife is smarter than you; know this, and you will live happily ever after.” – Matshona Dhliwayo
  • “It was as if we’d known each other for a thousand years.” – CJ English
  • “You can’t get mad at a real ending. Some of them are ugly. It’s the fake happily ever afters that should piss you off.” – Colleen Hoover
  • “You’ll never get to the happily ever after if you don’t move past the current chapter…” – Carmen DeSousa
  • “Happily-ever-afters don’t come in happily-every-days. They are found at the end of challenges-ever-met, promises-ever-kept, and tears-ever-wept.” – Richelle E. Goodrich

Final Thoughts on Relationship Quotes

These 70 inspiring relationship quotes will help you keep your love alive. Share them with your partner. They will help you express feelings that you may have trouble putting into words.

The best relationship quotes are the ones that reflect what is special and unique about your partnership. Keep these quotes in mind every day and watch your love bloom.

Researchers Reveal How Many Hours of Sleep your Brain Needs to Stay Healthy

The true number of hours of sleep your brain needs has been debated for decades. Thanks to recent research, though, we’ve come very close to turning sleep into an exact science. Getting an incorrect amount of sleep can have terrible effects on your health – both physically and mentally.

That’s why it’s so important to keep the brain in tip-top shape through sufficient rest. But is there more to these arbitrary rules and statistics? In this article, we consider what researchers reveal about how many hours of sleep your brain needs to stay healthy. We’ll also look at how this keeps your body in tip-top shape, and some surprising facts behind the figures.

Here Are How Many Hours Of Sleep Your Brain Needs To Stay Healthy

“Sleep deprivation is the most common brain impairment.” – William C. Dement

why people forget1.    Why does the body need sleep?

According to the Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School, one thing is certain: sleep is needed for a healthy brain and body. But why? There are actually a few theories about why your brain needs a certain number of hours of rest. Here are some of them:

·         The Inactivity Theory

This theory states that the need for the body to rest at night stems from evolution. Proponents of this theory state that we sleep at night as it was prudent for our ancestors to do so in the wild. At night, with low visibility, they would be vulnerable, so they slept.

·         The Energy Conservation Theory

This theory once again stems from evolution. Once upon a time, when our ancestors had limited access to food, they needed to conserve energy. Studies today show that the metabolism of energy in humans decreases by 10% when asleep, thus saving precious resources.

·         The Restorative Theory

Most modern science points to the brain’s ability to repair the body when asleep. Studies show that animals will die in mere weeks if not able to sleep, due to immune system damage. Essentially, when we rest, the body repairs itself and restores brain neurons so we can wake up feeling fresh.

·         The Brain Plasticity Theory

This is likely the most compelling and up-to-date of theories. Sleeping affects the way that the brain’s structure shifts and changes. This is why a lack of sleep can sometimes cause you to perform tasks badly. It might also be why babies need so much sleep-time – they’re building their positive brain function.

2.    Sleeping too much is just as bad as sleeping too little

Recent research published in the journal Sleep shows that the optimal amount of sleep is actually on a U-curve. This curve is completely reliable and accurate and applies to all people, which is excellent news for us.

Researchers conducting this study measured the ability of their study subjects to conduct tasks with different amounts of sleep. They had to prove verbal abilities, reasoning skills, and cognitive performance.

Findings reveal that sleeping for too many hours can actually be just as damaging as sleeping for too few hours. This means that as tempting as it sounds, sleeping for 12 hours on a Sunday might do your body more harm than good.

As such, you really have to be sure of how many hours of sleep your brain needs. This study puts that figure at an average of between 7 and 8 hours. This is, of course, limited to specific test subjects.

3.    What happens to the brain when you sleep?

Every single night, the body cycles through specific sleep stages. Each full circle takes around 90 minutes. You cycle through the stages for your entire snoozing time. Here’s what happens during each one, according to WebMD.

  • The first stage is non-REM sleep, known as the N1 stage. The N1 stage involves very light sleep. This is the time when you could still be easily awoken. It’s also the stage where you can wake up and feel the most refreshed.
  • The N2 phase is where you spend most of your night. Here is where the brain starts to file long-term memories. Thus, this phase could be crucial to memory, concentration, and focus. Failing to go through enough of this stage could cause you to be more forgetful.
  • The N3 stage involves deep sleep. This cycle starts out very long but progressively gets shorter throughout the night. During this stage, the body focuses on repairing itself, so skipping this stage robs you of positive benefits. Eating late and drinking alcohol can prevent the body from entering deep sleep enough times to be fully restored. Of course, sleeping too little or too much has the same result.
  • The REM stage happens towards the end of one cycle, in the last 30 minutes. During this rapid eye movement stage is when we dream. Being jogged awake during REM sleep can make one drowsy, so completing the cycle is important.

4.    Your age determines the hours of sleep your brain needs

There isn’t a “one size fits all” approach to the number of hours of sleep your brain needs. It all depends on a variety of different factors, and one of these factors is age. This is according to Max Hirshkowitz, the Chairman of the Scientific Advisory Council for the National Sleep Foundation (NSF).

Efforts to continuously review and provide scientifically up-to-date information regarding sleeping times are constantly in play at the NSF. Recent work has led to the establishment of a variety of different rules and regulations for people of different ages. Here is what the NSF came up with as far as hours of sleep recommended each night. Additionally, it is not recommended that individuals get more or less than the number of hours stated in these categories:

·         Newborns

Individuals between 0 and 3 months of age should aim to get between 14 and 17 hours in a 24-hour cycle. In rare cases, some newborns may need between 11 and 13 hours or between 18 and 19 hours.

·         Infants

Individuals between 4 and 11 months of age should aim to get between 12 and 15 hours. In rare cases, some infants may need between 10 and 11 hours or between 16 and 18 hours.

·         Toddlers

Individuals between 1 and 2 years of age should aim to get between 11 and 14 hours. In rare cases, some toddlers may need between 9 and 10 hours or between 15 and 16 hours.

·         Preschoolers

Individuals between 3 and 5 years of age should aim to get between 10 and 13 hours. In rare cases, some preschoolers may need between 8 and 9 hours or up to 14 hours.

·         School age children

Individuals between 6 and 13 years of age should aim to get between 7 and 8 hours. In rare cases, some school age children may need between 8 and 9 hours or as many as 12 hours.

·         Teenagers

Individuals between 14 and 17 years of age should aim to get between 8 and 10 hours. In rare cases, some teenagers may need 7 hours or 11 hours.

·         Young Adults

Individuals between 18 and 25 years of age should aim to get between 7 and 9 hours. In rare cases, some young adults may need 6 hours or between 10 and 11 hours.

·         Adults

Individuals between 26 and 64 years of age should aim to get between 7 and 9 hours. In rare cases, some adults may need 6 hours or 10 hours.

·         Senior citizens

Individuals above the age of 65 should aim to get between 7 and 8 hours. In rare cases, some senior citizens may need between 5- 6 hours or 9 hours.

5.    Your individual needs also show how many hours of sleep your brain needs

No matter how much scientists churn out facts and figures, there is no denying that every unique person has different needs. Some people absolutely cannot function on limited sleep. Others pull regular all-nighters that, while not healthy, don’t seem to affect their daily function much.

The research itself cannot pinpoint exact numbers of hours that will best suit every single person. What they can provide is a range. Sleeping between 7-8 hours is considered optimal for most adults according to recent research, though the range stretches to between 6 and 10 in some cases.

This means you absolutely need to get between 7 and 9 hours of sleep in order to function healthily. But where you fall in that range depends entirely on you. Knowing yourself and your body is one of the easiest ways to determine how many hours of rest your brain needs to stay healthy.

What does this mean? It means you need to observe yourself. When you get 7 hours of sleep, do you still feel sluggish? Or does that energize you? How about getting 9 hours? Does that make you feel heavy? Or is that the amount you need to function? Maybe you fall between, at 8 hours?

Keeping a Sleep Diary

If you’re not entirely sure how much sleep your brain needs, try keeping a sleep diary. Log the time you go to bed, making adjustments in the morning if you had trouble dozing off. Log the time you wake up and how you feel when you wake up.

Then, at the end of the day, write down your energy level and if you noticed any issues in your daily work. Did you have trouble focusing? Were you more or less productive than usual? Did you seem a little short-tempered? Did you have issues keeping positive thinking going? Write it all down.

sleep

This way, you will be able to refer to this sleep journal and find links between your well-being and your sleep. From here, you can spot the optimal sleep length for the best daily function and health. You might even notice the best times for you to head to bed and wake up!

Final Thoughts On How Many Hours Of Sleep Your Brain Needs To Stay Healthy

Getting enough sleep is one of the most important things we can do for our bodies. Sleep drives our energy levels, allowing us to get up and go. It helps us at work, boosting concentration and productivity. It helps our emotions, boosting positive thinking and preventing mood swings.

Taking care of our bodies means ensuring we get the right amount of sleep every day. Thanks to all the recent research, we no longer have to guess what our bodies and brains need. By getting the correct number of hours of sleep your brain needs to stay healthy, you’re doing yourself a huge favor.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hXxTtXOz5JQ

21 Foods High in Potassium That Can Reverse A Deficiency

Your body doesn’t produce potassium, but it’s an essential nutrient for optimal health. Most people don’t receive enough potassium in their diets, including diets centered mostly on whole, nutritious foods. It is important to eat foods high in potassium.

Why You Need Potassium

According to a national survey, 3% of Americans receive meet the country’s daily recommendation of 4,700 mg. This number is higher than other countries; however, the level is both effective and safe. If you already follow a varied diet of mostly fruits and vegetables, your potassium intake might be fine. (1)

Potassium is responsible for the balance of electrolytes and fluids in your body. Without enough potassium, your body can’t regulate hydration. Its benefits don’t stop there. It’s also a vital nutrient for protecting your kidneys, muscles, heart, and brain.

Symptoms of Hypokalemia (Low Potassium)

• Severe headaches
• Swollen glands
• Swollen tissues
• Water retention
• Heart palpitations
• Muscle fatigue
• Muscle cramps

If hypokalemia goes untreated, it can lead to a heart attack. (3)

Who’s At Risk?

 

Pregnant Women

Some pregnant women will have hyperemesis gravidarum, which is a severe form of morning sickness. These women are at the highest risk of a potassium deficiency and severe dehydration if they don’t seek treatment and IV fluids. (4)

Severe Vomiting and Diarrhea

Whether you had a bout of stomach flu or food poisoning, you should be concerned about your potassium levels.

Heart Conditions

Because potassium is crucial to your heart’s health, you should do your best to meet the minimum requirements. Not only does it protect your heart, but you’re already at a greater risk of future heart complications.

Athletes and Exercise Junkies

Exercise is great for the body. Sports are no different. Even if you’re maintaining your hydration, when you sweat, you’re depleting your body of potassium. Water alone isn’t enough to restore it, and sugary sports drinks aren’t doing your body any favors.

Everyone Else

Sickness, heart conditions, and pregnancy aren’t the only times you need to worry about your potassium intake. Because of the Standard American Diet (SAD) and increased salt intake, the average person is at risk for a potassium deficiency. If we look at the survey again, we’ll find 96% of the people don’t meet the bare minimum requirements through their diets.

Food Plays a Major Role in Low Potassium

A major cause of the low potassium is our food choices and preparation methods. We take healthy foods (hello, french fries) and turn them into silent killers. An occasional french fry or unhealthy treat is fine. Celebration and guiltless little cheats can be good for your mental health and keep you on track.

However, when those seemingly harmless treats become your everyday fare, you’re hurting your body in ways you can’t see. You might not see the effects of heart palpitations, the damage to kidneys, or the heart attack until years of suffering with otherwise unknown headaches, fatigue, and cramps.

If you’re not eating enough foods high in potassium, you’re not receiving what your body needs to properly function.

Watch Your Salt

Salt is another component of the low potassium problem. Now, salt itself isn’t a villain. Sea salt, Himalayan salt, and other natural salts are essential nutrients too. Copious amounts of table salt isn’t. Table salt upsets the balance and depletes our bodies of potassium.

Even if you consume foods high in potassium, if you’re using too much table salt, you’re unlikely to rebuild your stores.

Where to Find Potassium

Foods high in potassium grow in abundance. You will find them at the farmer’s market. They’re sold in the supermarket. Best of all? The potassium rich foods on the list aren’t anything crazy or strange.

Yes, you can also supplement for potassium. This shouldn’t be a long term solution without the guidance of your doctor, nutritionist, or naturopath. Requiring a supplement isn’t necessary for the majority of people, but some medical conditions and medications will require them.

Side Effects and Concerns

If you receive all your potassium from foods, you’re unlikely to be at risk for an overdose. However, an imbalance between potassium can occur in the high range too. Routine blood work can detect early signs, as mild symptoms usually go unnoticed. Here are 21 foods high in potassium.

21 Foods High in Potassium

 

1. Bananas

Few people dislike bananas. It’s a portable food. You can use it in many sweet recipes and smoothies. It can be a snack, a breakfast, a topping, or dessert by itself. At 422 mg per medium banana, it makes perfect sense to sit at the top of our list.

2. Sweet Potatoes

One cup of cubed sweet potatoes (or medium sized, whole) will grant you 448 mg of potassium. This healthy, versatile root vegetable makes a wonderful addition to many meals. It’s also inexpensive.

3. Red Pepper

Whether you prefer a red bell pepper or a spicy Serrano, you’ll find about 100 mg per serving in this nutrient rich vegetable. That might seem like a small amount compared to higher alternatives, but red peppers can be anything from a snack to a salad topper to a complimenting flavor in a tasty recipe. So 100 mg is a lot when you think of it that way.

4. Carrots

Carrots are like nature’s candy. They’re sweet, but they lend well to savory dishes. Eat them plain or dipped in a heart healthy nut butter, and you’ll receive 410 mg of potassium.

5. Avocado

This potassium rich super-food weighs in at 708 mg of potassium in each cup, so go ahead and dip your carrots, red peppers, and broccoli in heart and kidney friendly guacamole.

Used foods high in potassium

6. Oranges

Need a little sweet snack? Reach for a cup of orange segments for 326 mg of potassium.

7. Kiwi

Everyone’s favorite fuzzy fruit has another trick up its sleeve. A single 1 cup serving yields 562 mg of potassium and 278% of your Vitamin C RDI.

8. Steak

Not crazy about fruits and vegetables? Are you low carb, Paleo, or keto? A serving of sirloin steak offers you 629 mg of potassium. Beef of any kind will offer similar benefits.

9. Sardines

Generic sardines packed in oil clock in at 592 mg of potassium for a single cup. Some name brands have less potassium per serving, so be sure to read labels.

10. Salmon

Both fresh and canned salmon will give your potassium levels a quick boost. About 487 mg hide in one serving.

11. Apricots

Do you like unsweetened dried fruits? Here’s a reason to enjoy apricots, which pair well with a cheese board or it oatmeal. Sweet and chewy, they clock in at 1,511 mg per cup.

12. Dates

Top salads, add to you homemade baked goods, stuff with cheese, or eat them plain, and you’ll reap 964 mg of potassium in a one cup serving.

13. Mango

Fresh mango lends well to different recipes. You can even grill it and brush with savory sauces. If you need a reason to use it more often, the 277 mg of potassium per serving makes a great excuse.

14. Sun Dried Tomatoes

This little super food packs a powerful punch. Add it to salads, soups, sautés, and sauces for a kick of zingy flavor. A 1-cup serving yields 1,800 mg of potassium. That’s 40% of your DRI.

15. Grapefruit

Grapefruit is low in calories until you add sugar, which can counteract many of its healthful benefits. Stick to less than a teaspoon of sugar or sweetener and absorb the 277 mg of potassium hiding in this tasty bitter fruit.

16. Black Beans

The 739 mg in a single serving of black beans makes it a great source for finicky eaters. You can cook and blend a black bean into virtually any liquid or dark baked good recipe, including brownies. The brownies might be my favorite guilt free treat, but I also love potassium rich black bean soup. (5)

If you buy a canned variety, opt for low sodium or no salt added.

17. White Beans

White beans pack a huge amount of 1,189 mg of potassium in a single serving. Like black beans, you can disguise it in a variety of recipes. You can also eat them in soups, stews, or any way you enjoy them.

Again, if you buy a canned variety, opt for low sodium or no salt added.

18. White Potato

Okay, so we’re not talking about fried or mashed variety here. However, a healthy baked or oven roasted potato will bring you 800 mg potassium as well as fiber, iron, and vitamins C and B6.

19. Peas

Pass the peas, please. A single cup serving will yield you with 354 mg of potassium.

20. Broccoli

Raw or boiled, a serving of potassium rich foods like broccoli will provide you with over 500 mg.

21. Spinach

We saved the best for last. Clocking in as one of the highest potassium foods is spinach with a whopping 1,897 mg in a single serving. That is over half the RDI.

Don’t feel much like Popeye? Spinach is a versatile food that hides easily in smoothies, salads, pizza toppings, and even baked casseroles.

Bonus Foods

 

22. Coconut Water

It’s only fair to provide athletes and exercise junkies with a healthy alternative to refuel their bodies. Opt for no added sugar varieties. A single serving provides your body with roughly 600 mg of potassium.

foods high in potassium

23. Greek Yogurt

Greek yogurt shouldn’t be left out since it packs 573 mg of potassium into your smoothie before you add in anything else. You’ll receive almost half your RDI in calcium too.

Conclusion

Include any of these foods high in potassium to protect your heart and kidneys. If you’re taking any medication, speak with your health care provider as you might require a supplement. A blood work-up can also be beneficial to rule out an extreme deficiency, which might require a temporary supplement.

Since most of your potassium comes from food, an overdose risk is unlikely. Try to pair potassium rich foods when you can, watch your sodium intake, and aim to reach the 4,700 mg RDI. If you miss a day here or there, you don’t need to be concerned as long as you jump back on track.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yG-G9_LOkLA

Skip to content