Get Rid of High Potassium in the Body Naturally

Although potassium is necessary for nerve and muscle function in the body, too much of it can be indicative of a serious health condition, such as chronic kidney disease. A healthy potassium level is 3.5 to 5.0 mEq/L, or milliequivalents per liter. A potassium level higher than this in the bloodstream is an indication of an electrolyte imbalance known as hyperkalemia, which can have serious side effects. You can get rid of high potassium in the body naturally by drinking more water, drinking less milk and less fruit juice, and sticking with an overall low-potassium diet. Note that for severe cases of high potassium; however, medical intervention might be required.

Steps

Adjusting Your Fluids

1. Drink plenty of water. Dehydration is one of the main sources of hyperkalemia. 10 – 12 glasses a day will help keep your potassium levels stable.
2. Limit your milk intake as most dairy products are high in potassium. Two servings daily should be your limit (or no more than 1 cup). Rice milk is generally an acceptable substitute.
   • Coffee and tea are fine to consume, but you should consider switching to using a non-dairy creamer.
3. Avoid juices. Many fruit and vegetable juices — especially orange juice and carrot juice — are high in potassium. Some juices are also blends of different fruits so while some fruits — like grapes and cranberries — are fine for a low-potassium diet, you should make sure the juice does not include any high-potassium juices.
   • Watch out for smoothies; many of them contain large amounts of bananas, which are very high in potassium.

Eating a Low Potassium Diet

1. Eliminate foods high in potassium. Some of the foods you should avoid include bananas, tomato sauce, beet greens, clams, prunes, avocado, oranges, as well as cooked broccoli and cooked spinach.
   • Soak fresh fruit in water for a few hours before eating to help lower the potassium level in the fruit.
2. Incorporate low-potassium foods into your diet. Avoid brown rice and pasta as well as other whole grains (like bran). Instead, substitute white rice and bread as these are lower in potassium. You can also incorporate fruits like berries and grapes; for vegetables, you can enjoy kale, cauliflower, and corn.
3. Get lean. Lean proteins are compatible with a low potassium diet as long you eat them in smaller portions. If you prepare chicken, turkey, and pork, keep your consumption limited to fist-sized helpings.
4. Avoid packaged foods. Many packaged foods will add potassium chloride as a substitute for salt. This is an especially dangerous ingredient to consume if you are trying to lower your potassium levels. If you buy frozen dinners or canned tomato sauces, make sure you check the ingredient list to ensure it is not included.
5. Leach out potassium from food. Leaching is not effective at completely removing potassium from high potassium foods and it should only be used occasionally. However, if you are craving a food that is particularly high in potassium, you can use this method to help reduce your total intake of potassium. You can apply this method for potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, beets, and winter squash.
   • Peel and place the vegetable in cold water so they won’t darken.
   • Slice vegetables so they are 1/8 inch thick.
   • Then rinse in warm water for a few seconds.
   • Soak vegetables for a minimum of two hours in warm water. The amount of water used for soaking should be ten times greater than the amount of vegetables. If soaking longer, change the water every four hours.
   • Rinse vegetables under warm water again for a few seconds.
   • Cook vegetable with five times the amount of water to the amount of vegetables.

Understanding the Risks of High Potassium

1. Know your body. Your kidneys are primarily responsible for filtering out excessive levels of potassium from the bloodstream. If you have acute or chronic renal failure or adrenal gland dysfunction, then monitor your potassium levels to make sure they stay within a safe range.
   • Cancer treatments which destroy cells (or cell lysis) can also lead to increased levels of potassium.
2. Recognize the symptoms. High potassium can have dangerous effects on the body, such as muscle weakness, constipation, fatigue, and paralysis. An abnormal heart rate can also be caused by too much potassium.
   • Be aware that you may not show any symptoms. The best way to confirm that your potassium level is normal is to check it regularly. Your doctor can conduct this test through a simple blood sample.
3. Seek treatment. If you have symptoms of high potassium, then seek medical treatment immediately as this is dangerous.
4. Join a community. If you struggle with high levels of potassium, you should look into finding more information at the National Kidney Foundation and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. You will be able to keep up with the latest medical research on potassium by following these organizations.

Tips

• Talk to your doctor regarding any medications you are currently taking. The following medications may cause an increase in your potassium level: nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), ACE inhibitors, beta-blockers, heparin, cyclosporine and Trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole.
• Having too low of a potassium level is also dangerous. If you are actively trying to lower your potassium level, it is important to see your doctor regularly to have your levels monitored.

Sources and Citations

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