Want Lower Blood Pressure? Reach for a Banana: Study Suggests
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New research from the University of Waterloo suggests increasing the ratio of dietary potassium to sodium intake may be more effective for lowering blood pressure than simply reducing sodium intake.
High blood pressure affects over 30 per cent of adults globally. It's the leading cause of coronary heart disease and stroke and may also lead to other afflictions like chronic kidney disease, heart failure, irregular heartbeats, and dementia.
Potassium and sodium are both electrolytes -- substances that help the body send electrical signals to contract muscles, affect the amount of water in your body and perform other essential functions.
The researchers developed a mathematical model that successfully identifies how the ratio of potassium to sodium impacts the body. The model also identifies how sex differences affect the relationship between potassium and blood pressure.
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