Saturday 10 October 2009

Potassium is the key


Sorry to have kept you all wondering what has happened to me! I seem to have had all the possible health check-ups coinciding in the last few weeks and diet seems to loom importantly in all of them! But such conflicting advice only confuses me, the patient, and makes me wonder what I CAN eat safely without triggering some other weakness in my anatomy.

I now think that potassium is the key, but what a complex subject that is! What a bewildering list of foods contain potassium, and then you have to learn which foods are high potassium foods and which are low potassium foods and choose your diet accordingly. That sounds simple, but it isn't, for, if you are trying not to consume too much potassium, you not only have to avoid eating the high potassium foods but you also have to beware of eating too much of any of the low potassium foods!

So the equation is:- How to eat well, keeping this balance and at the same time making sure that you don't lose any more weight? It's even more of a conundrum when you have a garden full of delicious apples, tomatoes, runner beans and brussel sprouts (nearly ready) and only me here to eat them all! It's not fair! (I've eaten all my own-grown potatoes and carrots for this year.) I've also got my broad beans in early and they are now two inches high. I do love broad beans!

I was so happy with my 'healthy' home-grown fruit and vegetables (and piled my plate high!), and I loved the advice to 'eat five fruits and vegetables a day', but now I must limit myself to such small servings at a time. And when I eat out in a restaurant? That doesn't bear thinking about at the moment!

Well, now that I've got that off my chest, there's nothing for it but to discipline myself in regard to meals - and to give away much of the produce that I would normally be eating! Spare me a thought sometimes, please!

5 comments:

PamBG said...

Yikes! Fruit and veg have lots of potassium?

Sounds complicated. Hope you sort out a regimen that works for you.

Olive Morgan said...

Thanks, Pam. So do I, but what appears to be a sensible diet to cut down on the potassium seems very boring after all the lovely fruit and vegetables I had been enjoying. I was gobsmacked to find how many fruits and vegetables are high in potassium. In fact, I thought I was doing so well with my eating five of them every day. Instead, my heaped up plates of vegetables were doing me harm!
How are you doing now? I hope you have found a church appointment that fits your current situation.

PamBG said...

Oh dear, I'm so sorry! It does seem to get to a point where one can't do anything for the best in terms of what one is supposed to avoid eating!

For me, no church appointment at all, I'm afraid. Too many ministers and not enough posts. And the unemployment situation here is awful. I've applied for about 75 "secular" jobs and have had 2 interviews and no offers.

Tomorrow morning, I am "supply preaching" for the first time and I have another one in November. Hopefully, they'll like me and word will get out.

MethodistCouncilWatcher said...

Hello Olive

You should get the following colourful chart

http://www.thevegancook.co.uk/nutrition-chart.php

It helps me choose a wide, varied and tasty diet!

Warm Regards

John

Olive Morgan said...

Thanks, John. Good to hear from you.

How disappointing for you, Pam. I hope word will get around from your 'supply teaching' so that more opportunities come your way. I meant to ask you about your parents. I do hope that it has comforted them to have you home and that they are much improved as a result.