In a report for Nutrition, Metabolism, and Cardiovascular Disease, researchers pooled data from 14 studies that included 333,250 participants who had suffered a combined 10,659 cardiovascular events.

They found a significant inverse association between potassium intake and risk of stroke. In fact, those with the highest potassium intake had a 20 percent lower risk of stroke.

Furthermore, for every 1 gram per day increase in potassium intake there was a 10 percent reduction in stroke risk.

The relationship between potassium and cardiovascular risk has been known for more than 100 years. Potassium is one of the most effective means for not only treating, but also preventing hypertension.

I check potassium levels on nearly every patient that I have seen. More than 80 percent tested deficient. An optimal potassium level is more than 4.1 mmol/L.

Potassium is an essential nutrient that must be absorbed from our diets or supplemented. It is found in fruits and vegetables as well as meat, nuts, chocolate, potatoes, bamboo shoots, bananas, and avocados.

Sadly, over the last 50 years our food supply has been providing less and less potassium.

The best way to increase your potassium level is to eat healthy, organic food. However, low potassium can easily be corrected with supplements, the best of which is potassium bicarbonate.

Diuretics, a type of drug used by many patients with high blood pressure, are known to cause potassium and other mineral deficiencies.

The first step for treating hypertension should be to increase potassium in the diet and supplement with potassium bicarbonate when levels are low.