The heart rate, also known as pulse rate, is the number of times the heart beats every minute.
The normal heart rate for an adult is between 60 and 100 beats a minute, according to the University of Virginia Health System, although athletes can have a rate as low as 40 beats per minute.
The heart rate is important because it measures the rhythm of the heart as well as the strength of the blood flow. A high heart rate otherwise known as tachycardia (or more than 100 beats per minute consistently in an adult) can lead to heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease as well as to produce symptoms such as sweating, nausea or vomiting.
Raisins and bananas, can lower heart rate, as well as yoga and exercise.
Checking Heart Rate
You can check your pulse by placing two fingers on the arteries on the wrist or the neck.
Count the number of heart beats in 10 seconds and multiply the total by 6.
Do not use the thumb, as there is a blood vessel in the thumb that can confuse readings.
Exercise Lowers Heart Rate
The best way to reduce heart rate over time is to exercise.
Aerobic exercise and a slower resting heart rate are attained when the heart is strong.
The heart is a muscle that can become stronger and work more efficiently when exercised, like any other muscle in the body.
As the heart works more efficiently, it pumps blood better - so less beats are needed to circulate blood throughout the body.
Yoga Lowers Heart Rate
Yoga, meditation and other relaxation techniques lower heart rate.
For beginners, start with an audio tape or video tape.
Any type of stretch or relaxation exercises lower heart rate.
Vigorous exercise, even strenuous yoga, stimulate and will raise the heart rate.
Coffee Raises Heart Rate
Drinking coffee and caffeinated foods like tea or chocolate increase heart rate. Eliminating coffee and caffeinated foods will allow the heart rate to stabilize.
Bananas Lower Heart Rate
Bananas are an excellent source of potassium and potassium is needed to maintain a low heart rate.
Symptoms of low potassium include muscle cramps and lack of energy, which can lead to an irregular heartbeat.
Bananas contain 400 mg of potassium in 96 calories.
This is 11 percent of the daily requirement. Bananas have less than 1 mg of sodium, which makes them a valuable food for people on reduced sodium diets as well.
Raisins Lower Heart Rate
Raisins are also high in potassium and contain over 1000 mg of potassium, which is a third of the daily requirement.
Raisins also have a low sodium content: 60 mg per serving.
Potassium is a mineral that we need in order to stay healthy. It is found in foods like fruits and vegetables. A high intake of potassium helps to:
promote normal blood pressure
keep bones strong
decrease risk of stroke and kidney stones
Low potassium = less than 3.5 mmol/L
Normal potassium = 3.5 - 5.0 mmol/L
High potassium = 5.0 - 6.0 mmol/L
Very high potassium = more than 6.0 mmol/L
You may have low blood potassium if you do not eat enough potassium or take medications that make your body get rid of potassium. A very low level of potassium in your body may cause symptoms like heart fluttering or muscle weakness.
Eat high potassium foods at snacks as well. Some high potassium snacks are:
milk, apricots, orange juice, bananas, nuts, carrots
High Potassium Food Choices (foods with 200 mg or more of potassium per serving)
Serving sizes 1/2 cup 125 ml Vegetables
artichokes, beets fresh canned or boiled. beet greens, boiled
broccoli, boiled. Brussels sprouts raw, boiled or frozen. carrots, raw, juice. celery, boiled. corn on the cob, 15 cm. kohlrabi. mushrooms, fresh, boiled. parsnips, boiled. black-eyed peas, cooked. potato, baked with skin on
potato, canned, boiled, microwaved. pumpkin. rapini, boiled. soybeans, cooked
spinach, frozen, boiled. squash, winter, boiled or baked
sweet potato. Swiss chard, boiled. tofu, raw, firm. tomato, raw, canned, juice
tomato, paste. V8 juice. water chestnuts, raw. yams, baked, boiled. zucchini, boiled.
Ethnic Vegetables
amaranth (Yin Choy). bamboo, raw, or boiled. bitter melon. bok choy. cassava
Chinese radish (lo bok, daikon). fennel, raw, bulb. lotus root, raw cooked, seeds. mustard greens, Chinese, boiled. broccoli, Chinese (Gailian). Chinese cabbage
taro root
Fruits
apricots, raw (3). apricots, dried (6). avocado (1/3). banana, 1 small
cantaloupe (1/4). coconut, juice. currants, dried, 1/3 cup or 75 mL
dates, 5 medium. figs, fresh, 2 large. guava, 1 medium, juice. honeydew (1/4)
kiwi. nectarine, 1 medium. orange, 1 medium. orange juice. papaya, 1/3 medium
passion fruit juice. persimmon, 1 medium. plantain, raw, cooked.
pomegranate, 1 medium. prunes, drained, uncooked (4). prune juice. raisins
plums, 2 medium. tangelo, 1 medium
Milk products
milk or soy beverage, 1 cup or 250 mL. buttermilk or goat milk
yogurt, 3/4 cup or 175 g. cottage cheese, 1 cup or 250 mL ricotta cheese, 3/4 cup or 175 m.
Grain products
bran cereal, 1/3 cup or 28 g of All Bran, Branbuds
wheat germ, 1/4 cup or 50 mL
Meats and alternatives
beans (kidney, white, soy, lima, navy, pinto), lentils and chickpeas
nuts: peanuts, cashews, pistachios, mixed nuts, 1/4 cup or 50 mL
peanut butter, 2 tbsp. or 30 mL
chicken, roasted, 2 oz. or 60 g
beef steak, roasted, 2 oz. or 60 g
Other foods you can use in cooking or baking
molasses, 1 tbsp. or 15 mL. cocoa powder, 1/4 cup or 50 mL
foods with 135 - 199 mg of potassium per serving sizes 1/2 cup 125 mL
Vegetables
asparagus, beans, green, yellow, fresh and boiled. bean sprouts, raw, cooked
broccoli, raw, frozen. carrots, boiled, canned. cauliflower, raw. celery, raw
chayote. collard greens. corn, fresh, cooked, canned, creamed, baby. fennel
garden cress, raw. spinach, raw
Fruit
apple, raw, 1 medium. apple juice. pear, 1/2 medium. apricots, canned, nectar
blackberries, raw. melon, raw. cherries, raw (10). grape juice, bottled
gooseberries, raw. kumquats. mango, 1/2 medium. peaches, raw, canned, frozen
pineapple, raw, canned, juice. pear, raw, 1 medium. raspberries, frozen
Saskatoon berries. strawberries, raw, frozen.
watermelon, 1 cup or 250 mL
Grain products
hole grain breads, pumpernickel or raisin, 2 slices
granola, 60 g or 1/2 cup. English muffin, whole-wheat, 1 whole
wheat germ, 2 tbsp. or 30 mL
Meats and alternatives
turkey, roasted, 2 oz. or 60 g. ground beef, cooked, 2 oz. or 60 g
nuts: hazelnuts, walnuts, almonds, 1/4 cup or 50 mL
Tips to Help You Eat More Potassium
Eat enough vegetables and fruit 5 to 10 servings of both day.
1 serving of vegetables = 1/2 cup (125 mL) fresh, frozen or canned vegetables or
1 cup of salad
1 serving of fruit = 1/2 cup (125 mL) fresh, frozen or canned fruit or 1 medium size fruit
Keep the potassium in your food
Potassium is lost from fruits and vegetables when they are soaked or boiled in liquid.
For example a baked potato has 926 mg of potassium, while a boiled potato has only 548 mg of potassium.
To keep the most potassium in your food:
Cook vegetables in their skin. Do not peel them.
Steam, stir-fry, microwave, bake or roast vegetables instead of boiling them.
If you boil vegetables, use only a small amount of water.
Cut the vegetables into big pieces and cook them for only a short time.
Use the cooking liquid in soups and gravies. Eat canned fruit with the juice it was canned in.
Example of a High Potassium Day
Breakfast Potassium,
Raisin Bran 1 cup 55 g high
1% milk 1 cup (250 mL) high
Pear 1 medium medium
Coffee 1 cup (250 mL) low
Lunch Potassium
Turkey sandwich with whole-grain bread 2 slices medium
turkey 2 oz (60 g) medium
light mayonnaise 1 tbsp (15 mL) low
tomato slices 1 slices low
Yogurt 3/4 cup (175 g) high
Chocolate chip cookie 2 e juice 1/2 cup (125 mL)medium
Snack potassium
Dried apricots 6 halves high
Whole wheat 1 whole medium
English muffin with Peanut butter 2tbsp. high
Supper Potassium
Grilled steak 3 oz. (90 g) high
Baked potato in skin 1 medium high
Sour cream 1 tbsp. (15 mL) low
Broccoli 1 cup (250 mL) high
Mushrooms, stir-fried 1/2 cup (125 mL) high
1% milk 1 cup (250 mL) high
Apple 1 medium medium
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