Shift Workers May Need to Pay Special Attention to Sodium and Potassium Levels
Fast and processed food pumps more sodium into our diet every day than our body was meant to handle. For shift workers that rely on the comfort and reliability fast food offers on the way to or from a shift, sodium sneaks in and can wreak havoc on a body throughout the years. Many people think that if they avoid sprinkling too much salt on their meals, sodium won’t be a problem, but unfortunately this is not the case. Shift workers face additional challenges from the normal fast food-eater, since the high levels of caffeine many shift workers drink reduces hydration, further throwing off the sodium balance, and many effects of too much sodium such as weight gain, low energy, aching muscles, and chronic fatigue are already felt by shift workers for other job-related reasons. Your body relies on potassium to balance out sodium content, a goal that is clearly extremely important for extended hours workers. This article will show you how to tell if you have a problem, and lay out tips for keeping you body balanced and what foods to eat to increase potassium levels.
Potassium is essential for good health. Fortunately, meeting the minimum suggested requirement is not difficult for most people. However, shift workers may have special challenges impacting their ability to meet the minimum intake required. And, they have unique health risks so meeting the minimum intake level may be more important because the impact of a deficiency could be more critical.
Shift Worker Health Concerns
Shift workers have up to a 50% increased risk of cardiovascular disease. One third of the night shift workers report they drink four cups of coffee during their shift. Almost 60% of shift workers report that they take pain relievers several times per month. More than half of shift workers smoke. Over 75% of shift workers report that they do not exercise regularly. On average, 30% of shift workers report frequent or chronic back and leg problems.
The Interaction of Potassium and Sodium
Most people know that too much sodium intake is directly linked to high blood pressure. Guidelines recommend that adults should take in no more than 6 grams of salt (about one heaping teaspoon) or no more than 2,300 mgs of sodium each day. However, one quarter of adult men exceed 5,200 mg per day and one quarter of adult women consume more than 3,500 mg per day.
A diet low in potassium and high in sodium may also be factor leading to high blood pressure. Dietary guidelines recommend that adults need 4.7 grams of potassium each day from food (vs. supplements; food is better than supplements). It is estimated that only 10% of men and 1% of women meet the 4.7 gram minimum regularly.
The sodium/potassium balance is one way the body controls its pH balance. The symbol ‘pH’ represents the acidity or alkalinity level in the body. Every function of the body is dependent on its ability to maintaining a precisely balanced pH in the blood, and in other critical bodily systems. The body’s enzyme system and the electrical functions of our body are dependent on electrolytes. Electrolyte levels are dependent on pH. The common electrolytes that are measured by doctors when testing blood include sodium, potassium, chloride, and bicarbonate.
Circadian Technologies, Inc. Health study
The systolic blood pressure (the top number) represents the pressure in the arteries as the muscle of the heart contracts and pumps blood into the arteries. The diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number) represents the pressure in the arteries as the muscle of the heart relaxes after it contracts. Systolic blood pressure for most healthy adults falls between 90 and 120 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). Normal diastolic blood pressure falls between 60 and 80 mm Hg. An individual’s blood pressure is written as systolic/diastolic blood pressure, e.g., 120/80. Current guidelines define normal blood pressure as lower than 120/80. Blood pressures between 120/80 and 140/90 are considered too high.
When pH Levels Get Out of Balance
Without proper pH levels, it is difficult for the body to incorporate the necessary nutrients and energy for good health. Most people who suffer from unbalanced pH are acidic. When a body has too much acid, it borrows minerals, including calcium, sodium, potassium and magnesium, from vital organs and bones to buffer (neutralize) the acid and remove it. Because of this strain, the body can suffer severe and prolonged damage due to high acidity, a condition that may go undetected for years.
High levels of acidity in the body can cause:
· Cardiovascular damage
· Bladder and kidney diseases (including kidney stones)
· Osteoporosis; weak and brittle bones, hip fractures and bone spurs
· Joint pain and aching muscles
· Weight gain, obesity and diabetes
· Low energy and chronic fatigue
· Slow digestion and elimination
Signs of a Potassium Deficiency
Since potassium is one of the most important minerals for rebalancing the body’s electrical properties and eliminating excess acidity it is important to get enough potassium. The first signs of potassium deficiency are tiredness and muscle weakness. Water retention, continual thirst, and heart arrhythmias (rhythm disturbances/ palpitations) are also signs of potassium deficiency.
Testing pH Levels
If you have concerns about pH levels talk with a physician during an annual physical. Also, pH paper for home testing is available at health food stores. To test, just tear a half inch strip from the roll, wet it with your tongue, and compare the color to the chart on the side of the box. The most significant reading is taken when you first wake up from sleeping, before you eat or drink anything.
Getting pH Levels Back into Balance
There are two main things to do to reverse excess acid in our bodies:
1. Eat a diet that is high in alkalizing foods. Broccoli sprouts, cucumber, parsley, wheat grass, barley grass and alfalfa sprouts, are highly anti-alkaline. Foods with high levels of potassium are also antialkaline. Potassium can be found in large quantities in many foods. Good vegetable sources include peas, tomatoes, lettuce, lima beans and potatoes. Beef, chicken and fish all have significant amounts of potassium. Bananas, melons, apricots and citrus fruits are also rich in potassium. Nuts and chocolate provide concentrated sources of potassium. All meats are acidic. Pasta, rice, cheese, soft drinks, coffee, alcoholic beverages, and most sweeteners except raw, unpasteurized honey are also acidic.
2. Drink alkaline water or spring water that is pH balanced. Our bodies are over 70 percent water; all of our body fluids contain water. The food we eat is mostly made of water. Water adjusts the body’s temperature and through urination and perspiration the body is ridden of toxins. At least 64 ounces (8 glasses) of water should be consumed per day to attain proper hydration. Most people are dehydrated; dehydration can lead to physical impairment. Dehydration is especially prevalent among men and women over forty years of age. For the body to function properly, it needs to be properly hydrated.
In addition, it is also possible to take supplements that alkalize to support pH balance. However, the supplements do not replace the benefit of good, healthy food. And, they should not be used without consultation with your physician.
Unique Shift Worker Challenges
Given the tendency of shift workers to cardiovascular disease, extra use of caffeine (a diuretic that reduces hydration), smoking, not exercising (only 23% of shift workers report they exercise regularly), and back and leg pain (33% of shift workers repost chronic or frequent back and leg pain), it is especially important that shift workers stay on top of their pH levels. Lack of good nutrition, higher consumption of processed foods (higher in sodium) due to the unavailability of healthy foods while working shift work makes shift workers at greater risk of pH levels.
Conclusion
Increased pH levels can be an indication of long term health challenges that could be reduced with the right focus on testing pH levels and eating healthy foods. The main risk factor of increased blood pressure is stroke. Increasing potassium intake will lower blood pressure. It is difficult to determine whether stroke is reduced by low blood pressure or by low potassium. Also, it is difficult to isolate the effects of potassium from those of other nutrients found in the same foods. Some of the effect of potassium on stroke may be independent and some may be incremental to the effect that potassium has on blood pressure. Nevertheless, to reduce the risk of stroke, it makes sense to increase potassium intake.
This website, Sodium: No Excuses lays out myths and misconceptions about sodium intake, as well as helpful shopping and recipe tips.
©2008workingnights
This material is provided for personal, non-commercial, educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute a recommendation or endorsement
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