Potassium is an essential mineral which is known as an electrolyte. Electrolytes are responsible for maintaining the ionic balance of your body. Other electrolytes are sodium, calcium, magnesium, phosphate, chloride. These electrolytes bear an electric charge which manages the electrical activity of your health system. Potassium also helps the muscles of the body to function properly. In fact, it has its contribution in regulating blood pressure; a crucial role for a healthy heart.

Potassium deficiency is a kind of medical condition which is known as hypokalemia. The normal level of potassium in the human body should be in between 3.5-5.0 mmol/L. But the deficiency in potassium can cause severe problems including muscle weakness, nerve disorders, heart problems, etc. Kidney is the organ which is known to manage the potassium balance by removing the extra potassium through urine.

Causes of potassium deficiency:

Lack of potassium in diet
Dehydration
Diarrhoea
Too much sweating
Several medicines also cause potassium deficiency

Signs of potassium deficiency:

You are getting wiped out too often: Like it is discussed before that potassium is responsible for your muscles to work actively. Each and every cell needs the required amount of potassium to work effectively. So, a little deficiency of potassium can leave you exhausted throughout the day. If your normal working routine leaves you exhausted and if you are sweating too often, then there is a chance that you are suffering from hypokalemia.
High blood pressure: Potassium plays an important role in maintaining the blood pressure by helping in relaxing the blood vessels. Low potassium can cause the blood vessels to get constricted, due to which your blood pressure increases.
Muscle weakness: Potassium plays a significant role in building the strength of your muscles. Lack of potassium can easily cause muscle weakness, aches and spasms.
Irregular heartbeat: Anything regarding your heart problem can scare you badly; especially when you experience sudden skipped heart rate or when your heart rate doubles. Low potassium can cause such palpitations and skipped heartbeat.
Feeling dizzy: Lack of potassium in your body can slow down your heart rate and make you feel dizzy or you may feel that you are going to faint. Though many other medical conditions can be responsible for such symptoms but hypokalemia is one of them.
Constipation: Potassium deficiency can affect your overall health. You might encounter symptoms like bloating, abdominal cramping etc.
Numbness and tingling: Potassium is significant in keeping your nerves healthy. Potassium deficiency can make you experience numbness, needle sensations on your feet, wrist, etc.
These are the signs that people encounter when they suffer from hypokalemia. Hypokalemia can make you feel extremely sick and it causes several diseases which are discussed above. It is always advisable to visit a doctor when you encounter any of these above mentioned symptoms.

Potassium Deficiency - 7 Signs You Are Suffering From It!

A great alternative to refined sugar, honey is packed with essential nutrients and is really delicious to eat. There are many health benefits of honey. It can be easily added to any diet as a topping, say for fruit salads, ice-creams or as a spread. But are you aware that the jars of this tasty golden liquid can sometimes not be honey at all but syrup that tastes exactly like honey? So, How do you evaluate if you are buying real honey?

In order to boost profits, honey manufacturers dilute their product with adulterants such as flour, syrup or molasses and even sand and chalk. If you want to get the most out of this tick liquid, you should buy only pure honey.

What Is Pure Honey?
Real honey is not produced in factories but from bees. Usually, organic and natural honey are referred to as pure honey. However, it is not always feasible to tell if the honey is pure by just looking at it. Natural honey is made only by honey bees and when these bees are fed only at organically grown flowers, the honey they produced is classified as organic.

What Is Fake Honey?
Also known as artificial, adulterated or impure, fake honey contains additives including corn syrup, glucose, molasses, sugar syrup, dextrose, invert sugar, flour or starch apart from the floral nectar.

How To Find Fake Honey?
Listed below are a few simple tips that you can carry out at the comfort of your home to determine whether the honey you are buying is genuine or fake.



Read The Label: In addition to buying well-known and reputed brands of honey, ensure that you check the label for the logo and brand name. This will guarantee that the jar you pickup is not only good quality but also genuine. The label on the jar should list only one ingredient, honey, no additives, or flavourings.
The Warm Water Test: Add a teaspoon of honey to a glass of warm water. If the honey is pure, then it will sink to the bottom of the glass as a lump or stick to the spoon when the mixture is stirred. If the honey is adulterated with any kind of syrup, it will dissolve in the water.
The Thumb Test: Put a drop of honey on your thumb. If it spreads or spills, then it is not pure. Pure honey is thick in texture and would remain intact on your thumb.
The Flame Test: Honey is inflammable and easily catches fire. Dip a dry matchstick in honey, then strike the matchbox. If the matchstick lights with ease and continues to burn, then the honey is pure. Due to the moisture present as an adulterant in fake honey, a matchstick dipped in fake honey will not light easily.
The Foam Test: Add 2-3 drops of vinegar essence to the honey and mix well. If it becomes foamy within 2-3 minutes, then the product you have purchased is not pure and contains additives.
The Tissue Paper Test: Put a drop of honey on a piece of tissue paper. If it gets absorbed and leaves the paper wet or a watermark on the paper, then it is adulterated and not pure honey.
The Heat Test: If the honey is pure, then on heating, it will caramelize. However, fake honey tends to form bubbles on heating and does not caramelize.
The Bread Test: Pure honey when spread on the bread, makes the bread hardened within a few minutes. On the other hand, the slice of bread remains soft and moisturized if there are any additives present in the honey.
The Crystallization Test: Pure honey has a natural tendency to crystallize over time because of the presence of glucose oxidase, an enzyme that removes water/moisture from honey. Fake honey does not become thick, when stored.
The Egg Yolk Test: When honey is mixed will egg yolk in a bowl and both are blended together, the yolk looks like it is cooked. However, fake honey does not produce this effect on the egg yolk.
You might sometimes be able to spot fake honey by its taste and smell, though not always. Honey being a natural product and produced from the nectar of different flowers, it does not always taste or smell the same. It is also not possible to taste honey before buying it if as the product comes in a sealed bottle or jar. Therefore, it is recommended to only pick branded or organic honey to ensure that the honey you are buying is pure and genuine.

Honey - How To Spot If It Is Fake Or Not?

A fairly common disorder, which affects the intestines, irritable bowel syndrome affects many adults across the world. If you are suffering from this disorder then you would have problems with bowel movements, mostly the irregularity of it. Sometimes you may suffer from constipation, other times you may suffer from diarrhea and the type of stool will also vary often between thin and hard or soft and liquid.

Common symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome
Some of the common symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome or ibs are as follows:

Constipation or diarrhea, the latter of which can become quite severe during certain episodes
Gas or bloating which can make you uncomfortable
Cramping around the stomach area especially the lower belly which tends to become worse after having food and better after bowel movements
Quality of stools may vary quite a lot from time to time such as very hard to lose
Stomach may start sticking out and become misshapen
May also come with sexual as well as urinary problems
Causes of irritable bowel syndrome
The causes for irritable bowel syndrome vary from person to person. This disorder usually has triggers and yours may be different from someone else suffering from the same problems. However some general triggers and causes could be:

Hormonal problems: this is especially the case with women who tends to suffer from ibs more than men. Hormonal changes in the body such as before and after pregnancy and menopause or periods are known to be common.
Dietary causes: this is one of the major external triggers that have been reported by people. A variety of foods are known to have triggered or cause ibs. Some of the foods that have been implicated are beans, chocolate, cauliflower, cabbage or milk among many others.
Underlying illnesses: sometimes ibs itself may be a symptom of a larger underlying problem such as gastrointestinal disorders, such as bacterial overgrowth and gastroenteritis.
Mental health and stress issues: people going through psychological stress such as before exams or reviews have known to have ibs as stress becomes a trigger in their case. If you have mental health issues in the long run, these are also known to trigger or cause ibs.
Treatment options
Some of the treatment options for ibs are:

Antibiotics
Mental health counseling
Antidepressants
Medications for bowel spasms
Medications for diarrhea or constipation
Specialized medications for ibs for other underlying conditions.

Symptoms, Causes and Treatments for Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Constipation is the most widely found problem of mankind. Almost the largest number of drugs, are available for the problem and largest sums of money are spent by people to get rid of it. Even then the medical science does not recognise it as a serious disease. 
To some extent they are correct.  Constipation is not a disease as such. It is merely a condition but it can be responsible for attacks of almost all diseases which are effecting the humans. Unfortunately it is also spreading wildly as the civilization is spreading and eating refined foods is becoming fashionable. Many drugs also cause constipation. If so the prescribing doctor should be immediately contacted for change of the prescription.
The present treatment of the condition is drugs of three different types. A) Lubricating, B) Bulk forming and C) Agitating.
Lubricating drugs include various oils, milk of magnesia etc. These drugs lubricate the elementary canal and/or lubricate the faeces and thus facilitate the movement. These are the least damaging type of drugs. Yet they can make even undigested foods to pass through the system or cause           diarrhoea.   
Bulk forming drugs include isabgol, rice bran etc. When the bulk is increased the faeces move and are expelled faster. It should be remembered that these are just substitutes for the fibre which is lost during various processes adopted in kitchens. It is clearly foolishness to first throw away the natural fibre and replace it by purchasing substitutes from the market. Further rejected natural fibre carries away several essential nutrients with them, which are not replaced by the additives.
The agitating type drugs include several herbs and chemicals which are not acceptable to the system and therefore the system works extra harder to get rid of them. These ultimately tire out the system and weaken it. The weakened system requires more powerful drugs and the endless race starts. Thus this category causes maximum harm to the digestive system. 
It is now obvious that all the above drugs are not the cure for constipation. These have only a onetime effect and can harm the system.  
In fact the cure for constipation lies in life style itself. To get rid of it one should follow the following advice:
1) Avoid refined foods.
2) Eat maximum foods in raw form.
3) Eat lots of salads and fruits so that there is enough fibre in the food.
4) Avoid refined flour (Maida), polished rice etc.
5) Do some regular exercise so that the body, including gut is in good health.
6) Eat sprouted boiled pulses instead of pulses available in the market.
7) Do not peel all those vegetables which can be used without peeling. Even if peeling is absolutely necessary do by minimum possible.
8) Drink sufficient water. (Humans need about 3 litres of water every day).
9) Try discharge faeces twice a day-Morning and Evening.
10) Never ignore an urge. Attend to it as early as possible.
Even then sometimes the faeces become dry and hard. In all such cases instead of applying pressure it is better to take a plain water enema (Douche). It is totally harmless, does not form habit, and convenient to take.
It is very important to get rid of constipation. Since constipation is the main cause of several diseases. 

Constipation - Know Its Naturopathic Treatment!! 

Constipation is an uncomfortable problem which causes bloating and build of gas. The problem can be painful if the gas is building up for more than 3 days. The only way to reduce constipation is to make changes in the diet and including leafy vegetables and fluid in daily diet. Fruits and vegetables are the best way to relieve from constipation. The fibre content in fruits and vegetables help in timely stools and hence, reduce constipation.

What Drinks are Good to Relieve Constipation?

Here are some of the drinks that one can try:

Apple Juice -
An apple has the highest fibre contents. You can make fresh apple juice in the home by cutting apples into small pieces and grinding them into a paste. Pass the content in the sieve and extract juice from it. The apple is a good source of pectin, which is soluble fibre and helps in relieving from constipation. Make this drink in the morning and drink it while it is still fresh.

Prune Juice -
Prunes (also known as dried plums) have mild laxative effects. Dried plums are very rich in dietary fibres, and are very healthy for bowel movements. With the laxative properties, they are best suited to people who are unable to go for regular stools. Take some prunes and soak them in water for overnight. In the morning, when they are soft and mushy, grind them into a fine paste. Extract the juice and drink immediately.

Salty Lemon Water -
The easiest drink to calm constipation is the Lemon water with salt. Lemons are a very good source of Vitamin C and fibres which regulate the bowel system. Salt is good for a bowel movement and healthy for maintaining PH balance. You can add lemon juice in a glass of water with two pinches of table salt. You can also add black salt or pink Himalayan salt for energy.
What is a Safe Laxative to Use Daily?

Over the counter, laxatives are not recommended for a long time. There are some natural laxatives available for daily consumption like prunes and pomegranate. Apart from fruits, you can also take fibre supplements which provide essential fibres to the body and help you calm constipation.

How Much Prune Juice Should I Drink to Poop?

Prune juice is not advisable if you are facing dysentery. However, prune juice is recommended by the doctors to treat constipation in adults as well as children. Prune has laxative effects in the body. Hence, its consumption should be limited according to the needs of the patient.

Do Prunes Make You Poop Right Away?

There is no evidence that prunes induce poops right after drinking. They help to add bulk to the food in the digestive system, which allows you to digest food quickly. It contains soluble fibre, which is helpful as a mild laxative.

Takeaway 

There are many fruit juices which help in treating and reducing the problem of constipation. However, it is advisable to consult a Gastrologist before making a change in the diet.

Constipation - Know Best Juices For It!

Constipation usually refers to the troublesome bowel movement. It is normally referred to a condition where you defecate less than normal. Most people usually experience this at some point, yet it is not considered very serious unless it becomes a persistent problem. Instead of immediately turning to some medicine or laxative, (which usually worsens the issue) attempt some basic home solutions to get rid of your inconvenience, and prevent it from returning. Some of the most effective home remedies to get relief from constipation are:


Oil: Start your day by taking 1 tablespoon of olive oil. It works best when you have an empty stomach, so have it before you eat anything else. In case that you forget, wait until later when you have not eaten for some time. You can blend it with a bit of lemon juice. 
Lemon juice: The citrus extract in lemon juice acts as a stimulant for your digestive system and can flush out toxins and undigested material that may have developed along the walls of the intestine. Avoid blending the juice with water, as this may dilute the effect of the former. 
Caffeine: Caffeine is a natural solution for the digestive system. One or two cups are fine, however, ensure you do not try too hard. Consuming a lot can have the reverse impact. Coffee is a diuretic and makes you urinate more frequently and as often as possible. Yet, it can have a negative impact too. In case that you drink it in excess, it can bring about blockage by dehydrating the body and drawing out water that would otherwise soften your stool for easy passage. 
Fiber: Natural foods have a tendency to contain a huge amount of fiber. To put it plainly, fiber is a material that cannot be processed and it acts like a sponge. It draws water from its environment, making it swell, which makes the stool soft and adds bulk and mass to it, which helps it pass normally. 
Aloe Vera: It is best to use aloe vera gel straight from the plant itself. The gel straight from the plant is more concentrated than processed aloe juice so do not use more than 2 tablespoons. In case that you do not have an aloe plant, then drinking aloe juice can accomplish similar results. 
Baking soda: Baking soda lies at the heart of home cures. It is so flexible, and it practically does its work 95% of the time, as per many medical studies. It works well for constipation (and abdominal pain as a rule) since it is a bicarbonate. It will urge air to leave you somehow and calm pain from the pressure. It additionally re-alkalizes the stomach, killing the acid to some degree and helping waste pass through your gut.

Ayurvedic Remedies to Help You Get Relief from Constipation

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