I know I'm doing a lot of banana posts but this is something I'd really like to clear up, especially since a lot of us are doing [the best we can on] the banana mono diet.A friend sent this to me earlier today:"If the sodium gets to low and the potassium too high, it throws off the human electrolyte system, and can cause problems from mild gastrointestinal problems to kidney problems, to severe cardiac problems (cardiac arrest-death if) if the NA (sodium) gets too low (below 120 for too long) and the K+ (potassium) gets too high. (above 7-7.5)."Any and all feedback appreciated, thanks family:)
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No, from bananas. Bananas have a very imbalanced phosphorus:calcium ratio. Its fine if you have other foods in your diet that can balance the picture. And its fine in the short term, but if it was something that went on for a little while, it could start to pose problems.
Any recommendations for a balance? I've been consuming upwards of 20-30lbs of bananas per week for the last 8 months (since started going raw)
Been a simple matter of cost, though I have been having the question of how healthy in the long run eating this many bananas is. Recently been losing their appeal so I'm assuming that I'm beginning to get off balance...
yea, DT seems right here. 3 days into a banana mono diet, the thought of tucking into another ripe banana, unless it was smoothied with fresh mangoes and spinach, made me feel sick. variety is definitely the "spice" of my life.
To quote from 'Nutrition and Athletic Performance' bottom of page 19.
'A diet dominated by fruits and vegetables is extremely high in potassium. The Kidneys are extremely well equipped to eliminate any excess potassium. There is no possibility of experiencing an overdose of potassium, regardless of diet, except in the case of kidney failure.'
Potassium and Vitamin K are two different things (although most people do seem to use them interchangeably...) Potassium is a mineral, and vitamin K is a vitamin. For a full description of each, go to http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter and check under "vitamins" for K and "minerals" for potassium. Your friend referred to potassium's function as the concern. Under Potassium, it says "The diets of Western industrialized cultures are quite different from those of prehistoric cultures and the few remaining isolated primitive cultures. Among other differences, the daily intake of sodium chloride (salt) in Western industrialized cultures is about three times higher than the daily intake of potassium on a molar basis, whereas salt intake in primitive cultures is about seven times lower than potassium intake (6). The relative deficiency of dietary potassium in the modern diet may play a role in the pathology of some chronic diseases." (In other words, stop eating salt, and eat more bananas!;-)) The link above goes on to say that symptoms of "too much" potassium (taken orally, by supplement) began at about 18g. If the average banana has 422mg, and you eat 30/day...that's only 12.99g. And everything else it says about high potassium intake is positive! Prevents stroke, kidney stones, high blood pressure, osteoporosis...and these were all studies on SAD eaters, who only increased their intake modestly by supplementation. Draw your own conclusions, but I'm betting that it's all good!
We simply weren't meant to have much sodium at all in our system, it's toxic to us. This is from my bio class at uni:
Sodium Potassium Pump in nerve cells (antiport)
Function
o Maintains LOWER concentration of Na+ & Ca 2+ INSIDE the cell.
o Maintains HIGHER concentration of K+ INSIDE the cell.
Mechanism
o Na+ transported OUT
o K+ transported IN
o 3 Na+ OUT for 2K+ IN for each mole of ATP used.
Pumping is accomplished by transport protein (TP) with 2 configurations.
So, in short, there's not supposed to be a balance of sodium and potassium. In fact, you'll be saving your body a lot of work by not taking in so much sodium in the first place.
we need to concentrate on getting enough calories and then we will get sufficient living amino acids to provide renal health instead of renal failure.
all fruit is starchy if not ripe. its one reason a banana is hard to open when its starchy. when bananas are ripe, they fall to the ground. and they will be covered in spots to let us know.
bananas are typically 75% water.
medical textbooks typically say the body is 50- 70% water.
store bought nuts and seeds are typically 1% water.
sultanas and dates, around 15%
its true, you could kill a person by giving them a banana..a PERSON WITH HYPERKALEMIA THAT IS ON A DRIP IN HOSPITAL WITH RENAL FAILURE...
but it wouldnt be the banana's fault but would get the blame anyway..lol! whats to blame? the individuals lifestyle. the fact that they have consumed so much sodium and lack of potassium in their life that now they have lost the ability for basic kidney function.
i got my potassium levels checked recently. they are in the 'normal' range. how is that possible? ive been eating over 70 bananas average a week since 2002 when i learned how to make 'banana cream milk' (bananas pulsed in the blender with an inch of water).
its funny, society freaks about fruit and i get this all the time and im cool with it cos it just provides me an opportunity to contribute. last time someone told me about bananas was this dude that was eating a sandwich. he clearly had heart issues and the sodium in the bread wasnt helping. he told me to 'watch your monkey diet and watch them bananas..' this person was sincere, but SINCERELY WRONG! lol!
number 1 selling drug in australia? HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE MEDICATIONS.
number 1 food condiment in any supermarket in the world? SALT.
main deficiency that is found in cancer patients according to dr max gerson? POTASSIUM
has anyone ever heard of a 811er that solidified their heart from too many bananas? NO.
is it possible? NO.
im an ultra endurance athlete. did 3 hours HARD in the hills this morning. its 30celcius and 41c this tuesday they reckon.
I DO NOT EAT SALT OR SEAWEED. 100% clean of these 2 since sept 07. so how am i thriving on such a low sodium diet? we just do. its natures design.
i will be training with tour de france teams this week. the best riders in the world. we will ride over 40 hours this week. those riders have team doctors following us when we go training. can you imagine why they need a doctor to follow when they go cycling? lol!
they ALL go back to their hotel rooms and stick a drip in their arm after training. i just go back home and stick a bunch of fruits and greens into me.
if sodium was an issue, id be the first to find out..why? cos nobody in the raw movement does the endurance hours i do on the road. nobody is winning state champ 24 solo xc races. heck i dont even know cooked crew that can do it without drugs. im glad all my mates go so hard on the drugs in racing and training, cos otherwise id have no one to race against..lol!
this is a good question crabby and one that i had initially..
Crabby Cancer > DURIANRIDERJanuary 10, 2009 at 5:10pm
excellent...you guys are re-instilling my confidence in eating just bananas until I heal. thx for all the info. I'm sure others will benefit from it so I hope they come look too.
Replies
Take care
Adam x
Been a simple matter of cost, though I have been having the question of how healthy in the long run eating this many bananas is. Recently been losing their appeal so I'm assuming that I'm beginning to get off balance...
Take care
Adam x
'A diet dominated by fruits and vegetables is extremely high in potassium. The Kidneys are extremely well equipped to eliminate any excess potassium. There is no possibility of experiencing an overdose of potassium, regardless of diet, except in the case of kidney failure.'
Sodium Potassium Pump in nerve cells (antiport)
Function
o Maintains LOWER concentration of Na+ & Ca 2+ INSIDE the cell.
o Maintains HIGHER concentration of K+ INSIDE the cell.
Mechanism
o Na+ transported OUT
o K+ transported IN
o 3 Na+ OUT for 2K+ IN for each mole of ATP used.
Pumping is accomplished by transport protein (TP) with 2 configurations.
So, in short, there's not supposed to be a balance of sodium and potassium. In fact, you'll be saving your body a lot of work by not taking in so much sodium in the first place.
all fruit is starchy if not ripe. its one reason a banana is hard to open when its starchy. when bananas are ripe, they fall to the ground. and they will be covered in spots to let us know.
bananas are typically 75% water.
medical textbooks typically say the body is 50- 70% water.
store bought nuts and seeds are typically 1% water.
sultanas and dates, around 15%
but it wouldnt be the banana's fault but would get the blame anyway..lol! whats to blame? the individuals lifestyle. the fact that they have consumed so much sodium and lack of potassium in their life that now they have lost the ability for basic kidney function.
i got my potassium levels checked recently. they are in the 'normal' range. how is that possible? ive been eating over 70 bananas average a week since 2002 when i learned how to make 'banana cream milk' (bananas pulsed in the blender with an inch of water).
its funny, society freaks about fruit and i get this all the time and im cool with it cos it just provides me an opportunity to contribute. last time someone told me about bananas was this dude that was eating a sandwich. he clearly had heart issues and the sodium in the bread wasnt helping. he told me to 'watch your monkey diet and watch them bananas..' this person was sincere, but SINCERELY WRONG! lol!
number 1 selling drug in australia? HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE MEDICATIONS.
number 1 food condiment in any supermarket in the world? SALT.
main deficiency that is found in cancer patients according to dr max gerson? POTASSIUM
has anyone ever heard of a 811er that solidified their heart from too many bananas? NO.
is it possible? NO.
im an ultra endurance athlete. did 3 hours HARD in the hills this morning. its 30celcius and 41c this tuesday they reckon.
I DO NOT EAT SALT OR SEAWEED. 100% clean of these 2 since sept 07. so how am i thriving on such a low sodium diet? we just do. its natures design.
i will be training with tour de france teams this week. the best riders in the world. we will ride over 40 hours this week. those riders have team doctors following us when we go training. can you imagine why they need a doctor to follow when they go cycling? lol!
they ALL go back to their hotel rooms and stick a drip in their arm after training. i just go back home and stick a bunch of fruits and greens into me.
if sodium was an issue, id be the first to find out..why? cos nobody in the raw movement does the endurance hours i do on the road. nobody is winning state champ 24 solo xc races. heck i dont even know cooked crew that can do it without drugs. im glad all my mates go so hard on the drugs in racing and training, cos otherwise id have no one to race against..lol!
this is a good question crabby and one that i had initially..
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