For a normal, healthy adult, the heart beats between 60 and 100 beats per minute. If you are extremely active or exercise regularly, or you take blood pressure medication, your heart beat will average 55 beats or less. Sometimes, your heart might have an extra heart beat, or what is referred to as extrasystole. Generally not serious, it is important to pinpoint the possible cause of your palpitations, and also to keep your physician informed of your symptoms and condition.
Heart Palpitations
Heart palpitations often feel like your heart is racing uncontrollably, or that it skips a beat or has the sensation of a double beat. Palpitations can be felt in your neck, throat or chest area and typically do not cause any real damage to the heart in the short term. If heart palpitations persist over a long period of time, it could cause an enlargement of the heart and eventually lead to heart failure, so it becomes imperative to monitor your heart arrhythmia's and try to discover the possible root of the problem.
Possible Causes
There are several different causes for having heart irregularities, including anxiety, stress, fear, asthma, certain medications, diet pills, anemia and nicotine. One of the more difficult causes to identify is the problem of low electrolyte levels in your blood, which includes the electrolyte potassium. Potassium is responsible for many important regulatory functions in the body. Its counterparts include sodium and calcium.
Potassium's Purpose
Potassium helps to balance water and acid in the body's tissues and blood. Symptoms of a potassium deficiency, which can lead to heart palpitations, include fatigue, muscle weakness, dry skin and slow reflexes. If potassium levels are suddenly depleted quickly, which can result from dehydration, heart problems will ensue. If potassium levels are not restored quickly in severe depletion cases, heart failure and even death can result.
Restoring Potassium
There are several natural food sources that you can derive your daily potassium from, including dark leafy greens, citrus fruits, beef and chicken, bananas, nuts, chocolate and fish such as salmon, cod and sardines. The recommended daily consumption is 2 to 2.5 g a day, although there is no actual daily recommended allowance. Practicing other healthy habits such as working on stress management, exercising daily, keeping your blood pressure and cholesterol under control and not smoking can all contribute to keeping both your potassium levels and your heart stable and healthy.
