If your doctor tells you that your blood test results reveal that you have a high blood potassium level, take precautions to prevent your serum potassium from rising to a level that leads to serious -- even life-threatening -- symptoms. One of those precautions is likely a low-potassium diet, with other interventions as your doctor deems necessary.
Hyperkalemia
Your serum potassium normally falls within a reference range of 3.6 to 4.8 mEq/L. If it climbs above this range, your doctor diagnoses hyperkalemia -- a high level of potassium in your blood. If it rises above 6.0 mEq/L, you are at risk for dangerous symptoms, such as weakness, nausea, muscle fatigue, paralysis and arrhythmias of your heart. It is important to understand these symptoms so that you can seek emergency treatment immediately upon noticing them.
Causes
Treatment for hyperkalemia focuses on its underlying cause. The most common cause of the electrolyte imbalance is kidney impairment or failure. Other causes include type 1 diabetes, alcoholism, Addison's disease and certain medications, such as ACE inhibitors. Because hyperkalemia is dangerous and even life-threatening -- if left untreated, your doctor will order necessary testing to be performed quickly. During this time, however, a low-potassium diet is warranted to prevent your serum potassium from rising even higher.
Fruits and Vegetables
Low-potassium food choices are those containing less than 100 mg of potassium per serving. Low-potassium fruits include 1/2 cup of either blueberries, mandarin oranges or applesauce. You can also have 10 small grapes. Low-potassium vegetables include one cup of iceberg lettuce or 1/2 cup of either frozen green beans or cucumber slices. Depending on how high your potassium level is, your doctor or dietitian may allow fruits and vegetables containing medium amounts of potassium, or 100 to 200 mg of the electrolyte per serving. These include a small apple, a medium peach, or 1/2 cup of fresh strawberries or canned pineapple. For vegetables, these include 1/2 cup servings of fresh carrots, broccoli or green beans.
Dairy and Proteins
Regular servings of meat are generally high in potassium. However, your doctor may allow you to incorporate them into your diet in very small servings. An alternative low-potassium protein source is eggs. Your doctor may recommend up to two eggs per serving. One ounce of peanuts is a medium-potassium source of protein, if your potassium is low enough to allow it. Like meat, many dairy products contain too much potassium to incorporate easily into a low-potassium diet. However, a 1-oz. serving of cheddar cheese contains only 28 mg of potassium, and the same size serving of American cheese contains only 79 mg. Your doctor may also allow ricotta cheese and some ice creams, as well.
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