A banana a day keeps the doctor away

We're going to take a quick break from Rome's Revolution to talk about bananas:


Why? You ask. I am not violating any HIPAA laws if I voluntarily report my own medical condition. I take a diuretic called Lasix to reduce fluid retention. It works really well but I have to stick around the house for several hours after taking it because I have to run to the bathroom about 20 times. But after that passes, I'm fine.

However, one of the side effects of Lasix, also known as furosemide, is losing potassium. If you lose too much, the condition is called hypokalaemia which is just potassium deficiency. If you don't treat hypokalaemia, you can end up with severe headaches, leg cramps, tingling in the limbs, heart palpitations, constipation or ultimately death. Not a great outcome so best to act before it gets that bad.

My doctor suggested I eat a banana every day and I had my blood tested after a month and my potassium levels were fine. So there it is, a banana a day keeps the doctor away.

There are other foods higher in potassium such as avocado, acorn squash, spinach, sweet potato, salmon, apricots, pomegranate, coconut water and white beans. And I do try and eat those (well, not sweet potatoes or coconut water) when I can but they aren't very convenient. Try eating a bowl of spinach every morning.

My wife is kind enough to buy me a clump of bananas every week so from a sheer convenience perspective, that's it. I just grab one and eat it wherever. Easy peasy. I try and eat them when they are still a little greenish before all the starch turns to sugar but in a pinch, I'll eat a ripe one until the next batch comes in.

Oh yeah, I forgot one thing. They are delicious, too!