Dr. McDougall's Online Discussion Board

It is said, the ideal ratio of sodium to potassium intake is roughly 1:3.

Is this feasible on a plant-based (high in potassium ) diet with no added salt?

I would recommend you read this thread on the topic

https://www.drmcdougallforums.com/viewt ... =1&t=60128

In Health
Jeff

Thank you for your reply and the link, Jeff.

May I ask:

1. At my last health check, the blood potassium level was elevated. (Everything else fine.) The doctor advised me to eat less potassium-rich foods.
You don't think, a plant-based diet, with no added salt can elevate the potassium level?

2. Can eating a (raw)vegan diet, rich in potassium (no added salt),
weaken the kidneys after several years?

Does no-one know?

It's a bit complicated unless ones entire history is included. Surely eating a McDugall diet is completely healthy as is. When a person is on many medications things get complicated. Many meds can upset this ration of potassium to sodium. They must be included as part of the equation if you are on these meds. Your medical professionals should be willing to help if you give them the basics of the McDougall diet.
f1jim

Sabine wrote:Thank you for your reply and the link, Jeff.

May I ask:

1. At my last health check, the blood potassium level was elevated. (Everything else fine.) The doctor advised me to eat less potassium-rich foods.
You don't think, a plant-based diet, with no added salt can elevate the potassium level?

2. Can eating a (raw)vegan diet, rich in potassium (no added salt),
weaken the kidneys after several years?

The diet recommended by Dr. McDougall derives most of its calories from cooked whole starchy plant foods such as grains, tubers and beans, and minimizes high-fat foods. This is congruent with the diets most people have eaten during recorded history.

Raw whole food vegan diets derive most of their calories from high-fat foods such as nuts, seeds and avocados, and/or high-sugar foods such as fruits. This type of diet has not been eaten by anyone in recorded history except for small numbers of people who have bought into its exaggerated and unsubstantiated claims in fairly recent times, if I am not mistaken starting about 100 years ago.

In any case, I have eaten virtually no added salt in my starch-based whole foods vegan diet for the past 10+ years, and have no reason to believe that I have any kidney problems. Most traditional cultures use salt, as did I in my vegan, mostly whole foods diet for decades, but I feel better without it.

I entered today's planned food into cronometer.com. About 450 mg sodium and 7500 mg potassium. 1 to 17 ratio.

Lots of potatoes and tomatoes.