The #1 mineral deficiency linked to strokes (and how to fix it)

The statistics here are truly sobering. It’s estimated that a staggering 51% of all strokes are directly linked to high blood pressure. Data from the famous Framingham Heart Study, which has been running for decades, showed that people with hypertension had a stroke incidence anywhere from 5 to over 30 times higher than those with normal blood pressure. Furthermore, a massive meta-analysis that included over a million people found that for every 20-point rise in your systolic blood pressure (the top number), your risk of dying from a stroke doubles. This is a risk you simply can’t afford to ignore.

3. The Overlooked Mineral: The Power of Potassium

Here’s the good news. Before you assume you need to jump onto prescription medications, there’s a simple, natural fix related to a mineral deficiency that can make a significant difference. That deficient nutrient is potassium.

How big of an impact can potassium really have? Researchers have studied this from both sides. In one study, healthy men with normal blood pressure were put on a very low-potassium diet. In just nine days, their blood pressure rose significantly. On the flip side, numerous studies have looked at what happens when you increase potassium intake. A large review of 22 high-quality trials found that increasing potassium intake reduced systolic blood pressure by an average of 3.5 points. That might not sound like a lot, but every point matters. And the effect is even more dramatic when you get your intake into the optimal range.