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Potassium? You may have heard of it, but you cannot put your finger on it.  Physicians advise taking 3,500 to 4,700 mg of potassium daily. The World Health Organization (WHO), too, recommends an intake of 3,510 mg per day.  Hang on, this does not mean you pop a potassium pill into your mouth every day! Plenty of foods are rich in this mineral compound to help you meet your daily requirements.

For our bodies to function correctly, we need a diverse range of nutrients, including carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, fiber, and water. They are essential for the growth of our bones, flesh, and organs, and for maintaining body metabolism. Moreover, we need them to keep diseases at bay and maintain overall good health. Potassium, as a macro-mineral, fulfills one of those essential nutrients.    

Mineral electrolyte

Electrolytes are essential minerals found in blood, sweat, and urine. Minerals such as sodium, chloride, calcium, magnesium, phosphate, and potassium form the electrolytes our body needs.

An electrolyte imbalance in the body occurs when we lose fluids due to persistent vomiting, diarrhea, excessive sweating, or fever. Other causes include: Medications such as steroids, diuretics, and laxatives.

Surprisingly, the fluids in your body—such as blood, sweat, and plasma—account for nearly 80 percent of your body's potassium requirement, while your bones and liver store the rest.  

Biomedical scientists explain that Potassium, as an agent, regulates fluid balance in our bodies and controls the electrical activity of the heart and body muscles. In short, it helps the cellular and electrical functions of our body. Potassium helps our nerves function, our muscles contract, maintain a regular heartbeat, and pump nutrients into our body cells while removing waste products.

As a mineral electrolyte, this wonderful compound helps reduce the high sodium content in our bodies. It is said to minimize the risk of stroke, high blood pressure, and the formation of kidney stones. It supports cardiovascular health, safeguards muscle mass, and preserves bone mineral density.

Potassium deficiency

Surprisingly, the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, USA), in a survey called NHANES (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey), revealed a mind-boggling fact: in the United States alone, a whopping 98 percent of people fail to meet the daily requirement of 3,500 to 4,700 mg of Potassium.  

Catherine Collins, a dietician at St George's Hospital, Tooting, London, sheds light on Potassium by saying, “We use it to help generate an electrical charge which helps the cell function properly. It helps keep your heart rate steady, it helps trigger insulin release from the pancreas to help control blood sugars, and more importantly, keeps blood pressure in check.”

When the potassium level in our blood is low, it's called hypokalemia. The common symptoms of hypokalemia are fatigue, malaise, muscle aches/cramps, digestive disorders, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, irregular palpitation, numbness of body parts, and breathing problems, among others.

Severe potassium deficiency occurs when an adult's potassium level falls below 3.6 millimoles per liter (mmol/L). In such cases, apart from the symptoms mentioned above, other symptoms may include low blood pressure, paralysis (resulting from muscle weakness), and respiratory failure.  A simple blood test can give you your exact potassium level.

Lima beans

The role of the kidneys. Rabin Nepali: While researching this write-up, I met Dr Rabin Nepali, who kindly explained the role of the kidneys in potassium regulation. To quote Dr Rabin: “The dietary intake of potassium ranges from less than 35 to more than 110 mmol/day in US adults.” “Despite this widespread variation in intake, homeostatic mechanisms serve to maintain plasma potassium precisely between 3.5 and 5.0 mmol/L. In a healthy individual at steady state, the entire daily intake of Potassium is excreted, approximately 90 percent in the urine and 10 percent in the stool.”

“More than 98 percent of total body potassium is intracellular, chiefly in muscle. The rapid exchange of intracellular Potassium with extracellular Potassium plays a crucial role in maintaining plasma potassium within such a narrow range; this is accomplished by overlapping and synergistic regulation of a number of renal and extra-renal transport pathways.”

“So, kidneys play a crucial role in maintaining a steady state in potassium metabolism, by excreting excess potassium or reabsorbing it as required by the body.” (Dr Rabin Nepali, DM Nephrology, Asst. Professor, Teaching Hospital, Maharajgunj, Kathmandu).

Food and not supplements

Yes, do not get taken in by supplements, even when they sound tempting. There are one too many that you can buy over the counter.  Go for dietary sources instead. There is an abundance of food rich in Potassium. Not processed food, though, as they are high in sodium.

Doctors of medicine argue that natural diets rich in Potassium are key to a lower risk of hypertension (high blood pressure), kidney stones, and osteoporosis. Our daily foods, such as meat, poultry, fish, fruits, nuts, and vegetables, not only provide various nutrients but also serve as excellent sources of Potassium.

Avocado

Beverages such as milk, coffee, and other nonalcoholic drinks also contain a liberal amount of Potassium. Let’s take a look at the following chart:  

Among the foods highest in Potassium are beet greens, white beans, soybeans, and Lima beans. The benefits of Potassium include:

Blood pressure and cardiovascular health

Today, hypertension or high blood pressure has become a commonplace health problem among old and young alike. If not addressed on time, it can lead to grave complications like stroke and heart disease.

Sodium, also known as salt, is closely linked to high blood pressure, and doctors recommend reducing salt intake. Now, Potassium is said to neutralize to a great extent the adverse effects of sodium. Our kidneys play a crucial role in regulating our blood pressure. They regulate the amount of fluid stored in our bodies to maintain a steady state. High blood pressure is associated with increased fluid volume in our bodies. Eating a potassium-rich diet helps counteract the effects of sodium and enables the kidneys to restore balance, ultimately lowering blood pressure to a healthy level.

Clinicians believe a diet high in Potassium can help cut systolic blood pressure by more than 10 points in people with high blood pressure.  Talking about heart health, according to the WHO, 17.9m people worldwide die of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), which include coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, rheumatic heart disease, and others. Four out of five CVD deaths fall under heart attacks and strokes.

WHO recommends increasing potassium intake from foods (not refined foods) to reduce blood pressure and lower the risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and coronary heart disease. Potassium helps reduce vascular calcification, which is the formation of mineral deposits on the walls of our arteries and veins. These mineral deposits form plaques, thereby increasing the risk of stroke and blood clots.

A scientific study carried out by medical experts found that “those who consumed 4,069 mg of potassium per day had a 49 percent lower risk of death from ischemic heart disease compared with those who consumed about 1,000 mg per day.”

Diabetes

Diabetes has turned into a global problem. The soaring prevalence of diabetes has burgeoned as “the epidemic of the century.” Once considered most common among older people, it now affects younger adults as well, owing to sedentary lifestyles and poor diets. According to the IDF (International Diabetes Federation), in 2017, the global number of adults with diabetes remained approximately 425m (20-79 years). IDF further stated that by 2045, the figure could reach a staggering 629m. 

Studies made by health care professionals have come to new findings that lower levels of Potassium in the body are also associated with a higher risk of diabetes. Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus are at a high risk of ESRD (kidney failure or end-stage renal disease) and CVD (cardiovascular disease), both of which can result in life-threatening complications.  

A study by Dr Shin-ichi Araki and several of his co-researchers in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology found that diets rich in Potassium may help protect heart and kidney health in patients with type 2 diabetes. The experiment included 623 Japanese people with type 2 diabetes.  The trial ran from 1996 to 2003 with a median follow-up period of 11 years. The results showed that higher levels of Potassium in participants' urine were associated with a lower risk of renal dysfunction and cardiovascular problems.

Bone and muscle maintenance

A diet high in Potassium is closely related to bone health. Potassium-rich foods generate alkali in the body to maintain acid-base balance. A high intake of protein-rich or acidifying foods, such as meat, dairy products, and processed cereals, can lead to acidosis, which can have adverse effects on our bones and muscles.

Metabolic acidosis leads to increased nitrogen excretion, resulting in loss of bone mineral density and muscle wasting. On the other hand, potassium-rich foods like vegetables and fruits help neutralize the adverse effects of acidosis buildup in our bodies. Older people, too, benefit from eating potassium-rich foods like fruits and vegetables, which preserve their muscle mass and enhance bone density as well.

Caveat

The intake of Potassium, as prescribed by a health care professional, is very beneficial to our overall health. Care should be taken, however, not to exceed the recommended daily dose of 4,700mg. Individuals with no health problems can easily eliminate excess amounts through their urine with no adverse effects. Food-related potassium toxicity is considered a rarity, but excessive consumption can lead to a complication called hyperkalemia. Our body cannot do without Potassium. However, it does not need to be in excess. The kidneys come to the rescue and reject the unwanted Potassium from the blood.

In kidney disease, excess Potassium can be dangerous because the kidneys fail to remove it, leaving it in the blood. Following this can have grave results, even life-threatening ones, and the condition is called hyperkalemia. All health care providers always advise against a high intake of Potassium, especially in patients who have dysfunctional kidney problems and are on supplements. Potassium levels between 5.1 and 6.0 mmol/L are considered high and need immediate consultation. Levels higher than 6.0 mmol/L are dangerous.

Beetroots

Bottom line

Diet, not supplements, is the best source of Potassium to meet your body’s requirements. “Let food be thy medicine, and let medicine be thy food.” Those words were said by the ancient Greek founder of Western medicine, Hippocrates of Kos, during the Classical Greek period in the 5th century BC. No further words sound true right to this day. Eat right, stay healthy!

Disclaimer: The views expressed in the above text are solely research-based, and the dietary information cited does not constitute any medical advice. The author solicits the reader’s discretion and cross-references or consultations with a healthcare practitioner for further substantiation. 

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As Nepal moves toward the March 5 elections, tensions between Prime Minister Sushila Karki’s government and the main opposition, the Communist Party of Nepal–Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML), have intensified. What began as a political disagreement has evolved into a full-blown confrontation, with the UML positioning itself as the principal challenger to Karki’s administration.

Nepal’s political landscape has remained volatile since the promulgation of the 2015 Constitution. The three major parties—the Nepali Congress (NC), CPN-UML, and CPN (Maoist Center)—have oscillated between alliances and rivalries, amid frequent changes of government.

Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal was among the first to claim credit for steering the country away from a constitutional crisis following the turmoil of Sept 8–9. He has since cast himself as both a key supporter and mediator in the formation of the Karki-led government, even declaring early on that elections would be held on March 5.

Over the recent weeks, relations between the UML and the government have deteriorated sharply. PM Karki has reportedly refused to meet top leaders of the major political parties, including Dahal, UML Chair KP Sharma Oli, and NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba. At a recent press conference, she allegedly remarked that she “does not want to see the faces” of the three senior leaders, suggesting they should retire and make way for younger politicians.

Her comment provoked strong reactions from both Oli and Dahal, though the latter continues to back the government. Maoist leaders have accused Oli of failing to adapt to changing political realities, while UML leaders have denounced the Karki administration as “unconstitutional.”

In contrast, the Nepali Congress has maintained a cautious stance—neither overtly supporting nor openly opposing the government—choosing to avoid the kind of direct confrontation pursued by the UML.

Two major issues have fueled the government-UML conflict. First, early in her tenure, Prime Minister Karki reportedly held consultations with security agency chiefs regarding the possible arrest of Oli for his alleged role in the deaths of 19 students during the Sept 8 protests. The move infuriated the UML.

Soon after, a probe committee led by Gauri Bahadur Karki—reportedly under government pressure, according to UML leaders—suspended Oli’s passport and restricted his movement outside the Kathmandu Valley. Oli has repeatedly complained that he has been prevented from visiting his burned-down house in Jhapa, allegedly destroyed by protesters.

Meanwhile, Home Minister Om Prakash Aryal’s remarks against UML leaders have further deepened hostilities. UML politburo member Mahesh Basnet has emerged as a leading voice against the government, organizing rallies and public programs that the Home Ministry has condemned as provocative.

At the heart of the dispute lies a clash over the interpretation of the Sept 8–9 protests. The Karki government views the unrest as a “GenZ revolt,” a spontaneous youth uprising born of generational frustration. The UML, however, insists it was a politically motivated conspiracy designed to weaken the party and destabilize the country.

According to UML leaders, GenZ activists withdrew on the afternoon of Sept 8, and the subsequent violence on Sept 9 cannot be considered part of a youth movement. Oli has repeatedly dismissed the term GenZ as “a Western construct irrelevant to Nepal’s socio-political reality.”

The UML has rejected the legitimacy of the Karki government, accusing it of acting unconstitutionally. On Nov 9, Oli alleged that “those who set the country on fire” during the protests are the same individuals now in power. The party has since declared a nationwide protest campaign against what it calls a “repressive and illegitimate regime.”

As the government finalizes preparations for the March 5 elections, the UML is taking to the streets, setting the stage for a high-stakes confrontation. Meanwhile, the Karki administration continues to demand the restoration of Parliament, arguing that only a fresh constitutional mandate can resolve the crisis.

Uddhab Pyakurel is Dean and Associate Professor at Kathmandu University. He teaches  Political Sociology at School of Arts Kathmandu University. ApEx talked to him about the various dimensions of the GenZ movement and its aftermath.

How can the latest GenZ movement be understood from a sociological perspective?

The September uprising can be viewed as a public reaction to the attitude and behavior of Nepal’s major state stakeholders. Those who were taught or compelled to believe in the ideal model of governance have long harbored frustration toward the country’s political leadership. Ironically, political leaders themselves contributed to this cynicism. Over the years, while in opposition, they repeatedly told the public that Nepal was a “failed state” incapable of progress, often citing corruption, nepotism, favoritism, and foreign influence in their speeches and writings.

Regardless of their intent this persistent negativism gradually convinced citizens that Nepal’s society and polity were indeed facing severe challenges in governance and development. Even youths who were previously disengaged from political discourse watched these developments closely. When the government imposed a ban on social media, it became a trigger point. The youth mobilized rapidly, not just to understand the discourse but to contribute to it using new technologies and terminologies.

This was how the idea of “GenZ” found resonance in Nepal. Borrowed from the West, the term became a unifying identity for young, tech-savvy citizens with modern education. Thus, the movement found its roots in Nepal’s digital sphere before spilling into the streets.

Some observers hesitate to label the incident as a genuine social or political movement, citing it lasted for less than 48 hours. Yet, it should not be forgotten that within this short span, the movement forced the resignation of Nepal’s government. It was a feat unparalleled even by the revolutions of 1951, the People’s Movement of 1990, or Janaandolan II of 2006.

The extreme state violence on September 8 against peaceful protesters, followed by the unprofessional handling by security forces on September 9, were both deeply unfortunate and condemnable. These events led to chaos and destruction of property. However, compared to recent youth uprisings in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, the Nepali version maintained a democratic character, operating within the constitutional framework. Even though Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli was compelled to resign and seek refuge at the army barracks, the President took control and steered the transition in line with constitutional procedures.

What are the main goals and aspirations driving the movement?

In today’s capitalist environment, most youths are trained to pursue careers rather than to understand the country’s social realities. Their key concern, therefore, is whether Nepal offers an environment conducive to their aspirations. While the state attempted some reforms along capitalist lines, it failed to communicate its progress effectively. The absence of transparent information channels allowed frustration to deepen across all sections of society.

The September 8 mobilization, however, was driven by modest but powerful goals: systemic reform, transparency, and inclusiveness in governance. The movement directly questioned the political relevance of long-dominant leaders—CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli, Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba, and Maoist Chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal. Beyond anti-corruption slogans, the youth demanded pustantaran (a generational shift in leadership) so they could engage with new, relatable political figures in building a better Nepal.

How have political parties responded to these protests?

Unfortunately, most political parties have responded with reaction rather than reflection. The first few weeks following the protests created a sense of hope for change, as debates emerged around the issues raised by the youth. Gradually, however, party leaders, many of whom had gone silent during the unrest, resurfaced with defensive statements. While some acknowledged the youth’s concerns, no meaningful action followed. Except for the Nepali Congress, no major party initiated a serious internal discussion on pustantaran. None of the senior leaders stepped down. Two months after the protests, party leaders largely resumed business as usual, behaving as if nothing had happened on September 8 and 9. They dismissed the uprising as reactionary or undemocratic, thereby deflecting attention from their own failures to understand public sentiment.

In your opinion, is the government capable of holding elections on March 5?

There is no alternative to holding timely elections in Nepal today. The government was formed with a clear electoral mandate, and polls must be conducted no later than March 5, 2026. These elections will not only restore constitutional legitimacy but also provide a pathway for the change envisioned by the youth. As for capability, there appears to be no major obstacle preventing the government from organizing the elections. While some raise concerns about security, they overlook Nepal’s experience in 2008, when elections were successfully held amid far more difficult circumstances, when over 100 armed groups operated across the country and police posts in rural areas remained closed due to the insurgency. Compared to that period, today’s situation is much more stable and manageable.

What should be the political roadmap moving forward?

To honor the mandate of the youth uprising, Nepal must integrate young aspirations into its political future. A multi-party democracy cannot function without political parties, but it also cannot progress without reforming them. The responsibility now lies squarely with party leaders. They must show genuine gestures of change within their organizations. Amending party constitutions and ensuring internal democracy would send a powerful message to the youth that transformation is possible within the system. This could encourage the generation below 30 to participate meaningfully in politics and governance, which can be a potential win-win for both sides. Unfortunately, the current direction is worrying. The two largest parties in the dissolved House appear confused about the future, focusing more on criticizing the new transitional government than on addressing public grievances. If political leaders continue resisting change, youth anger may escalate, not just against individual leaders but against political parties and the democratic system itself. Such a scenario risks pushing Nepal into another constitutional crisis, threatening political and institutional stability. Let’s hope that wisdom prevails and Nepal avoids such an unfortunate and undemocratic path.

In this age of artificial intelligence, communication has become remarkably efficient at transferring knowledge, skills and disseminating opinions, which has revolutionized the entire socio-economic and political landscape of the country. When citizens become dissatisfied with the government, they voice their concerns through various means of expressions—chiefly newspapers, electronic media, and public speeches at mass gatherings. When the government’s off-color performance draws harsh castigation, the vulnerability to security threat intensifies.

People today are more aware than ever. They judge the entire functioning of the governance system—the power exercise mechanism for the management of the country’s internal and external affairs. In the name of establishing good governance, if it is marked by corruption, unaccountability, impunity, poor leadership and unresponsiveness, the nation becomes vulnerable to insecurity and instability. 

In such a state of vulnerability, overall governance becomes progressively weaker. Weak governance refers to the government’s inability to function effectively, resulting in a loss of trust among its citizens and international community. Once the trust deficit flows on the surface of government—citizen relations, public participation in socio-economic and political development declines. 

Sudan and South Sudan have endured relentless and devastating civil wars because of the utter failure of the public delivery system, widespread corruption, grossly unequal distribution of resources, deep-seated ethnic divisions, and exclusionary governance. Haiti’s frequent leadership changes and rampant corruption are another example of internal conflict resulting from weak governance, which invited insecurity across the country. Ineffective policing and low morale among security personnel allowed criminal gangs to gain control over parts of the capital. 

Even today foreign tourists rarely dare to visit the country, contributing to a continued decline in its economy. These two instances give an eye-opening lesson to all the developing nations about the dire consequences of the government’s failure to establish good governance. If the governance system deteriorates due to the shortsightedness of ruling leaders and ineffective performance of bureaucracy, it creates fertile ground for external powers to exploit such countries for their strategic interests. A country with a weak government is fertile ground for corruption, conflict and foreign interference.

Learning lessons 

In 1990, following the restoration of multiparty democracy, Nepal adopted a neoliberal policy in response to the global wave of liberalization. Liberalization necessitates strong competition across all spheres of national activity, including the economy, social development and political democratization. Competitive strength is gained through the cultivation of a highly skilled human resource base, the production of value-added industrial goods based on national resources, manufacturing of low cost-high value products, maintaining stable national policies, winning the trust of private sector, and upkeeping of a stable, transparent, corruptionless governance and fostering hassle free business environment. 

However, the expected outcomes of the goals envisioned through policies on industrial development, quality education, creation of a corruption-free society, promotion of professional ethics, reduction of inequality between rural and urban populations, modernization of agriculture, and the creation of job opportunities for youth were not materialized to the extent anticipated. In the past, during the election campaign, political parties used to entice voters with ambitious promises—pledging to transform Nepal into a ‘second Singapore’, generate employment and ensure free housing, clothing and food for all Nepali citizens. Unfortunately, such promises were never fulfilled. Rather, the youth were made to leave their homeland to seek employment abroad. as there were limited job opportunities within the country. This situation left young people and others frustrated and dissatisfied. 

Empirical studies reveal that if the public dissatisfaction with the government continues for long, it can pose a serious threat to national security, potentially triggering turbulence resulting through peaceful or violent actions. The GenZ (Nava Yuba) protest on Sept 8 began as a peaceful demonstration. However, under the guise of the GenZ movement, the next day witnessed unlawful activities of arson targeting historic government buildings, private residences, media houses, and business centers followed by looting of public and private property and killing of police personnel amid growing suspicions of infiltration. This was an unprecedented incident in the political history of Nepal. Even during the decade-long Maoist insurgency, no such incident had taken place.

Some politicians and intellectuals opine that the protests and destruction of Sept 9 caused by purported GenZ were orchestrated by foreign powers. But was the unrest truly instigated by external elements? This is indeed a sensitive and serious question. One thing is clear: weak governance invites foreign interference and fuels domestic discontent. No doubt, external actors are always active in attempts to destabilize the government to serve their interests. Nevertheless, it is the solemn duty and responsibility of all Nepali patriots—whether in government or outside it—to be vigilant and resolute in  sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity. 

If Nepal becomes economically resilient and technologically advanced, its voice on global platforms will be far stronger than before. In such a case, no foreign power will be able to turn the country into its playground. It is also time to understand why governance remains so fragile in the Sahel region of Africa and how Ukraine has been enduring the ravages of war for the last three years. There are significant lessons to be learnt from their experiences. 

Despite its major mandate to conduct free and fair elections scheduled on 5 March 2026, the government simultaneously should ensure effective governance so that the people’s hopes for a better life do not go in vain.