Bahamas News
How Potassium Helps Lower Your Blood Pressure to Keep Your Heart Healthy
#TheBahamas, February 25, 2022 – In The Bahamas, heart disease and hypertension are among the leading causes of doctor’s visits, illness, and death (source: Ministry of Health in The Bahamas.) Bahamian doctors advise that both tracking and maintaining healthy blood pressure levels are essential to overall long-term health. A well-balanced diet is important too, to ensure your body receives necessary nutrients and vitamins, including potassium.
While other nutrients are important for your health, potassium is recognized for its ability to help lower high blood pressure. To better understand how that happens and how to incorporate a healthy amount of potassium into your diet, we spoke to cardiovascular specialist Raghavendra Makam, MD, MPH at Cleveland Clinic Florida’s Indian River Hospital in Vero Beach, Florida.
Does potassium lower blood pressure? 
Dr. Makam confirms that, yes, potassium really does lower blood pressure. “The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends having a sufficient potassium intake both as a preventative measure and a treatment option for patients with hypertension,” he notes.
How does potassium lower blood pressure?
Dr. Makam explains that the most direct way potassium helps lower blood pressure is in how the nutrient interacts with your kidneys and sodium. “We know too much sodium is bad for blood pressure, so kidneys have a mechanism for excreting excess sodium to maintain blood pressure,” he explains. “Potassium helps the kidneys excrete that excess sodium instead of retaining it.”
Potassium also helps improve your body’s overall vascular health, he adds. Potassium eases tension in the walls of blood vessels and that, in turn, can have other benefits on your heart health.
“Because potassium positively affects your entire vascular system, it helps reduce multiple risks,” explains Dr. Makam. “Because it helps blood vessels in your brain, kidneys and heart, it reduces the risk of stroke, kidney failure and heart disease.”
How much potassium do you need on a daily basis?
“Surveys have shown that people generally eat too much sodium and not enough potassium,” says Dr. Makam. So, getting that balance right as part of a well-rounded diet is essential. “The recommended daily requirement of potassium is around 4,700 to 5,000 milligrams.”
Good sources of potassium
You’ve probably heard at some point that bananas are the best source of potassium, but Dr. Makam cautions against relying on a single fruit as a staple for your daily potassium requirement.
“Since a medium banana contains about 422 milligrams of potassium, you would have to eat more than 10 bananas a day to get the recommended daily amount of potassium, which is obviously not a wise choice given the additional calories it adds to the diet,” he says.
So while bananas can be one source, it’s important to make sure you’re using other fruits and vegetables to maintain that potassium intake. Other foods Dr. Makam recommends for healthy amounts of potassium include:
- Cantaloupe
- Grapefruit
- Nectarines
- Kiwi
- Carrots
- Lima beans
- Spinach
- Avocados
Besides making sure your diet is well-balanced, Dr. Makam recommends factoring in other components, like sugar and starch contents, when choosing foods.
Are potassium supplements OK? 
While some people may choose to include certain dietary supplements as part of their daily intake, Dr. Makam notes, “nature trumps man-made stuff. It’s always preferable to get these nutrients and vitamins in adequate amounts from natural sources.”
Because of the unregulated nature of supplements, he says, it’s always best to talk to your healthcare provider about ways to improve your intake of certain nutrients and vitamins before buying any supplements.
Is there such a thing as too much potassium?
Just as with anything, it’s possible to have too much potassium, says Dr. Makam. “Too much potassium can cause severe muscle weakness and heart rhythm problems that can be serious if not diagnosed and corrected early.”
People who should avoid high amounts of potassium
Dr. Makam notes that angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, Angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) and Aldosterone antagonists, which are some of the common medications designed to lower blood pressure, already help your body retain potassium. If you’re taking one of these medications and include extra potassium on top of that, there are risks of complications.
He also points out that people with kidney disease should also avoid excess potassium. Damaged kidneys can’t remove excess potassium from your blood, so the amount can build to dangerous levels, if not monitored correctly.
“The key is balance,” says Dr. Makam. “Your healthcare provider will know your specific health conditions, your current medications and latest blood levels, which will help come up with the right approach for you.”
The Bahamas, August 27, 2026 – The Royal Bahamas Police Force wishes to inform members of the public that several individuals are scheduled to appear before the Magistrate’s Court on Thursday, 27th August 2026, at 12:00 noon.
The individuals and charges are as follows:
An 18-year-old female is scheduled to be arraigned on the following charges:
Three (3) counts of Murder
Three (3) counts of Attempted Murder
Three (3) counts of Possession of a Firearm with Intent to Endanger Life
Three (3) counts of Possession of an Unlicensed Firearm
Two (2) counts of Possession of Ammunition
Armed Robbery
Abetment to Armed Robbery
Stealing
Receiving
The charges stem from three separate shooting incidents and an armed robbery that occurred on Friday, 21st August 2026, and Saturday, 22nd August 2026.
The first shooting occurred in the area of Soldier Road and Baillou Hill Road, resulting in the death of a 51-year-old male.
The second shooting occurred in the area of Joe Farrington Road, resulting in the death of a 52-year-old male.
The third shooting occurred in the area of Gladstone Road, resulting in the death of a 36-year-old male.
The armed robbery occurred at a business establishment in the area of Carmichael Road and Baillou Hill Road.
A 21-year-old male is scheduled to be arraigned on one charge of:
- Murder
The charge stems from a shooting incident that occurred on Tuesday, 21st July 2026, in the area of Samson Street, Nassau Village, which resulted in the death of a 28-year-old male.
A 32-year-old male is scheduled to be arraigned on the following charges:
- Murder
- Attempted Murder
These charges stem from a shooting incident that occurred on Wednesday, 24th December 2025, in the area of Graham Drive, Yellow Elder, which resulted in the death of a 25-year-old male.
RBPF, PACD
Bahamas News
Bahama Brass Band Invitation Sparks Heritage Debate Ahead of TCI Constitutional Holiday
Turks and Caicos, August 20, 2026 – The planned participation of the Bahama Brass Band in the Turks and Caicos Islands’ inaugural Constitutional Holiday celebrations on August 30 has sparked public debate over culture, heritage and the historical contributions of Turks and Caicos Islanders abroad.
Organizers defended the invitation, saying the band’s inclusion is intended to highlight the deep historical ties between the two countries
and honor Turks and Caicos men who helped establish and develop the institution in Grand Bahama.
According to the organizers, the Bahama Brass Band began in 1955 in Pine Ridge, Freeport, with Turks and Caicos Islanders, including the late Deacon Reuben Hall Sr. of Middle Caicos and Jenkins Williams and Mervin Hendfield of North Caicos, among those who helped build its foundation. The band eventually grew to more than 50 men.
The organizers also pointed to the participation of Turks and Caicos men in The Bahamas’ Independence celebrations on July 10, 1973, arguing that their contributions became part of Bahamian history while maintaining strong connections to their homeland.
Supporters say bringing the band home represents an opportunity to honor those pioneers, showcase their regional influence and expose younger generations to an important part of Turks and Caicos history.
However, concerns raised publicly described the invitation as potentially disrespectful to local culture and heritage. Organizers acknowledged those concerns, apologizing to anyone who felt overlooked or offended, while maintaining that no disrespect was intended.
The committee said the event should ultimately unite rather than divide, presenting the band’s history as evidence of the reach and resilience of Turks and Caicos heritage.
PHOTO CREDIT: Bahamas Brass Band
NASSAU, Bahamas — Caribbean Bottling Company (CBC), local producers of Dasani products, proudly sponsored the fifth annual, Caribbean Hoopfest.
The tournament brings together Bahamian high school basketball teams and visiting teams from the United States for a competitive
showcase at the Kendal G. L. Isaacs Gymnasium. Following its inaugural year at the Kendal G. L. Isaacs gym and last year’s event at Loyola Hall, the tournament returned to the Kendal G. L. Isaacs gym this year.
During the weekend tournament, CBC kept athletes well hydrated with in-kind donations of Dasani Water, Powerade and Minute Maid Juices.
During the tournament’s final day, CBC provided additional support by offering Sprite No Sugar samples and inviting attendees to participate in its Spin the Wheel for a chance to win exciting prizes.
CBC was proud to support this incredible event, which provides young Bahamian athletes with valuable exposure to U.S. basketball scouts and coaches. This opportunity gives them the chance to earn scholarships, continue their education, and pursue their basketball careers in the United States.
Event organizer, Donald Francois shared his appreciation for CBC’s support.
“I want to express our sincere appreciation for Caribbean Bottling Company, who has been a tremendous supporter and an important part of the success of our program. Without CBC’s support, Caribbean Hoop Fest would not be able to function at the level it does today. And without Caribbean Hoop Fest, we would not have been able to provide the opportunities that have helped young Bahamian athletes gain exposure and pursue educational opportunities in the United States,” he expressed.
Since the program’s inception, several Bahamian student-athletes have been selected for scholarship opportunities, highlighting the
tournament’s growing impact on the development and advancement of young basketball talent in The Bahamas.
They are: Kelvin McDowells – Guard, Wodson Antoine – Power Forward, Justin Lafleur – Guard and Sean John – Guard.
After another successful edition of the tournament, Francois shared what he hopes he and Caribbean Bottling Company can achieve in the future.
“Our vision is bigger than basketball. We want to use the platform of Caribbean Hoop Fest to educate, develop, and create opportunities for young people and their families throughout the Bahamas. With individuals and organizations committed to our mission, we believe we can continue to grow the program and make an even greater impact,” Francois said.
For more details on community support, events and new products visit Caribbean Bottling Company at www.cbcbahamas.com today.
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