Study: Sodium, potassium ratio affects heart health

A team of researchers has found that consuming twice as much potassium as sodium may halve a person's risk of dying from cardiovascular disease. In the new study, investigators found that study participants who had consumed the highest levels of potassium and the lowest levels of sodium were 50 percent less likely to die of cardiovascular disease than those who ate the most sodium and the least potassium. Scientists say eating less sodium is still the best way to protect your heart, but this is the first study to show that upping your intake of potassium can at least soften the blow of a high-sodium diet.