Take care When Foods and Medicines Don’t Mix

Food. we have a tendency to all am fond of it, particularly those foods that square measure healthy and facilitate contribute to unwellness protection.

And if foods fail, medicines will facilitate manage or foreclose some diseases.

But what’s conjointly true – and lots of times unknown – is that mixtures of medicines and foods don’t continuously combine. In fact, some foods can dangerously alter or even negate the benefits of certain medications.

Shocking Facts: In 2008, spending for prescription drugs in the U.S. was more than double what it was in 1999. Can you guess that dollar value*?

The CDC reports that almost 40 percent of older Americans used five or more prescription drugs in the past month, with the use of multiple prescription drugs increased by 20% and the use of five or more drugs by 70%.

And with 150 million Americans gulping down prescription medications, that’s cause for alarm, I’d says.

Don’t mix:

Statins and Grapefruit Juice. Cholesterol-lowering medicines like Zocor, Crestor, and Lipitor have been shown to effectively lower cholesterol for many by blocking a substance your body needs to manufacture cholesterol. They may additionally aid your body in reabsorbing steroid alcohol that has designed abreast of your artery walls, that helps stop more vessel blockage and after, heart attacks.

But pairing statins with grapefruit juice can increase its potency by up to ten times the amount you really need and cause damage to your kidneys.

Lifestyle changes like quitting smoking, managing stress, getting regular exercise (at least 30 minutes a day most days) and eating a healthy diet low in fat, cholesterol, and salt can go a long way toward lowering cholesterol.

This matters> lipid-lowering medicine lowers the assembly of molecule Q10, a vital nutrient that transforms macromolecule and fat into energy. If you’re taking it, talk to your healthcare provider about supplementing your diet with CoQ10.

So will this> alternative grapefruit/medication interactions embrace the anti-anxiety medication, BuSpar, medication Zoloft, medicament Allegra?

Anti-Depressants, Fruits, and Aged Cheese. Certain antidepressant medications known as MAOIs (Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors) like Marplan, Nardil, and Parnate don’t mix well with aged hard cheeses (which contain a substance called Tyramine) like Blue, Camembert, Emmenthaler, Stilton, and Swiss, causing dangerous spikes in your blood pressure. Also beware of fruits such as bananas, raspberries, dried and overripe fruits, especially avocados and figs.

Blood Pressure Medications and Licorice. ACE inhibitors or diuretics to regulate blood pressure do not pair well with licorice. The licorice could interfere with the effectiveness of the medications, or could even worsen the possible side effects. Licorice can cause the body to get rid of potassium, as can diuretics, resulting in too-low levels of potassium, which can affect your heart, nerves, and muscles. Symptoms of low potassium can be mild or vague or can include nausea and/or vomiting, heart palpitations, constipation.