Although we take meds to deal with problems like headaches, infections, or back ache, they surely carry a lot of side effects and risks. This is why it is important to read the do’s and don’ts of medication first and learn when to take it, how to take it, and also to learn other important aspects that our pharmacist or physician may have forgotten to tell us.
Remember, there are some foods that can interact with the effect of specific meds in the body. This being said, check out the following list with the 9 most common foods and meds that should never be consumed together…
Never Combine these Foods & Meds
- Grapefruit
If you enjoy eating a delicious grapefruit in the morning, that is great, but if you are taking meds to lower your cholesterol, you may need to take it off your menu because it can interfere with the body’s metabolism of these drugs and may lead to elevated amounts of the drug ending up in the bloodstream. Moreover, avoid eating this fruit if you are taking antibiotics.
- Milk
Never drink antibiotics or osteoporosis meds with milk because the calcium from it can impede their effects. Avoid other dairy like cheese and yogurt when taking meds such as alendronate, ciprofloxacin, or tetracycline.
- Bananas
Since bananas are rich in potassium, as seen on News, they can interfere with blood pressure drugs and lead to irregular heartbeats and palpitations. However, this does not mean that you should completely avoid bananas.
- Black licorice
This sweet has glycyrrhizin which is a substance known to decrease the potassium levels in the body and can be negative for people suffering from some heart condition. Therefore, avoid eating black licorice if you happen to take meds to treat some heart issues, for example, digoxin. It can lead to irregular heartbeats and even heart attacks.
- Leafy greens and kale
Though kale is considered to be a superfood, if you are taking drugs for blood thinning or drugs for the treatment of irregular heartbeats, this veggie, together with other leafy veggies, can have a negative impact on your health. Too many leafy veggies (that are rich in vitamin K1) will lower the effect of Warfarin which works by blocking vitamin K1.
- Coffee
If you have been diagnosed with asthma, it is best to avoid coffee due to the potential side effects of caffeine, including nervousness and palpitations. Also, avoid coffee if you are trying to conceive and during pregnancy because a study indicates that it increases the risk of miscarriage.
- Alcohol
As you may already know, a lot of meds come with a clear warning to not be consumed with alcohol. This is a result of the fact that alcohol pressures the liver additionally, which is the body’s major detoxifier and everything we put in our mouth passes through it. Taking meds with alcohol may lead to dangerous levels of the medication in the bloodstream and other complications.
- Cranberry juice
As seen on Healing Life Is Natural, if you happen to take anticoagulants, you should avoid consuming cranberry juice because studies indicate that this practice can trigger significant blood thinning which has been linked to severe health-related complications.
- Walnuts
If you take thyroid gland meds, do not make walnuts a part of your daily diet. Even though they are rich in fiber, they can interfere with the body’s capacity to absorb the medication adequately.
Sources:
NEWS
