Many people think that the foods that we eat and the medicines we take are in no way connected. However, such a connection exists. Certain foods and medicines should never be taken together. The reasons for this may vary, but in each case, certain drugs and products are incompatible.
There are certain rules for taking medications, which are not at all limited to recommended doses. During treatment, your diet must comply with these rules. Moreover, the effects of some medicines also nullify if you do not follow certain dietary and nutrition rules.
Incompatible Foods And Medicines
Certain foods can affect how well certain medicines work. It is important not to allow their combination; this will help avoid unwanted consequences. Therefore, doctors recommend reading the labels of your medicines and not taking them with harmful drinks, such as tea, coffee, alcohol, sweet juices, and carbonated drinks. Also, take your medicine with milk only if your doctor prescribes you to do so.
Here are some combinations of medicines and products you should never consume together:
Painkillers
These medications help to relieve sore muscles, aches, arthritis, headaches, and pains in the body. There are different painkillers available in the medical stores, each has its own risks and advantages. However, you should not consume alcoholic beverages while taking opioids. The combination of opioids and alcohol is lethal.
Reasons:
Following are the reasons for not taking alcohol with your medication:
- Consuming alcohol with such medication can trigger inflammation
- The interaction of painkillers and alcohol can even be deadly
- Taking alcohol with medicine may trigger internal bleeding and breathing problems
Alcohol abuse is a life-threatening condition and you must get proper treatment to overcome such a problem. There are several treatment options to choose from, one such method is medications for addiction treatment or MAT. In such a program, a person recovers from addiction through medication and counseling sessions. Just like other methods, it is equally effective.
Bronchodilators
Medicines of this type are taken for asthma, bronchitis, and other diseases associated with lung function. It is important to know that while taking them, you need to limit the consumption of coffee and other drinks and foods that contain caffeine.
Reasons:
Here are some reasons why you should not take such medication with coffee:
- These medicines stimulate the nervous system. In order not to overexcite it, you need to limit your caffeine intake
- Special care is required when taking theophylline, as caffeine increases the toxicity of this drug
- You also need to avoid fatty foods as fat increases the absorption of theophylline, which may cause metabolic disorder
Drugs To Lower Blood Pressure
Drugs to lower blood pressure are prescribed for diseases of the heart and kidneys. This group of drugs includes captopril, enalapril, and ramipril. If you are prescribed these drugs, you should not eat foods that contain a lot of potassium.
Reasons:
Medicines of this type increase the amount of potassium in the blood, and an overdose of potassium can cause an irregular heartbeat and make you feel short of breath. When taking them, it is better to limit the consumption of:
- Bananas
- Potatoes
- Soybeans
- Spinach
Knowing about the harmful consequences of such foods will prevent you from consuming them while taking blood pressure medication.
Drugs Used For Arrhythmias
These drugs (such as digoxin) are prescribed to treat and prevent heart failure. The problem arises when foods containing glycyrrhizic acid (for example, licorice) are eaten with them.
Reasons:
- This acid, in contact with digoxin, can cause arrhythmia or even a heart attack. It is found in some sweets, as well as in the ingredients of beer
- Dietary fiber can also affect the effectiveness of this drug, so you need to take it 2 hours before a meal or 2 hours after a meal
- Some herbs also reduce the effectiveness of digoxin
Drugs To Lower The Level Of “Bad” Cholesterol
Such drugs are prescribed for obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. These include atorvastatin, fluvastatin, lovastatin, simvastatin, rosuvastatin, and pravastatin. You should mix these medications with citrus fruits, or there could be severe health consequences. For example, if you woke up dizzy in the morning, the food-medicine interaction is to blame.
Reasons:
- Citrus fruits improve the absorption of these drugs, which can lead to overdose and side effects.
- If you take this pill with orange juice, it will act as a higher dose of medicine taken with water
Anticoagulants
Doctors prescribe Anticoagulants for the treatment and prevention of thrombosis. This type of drug includes, for example, warfarin. When taking them, you should avoid foods rich in vitamin K or reduce blood viscosity.
Reasons:
Such medicines are incompatible with blueberries, garlic, ginger, and some spices (cayenne pepper, cinnamon, and turmeric).
- The fact is that these products themselves act as anticoagulants. If you add warfarin is added to them, can cause bleeding
- As for vitamin K, it reduces the effectiveness of the drug. It is abundant in spinach, turnip, kale, and broccoli.
Analgesics
Doctors prescribe medicines included in this group for inflammation, muscle pain, and headache. One such drug is the well-known ibuprofen. You, like other analgesics, should not take it with sweet carbonated drinks.
Reasons:
Here are the reasons why you should not take ibuprofen with sweetened carbonated drinks:
- Ibuprofen is incompatible with sweet soda because the carbon dioxide and acid contained in it improve the absorption of the ingredients of the drug and, accordingly, increase their concentration in the blood.
- Because of this, it becomes impossible to control the dose of the drug, creating the danger of overdose. You should know that an overdose of this drug can harm your kidneys and stomach.
Take Away
While taking certain medications, you should strictly adhere to the rules mentioned by your doctor. Take your medicine only with plain water as it does not have any harmful effects. Also, avoid certain foods we mentioned above in this article with some medicines.