Food And Medicines That Don't Mix

What we eat and drink may reduce the effectiveness of prescribed or over-the-counter medicines. Here are some foods to watch out for, but always check with your GP if you have specific concerns.

• Fruit juices Recent research suggested that drinking fruit juice at the same time as taking certain drugs for cancer, heart conditions and high blood pressure could make them less effective. Grapefruit, orange and apple juice were implicated in the Canadian research. It is thought that the juices prevent the drugs from being absorbed into the bloodstream. It's still okay to drink some juice if you have these conditions, the researchers pointed out, but medicaions should not be taken for at least two hours afterwards. Fruit juices can also reduce the effectiveness of antibiotics.
• Milk and dairy If you or your teenager is taking an antibiotic called Tetracycline (often prescribed for acne), you should avoid milk and dairy products. The calcium and magnesium in these foods combines with the drug, creating a compound that your body can't break down. Absorption is prevented and the drug won't work properly.
• Green veg If you take the blood-thinning drug Warfarin, don't eat too much broccoli, spinach or other green, leafy vegetables. They are rich in vitamin K, which counteracts the effect of the drug.

(Source: Good Housekeeping Magazine, February 2009 edition)
(Source: www.allaboutyou.com/goodhousekeeping)