Thursday, August 7, 2008

Herbs, Foods, and Medications

The potential for abuse as more people turn to alternative herbal remedies or eat a diet with less variety can place a person’s health in a very dangerous position that can lead to even more serious health problems. Many herbs and foods can lead to serious complications if taken with either prescription drugs or over-the-counter (OTC) medications. Remember, being natural doesn’t guarantee that all foods and herbs are safe for you to consume when combined with various medications. Many times there can be serious complications or side effects when combined with any prescribed medications or OTC meds picked up off the shelves.

Everything you eat has the ability to react with your medications. Oral medications can react with food or herbs that you consume and affect the way your body processes those foods or drugs.

Some herbs, vitamins, mineral supplements, and high fiber products can increase the risk of health complications by decreasing a medications effectiveness or causing an increase of its effect that may even reach toxic levels. Alcohol consumption can lead to side effects and complications and is probably one the most recognized cause of drug side effects.

A safe practice is to always inform your health provider(s) of any items you are consuming, especially when it comes to herbal remedies. Your health provider may be aware of drug reactions and side effects that could have serious consequences for your health or the health of family members. Be aware of any symptoms that you may be experiencing, as this may be the signs of an adverse reaction to certain combinations of foods, herbs, and medications.

An excellent resource to check for drug interactions can be found here:

http://pdrhealth.com/home/home.aspx

Be informed. Be aware. Be prepared.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

6 comments:

gott_cha said...

Good Link Brother!!

riverwalker said...

To: gott_cha

Thanks. I just thought that everyone needs to be aware that a lot of herbs and drugs don't mix.

RW

BTW, I see you're an early riser like me.

Patricia said...

No doubt there can be interactions between herbs and drugs. Everyone should do due diligence and KNOW what they are doing, as much as they can, before ingesting something. All medications, prescription or OTC, are drugs and will cause side effects, some of them quite dangerous.

I detest standard American medicine myself. Drugs from doctors suppress symptoms, but do not heal you. That's a huge problem that people do not like to face.

Well, RW, this is not the time or place for a debate about the dangers of what we all ingest. You've brought up a good topic, one to be considered seriously.

Still, if you want to read something that will really open your eyes to the dangers of the modern American medical system, check out Death by Medicine at

http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2004/mar2004_awsi_death_01.htm

It was written by doctors. Scary!
HM

gott_cha said...

Riverwalker;...yup 5a, eastern time every morning.


Patricia;.......so true....the AMA and big Pharma. are only concerned with profits,..not with healing or patient well being. Most all prescription drugs are mere poison that can and due prolong the symptoms or add new problems to the patient...keeping them alive long enough for the medical system to bleed them dry of their money

riverwalker said...

To: patricia

I always cringe when I see the number and amount of prescription meds people are taking these days. Knowing there are usually better and healthier ways to treat your health problems makes me even sadder.

Thanks so much.

RW

riverwalker said...

To: gott_cha

Too many modern drugs treat the symptoms but not the cause. They may ease the suffering but don't fix the problem!

The main thing on their minds is that pills = profits!

RW

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