If it's natural it can't be bad for you. Right? We've all heard or read the food and supplement ads bragging that something is "all natural." The implication is that since it's all natural it can't be bad for you. In most cases, this assumption is probably correct, but for some, people taking prescription medications, knowing that something is all natural may not be enough.

Every day, hospitals and emergency personnel provide care for people who accidentally mixed the wrong combination of food, supplement, over-the-counter medicine or prescription medication. How does this happen? When it comes down to it, the food we eat, the supplements we take and the medicines we are prescribed are all just chemicals. Our bodies are the mixing vessel and some chemicals just shouldn't be mixed together. Think about vinegar and baking soda. Apart they serve their roles in cooking and cleanings. Mix the two together and you get a completely different reaction, more suited for launching model rockets.

Some common food-related interactions are:

- Fruit juice acids decrease the effectiveness of some antibiotics like penicillin.

- Some Cheeses, cured meats, chocolates, yogurt and fermented drinks containing tyramine can become dangerous if you are taking antidepressants.

- Grapefruits and grapefruit juices increase the absorption of some antibiotics, anticoagulants, statins, beta-blockers and other types of drugs.

- ACE Inhibitor drugs can increase the levels of potassium in your body. Foods high in potassium (bananas, green-leafy vegetables and oranges) along with multi-vitamins can produce unsafe levels, if consumed in large quantities.

- Vitamin K produces blood clotting compounds in the body. Foods high in K (such as broccoli, spinach, kale, turnip greens, cauliflower, and brussel sprouts) may reduce the effectiveness of anticoagulants like Warfarin and Coumadin.

Not all medications are affected by food, but many can be affected by what and when you eat. Be sure to ask your physician or pharmacist for specific food interactions prior to taking any new medication.

FREE EVENT -- OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

If you'd like to have an opportunity to speak to a pharmacist about food interactions or if you'd like to learn about how pharmacists can help you solve some of your unique prescription needs through Compounding you'll want to attend a free seminar, presented by Darby Brown, RPh. of Brown's Compounding Center. The topic of discussion hosted by MEMORY BRIDGING and the Atria Inn at Lakewood will be the risks and dangers of food and drug interactions as well as the value of compounding for special prescription situations. The seminar will be held at the Atria Inn at Lakewood located at 555 S Pierce St Lakewood, CO 80226 on Thursday, November 29 at 6:30 pm. Call (303) 742-4800 to RSVP or to get directions.

About the hosts:

MEMORY BRIDGING is focused on supporting and improving the quality of life, cognitive function and emotional well-being for individuals and families coping with Alzheimer's, mild stroke and mild traumatic brain injury. MEMORY BRIDGING is a Denver Business Journal 2007 Champions in Health Care Innovation Finalist. For more information, please visit www.membridge.com.

Atria communities provide a lifestyle of independence and opportunity, where seniors receive the support they need to live life to the fullest. Atria Inn at Lakewood also has a specialized Life Guidance® neighborhood for people with Alzheimer's disease or other forms of memory impairment. For more information, please visit www.atriaseniorliving.com.

About Brown's Compounding Pharmacy: