Monday, November 22, 2010

Understanding Drug-Food Interactions

A drug-food interaction occurs most commonly when the consumption of a specific food or beverage affects the activity of a drug or consumption of the drug affects the activity of the food or overall nutritional status.

When a food alters a drug’s activity or vice versa, the affected compound is changed in aspects of how quickly or how much of it gets absorbed into the body, how much of it distributes to it’s site of action, and how quickly it gets broken down or passed out from the body. Such drug-food interactions may result in the individual experiencing side effects, toxicity or not getting full benefit from the drug or food.
In altering the absorption of drugs, foods may bind with the drug, change the acidity of the stomach, moderate the contractions of stomach muscles or change the speed at which stomach contents move through the body. Dietary fibre in the form of pectin and other soluble fibres can slow down the absorption of Tylenol® (acetaminophen). Almost half of a single dose of the antibiotic Zithromax® (azithromycin) does not get absorbed when it is taken with food. When another antibiotic ciprofloxacin is taken with iron, a complex is formed and about half of a single dose also becomes unavailable for absorption. One of the most significantly food-affected drugs is Fosamax® (alendronate) where up to 99.9% of an oral tablet can become unavailable for absorption if taken with food, coffee or orange juice. Sometimes increased benefit is derived from taking certain medicines with food. Taking the statin Mevacor® (lovastatin) with food enhances it’s absorption while taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatorydrugs like aspirin with food can help to reduce stomach irritation.

Different drinks can alter the breakdown of a drug in the body. Components of grapefruit juice can inhibit enzymes in the liver from breaking down a variety of drugs. Taking grapefruit juice while on the heart drug felodipine results in much less of the drug broken down and this can cause lower blood pressure and faster heart rates than otherwise expected. The heart drug Inderal® (propranolol) can escape early breakdown in the liver when it is taken with food hence it’s effectiveness could be increased.

One important class of drugs known as monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) can inhibit body enzymes from breaking down a compound known as tyramine. This compound can be found in aged cheese, pickled fish, yeast extracts, red wine, fava beans and fermented products, and can accumulate in the body if taken with MAOIs and the combination could result in critically high blood pressure.

Milk, vegetables and citrus fruits can reduce the acidity of urine while meats, fish, cheese and eggs often increase the acidity of urine. These different effects can affect the quantity and rate of expulsion of certain drugs. Other drugs may be more or less active in the urinary system depending on the urine acidity. The mood controlling drug known as lithium is affected by a high salt (sodium chloride) diet because it competes with sodium for absorption back into the body from the kidney. With a high salt diet, more lithium is passed out and lithium is consequently less active in the body. The converse occurs with a low salt diet.

Some foods can directly affect the action of drugs without affecting the drugs themselves. Taking a lot of green leafy vegetables or green tea can increase vitamin K levels in the body that counteract the effects of the anticoagulant drug warfarin. Taking a lot of bananas while on the potassium-sparing water pills Aldactone® (spironolactone) can result in excessive amounts of potassium in the body that can be toxic. Alcohol can increase the drowsiness and reduced concentration associated with sleeping pills, antidepressants and allergy medicines. Another potentiating effect can occur when the asthma drug theophylline is taken with coffee. The caffeine in coffee shares the same structure as theophylline and helps with expanding the airways but also can increase theophylline’s side effects of nervousness, tremor or insomnia.

While most drug-food interactions can be detrimental, some have been used under supervised treatment to reduce drug doses and associated costs. Oncologists recently found that taking the breast cancer drug Tykerb® (lapatinib) with food instead of without food as suggested by the drug development trials almost doubled the absorption of the drug and taking it with a high-fat meal tripled the absorption. Grapefruit juice may even further prevent the drug from being broken down in the body so that more of the dose remains available to fight cancer cells. While this is a novel and potentially useful means of taking food and drugs together for better treatment, expert supervision is important in ensuring benefit and minimizing undesirable effects.

Even while much of the concern over drug-food interactions center around how foods affect the activity of drugs, many drugs also expected to exert significant effects on foodsArticle Search, body nutrients and byproducts. The weight loss drug Xenical® (orlistat) is taken specifically with meals to interact with the fat in food so that it is not absorbed and passes out in the stools. Colestid® (colestipol) and Questran® (cholestyramine) are taken orally to bind bile acids in the intestine preventing such acids from being recirculated in the body and thereby reducing cholesterol. Another drug acting on food is Fosrenol® (lanthanum carbonate) that is used to bind and prevent the absorption of phosphates in the diet.
Some drugs can also affect nutritional well being resulting in the need for food or nutrient supplementation. Examples include taking certain antacids and water pills that can lead to nutrient deficiencies resulting in muscle weakness and other related symptoms. Folic acid supplementation may be required if on the anticonvulsant Dilantin® (phenytoin). Zinc deficiency coupled with the loss of taste can occur when on the antirheumatic penicillamine.

Drug-food interactions are becoming increasingly common and can be detrimental if not well understood or properly managed. Pharmacists are the experts to turn to for a better understanding and are in the best position to advise on optimum management.

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Sudesh Samuel is a pharmacist and medical communications specialist with a keen interest in medication management services that make treatments safer, more effective and less costly. He is president of the Institute for Medication Management - http://www.medicationreview.net

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Some Things That You Should Consider For A Good Cooking School !!

Cooking may seem hard to do and it actually is, to the novice. But once you learn the various techniques, you will find out that cooking is actually a breeze. There are processes and techniques that will help you prepare a mean dish for your family and you can learn all this from a good cooking school.



There are many cooking schools out there that have a wide range of lessons that they offer... for kids, for moms, for hobbyists, or anybody who just want to cook a good meal.

Cooking may seem hard to do and it actually is, to the novice. But once you learn the various techniques, you will find out that cooking is actually a breeze. There are processes and techniques that will help you prepare a mean dish for your family and you can learn all this from a good cooking school.

There are many cooking schools out there that have a wide range of lessons that they offer... for kids, for moms, for hobbyists, or anybody who just want to cook a good meal. With so many to choose from, it might be a little hard to select which is a good choice. So here are some of the things that you should consider when looking for a good cooking school.


1- price range:
Unless you have a lot of money stashed away in the bank, the tuition fee will figure a lot in the kind of cooking school you want to enroll in and the kind of program that you wish to take. For those who have the budget, a full program is recommended as this will teach you all you need to know at a fraction of the cost when you combined all the other short courses. However, if you do not have the money to spend, look for a class that you like that is within your price range and then ask for a discount should you decide to take the class after that.


2- Materials:
Some cooking class will already be providing the materials for you while some will ask you to buy your own. Clear this up with the cooking school you are eyeing before enrolling because this will figure a lot in your budget.


3- Lessons and range:
This will really depend on just what you want to learn and how much experience in cooking you have. Lessons can range from something simple as broiling and grilling to something as complicated as baking an elaborate cake complete with the decorations. It is actually all up to you. One advice that you should heed is to always determine first what you want to learn about and to make sure that you have all the other skills You see, some classes and programs have pre-requisite lessons that you have to first accomplish before you can take it up. For instance, you cannot bake a cake if you do not yet know how to fry, boil and heat food properly.


4- Location:
Another very important factor in finding a good cooking school is the place where you will be taking your class. Is the school at your neighborhood or do you have to drive there in the morning. This is especially important with people who have a lot in their plate like cooking for family members or classes 

in school. IdeallyBusiness Management Articles, it should be along the way fro your work or from your home.


5- Student: teacher ratio:
You cannot learn much if you are 20 in the class and there is only one teacher. You need a class that is smaller in size so that the teacher can help you individually with the lesson. It will also be easier for you to ask questions when you are just a few in the group. Student: teacher ratio is also important in comprehension as this means that you are much closer to your teacher when she explains.

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Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Some Tips For Cooking Classes !!

One of the best things that you can learn to do in your life is to learn how to cook. Cooking is a life skill that you will need all throughout your life and you will never be at a disadvantage if you know how to cook. That is why cooking classes are pretty popular especially during summer with young students and during schooldays with mommies who want to improve their cooking skills.If you have already enrolled in a cooking class and you are worried that you may not know as much as your classmate about cooking, get over the thought. 

One of the best things that you can learn to do in your life is to learn how to cook. Cooking is a life skill that you will need all throughout your life and you will never be at a disadvantage if you know how to cook. That is why cooking classes are pretty popular especially during summer with young students and during schooldays with mommies who want to improve their cooking skills.

If you have already enrolled in a cooking class and you are worried that you may not know as much as your classmate about cooking, get over the thought. You enrolled in the class to learn so who cares if your classmate knows more than you. He or she would have wasted their tuition fee if that is the case.


Still, there is no harm in preparing for the cooking class and making sure that you have all that you need to make the cooking class easier and more fun for you. Here are some tips.


1. Bring notebook and pen or a tape recorder:

If you do not have a photographic memory, then it is best to bring a pen and a notebook when you go to class. This will help you keep up with what the teachers is saying in the class. If you have a tape recorder, this is much better as it will be able to capture much of what your teachers are saying unlike with writing notes when you are held back by how fast you can write down the words. If you are a slow writer and you know it, then a recorder is the best option for you.


2. Do illustrations:

You may not be the best artist in the world and you may not even be able to draw a straight line even if your life depended on it, but illustrations will help you a lot especially when remembering the steps that you have to take to prepare the food. Drawing the procedures will help jog your memory about the process and it will also clear up the procedure for you, something that words will not be able to. If you do have a video camera, ask your teacher if you can tape the session. Do not do this unless they have consented because 90% of the time, they will not allow it for fear that it will be mass produced and sold to other people.


3. Sleep early:

When you go to your cooking class, you want to be at least awake and alert to really learn 

from what the teachers is saying. If you had a late night the previous night, what the teachers are saying may not register well to you. If that is the case, then you should prepare for the possibility and bring a recorder. You may not be very awake to listen to the teachers but at least you have a tape recorder to do the listening to you.


4. Ask questions:

The best way to learn is to make sure that you have understood everything that the teacher was saying. If you do not understand any of the procedures that he or she is teaching, then don't hesitate to ask questions and clarify. After allPsychology Articles, you are preparing for the cooking class and you have the right to really learn the lesson.

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