I often receive questions about potential interactions between medications and supplements, food and medications, and food and supplements.  It's a very important topic, and recently my favorite nutrition newsletter, Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter, featured an article about this topic, so I wanted to share the info with you.

Potential interactions between medications and supplements:

--Coenzyme Q-10:  Use caution in taking this antioxidant supplement with blood-pressure medication, anticoagulants or chemotherapy drugs.

--Echinacea:  This herbal cold remedy might change how the body breaks down some medications, especially in the liver.

--Ginkgo biloba:  This herbal memory supplement can decrease the effectiveness of anti-seizure medications.  There is also a possibility of interactions with a wide range of other medications, so make sure your physician knows if you’re taking ginkgo.

--Ginseng:  This popular herb can increase the risk of bleeding when taking with anticoagulants s...

What does summer bring?  FARMER'S MARKETS!!!

10 reasons to visit your local Farmer’s Market:

1.  Community Support--Support your local economy by supporting your local farmers.

2.  Freshness--fruits and vegetables are very fresh and often picked that same morning!

3.  Yummy--Far superior tasting fruits and vegetables.  Why?  See #2!

4.  Health--The fruits and vegetables are often organic.  Organic means you aren’t ingesting harmful pesticides. 

5.  More Environmentally Friendly--less shipping costs and pollution, less fuel usage, reduced packaging costs

6.  Save Money--the prices are often cheaper than the grocery store because the cost of the middleman and pricey shipping are eliminated.

7.  Get The Scoop--A great opportunity to talk to the farmer directly about where your food comes from and how it’s produced.  

8.  Cooking Help--If you see a vegetable you are unfamiliar with and want to give it a try, you can ask the farmer how to prepare it or for recipe ideas.

9.  Involve Your Kids--shoppin...

Hundreds of bottles of Myomin are sold every month.  This is actually unfortunate because people are buying it since they have too much estrogen.  If you have too much estrogen, it is linked estrogen-dominant problems such as uterine fibroids, thyroid troubles, endometriosis, cysts, cancer, infertility issues, and the list goes on and on. 

How does Myomin work? 

Myomin helps block the aromatase enzyme in the body.  If you block or reduce the production of aromatase, you reduce the production of estrogen.  Myomin doesn’t technically reduce estrogen in the body, rather it indirectly reduces the production of estrogen.  Myomin works great for women with mild to moderatly elevated levels of estrogen.

Why do estrogen levels increase? 

Toxins!  Toxins in our environment mimic estrogen, like a copycat.  Bisphenol A (BPA) is a classic example.  BPA is in many products, such as plastic water bottles, the lining of canned foods, and cash register receipts.   Be aware of what you’re eating and where...

It is highly recommended that with any infection caused by bacteria, fungus, etc. you have your doctor run a Culture & Sensitivity Test.  This way you know what is going to kill the harmful pathogens and get rid of them.  Then you also need to understand how you got the infection in the first place.

Here is one test to check out:  GI Effects Chemistries Profile - Stool

To help eradicate harmful pathogens:

1.  Microbial Defense:  consider taking 1-2 capsules two to three times a day before a meal to help support the body's ability to fend off the candida, yeast, fungus, bacteria, viruses, parasites, and other unwanted pathogens.  Start with less and increase if you don't have any unwanted side effects. 

2.  Saccharomyces boulardii:  consider taking 25 billion saccharomyces boulardii during times of unwanted harmful bacterial infections as research supports its use heavily for clostridium difficile (c. diff) and other infections such as giardia.  Saccharomyces is beneficial yeast which is ...

I’m always interested in smoothie recipes that are quick, easy, healthy, and most of all TASTY!

I came across this one and wanted to share it with you.  It’s full of antioxidants, phytonutrients, calcium, phosphorus, vitamin D and vitamin A.  The protein boost keeps your blood sugar levels stable and keeps you satisfied for longer.  Enjoy!

Tracy Anderson’s Sweet Potato Smoothie

1 sweet potato

1 cup milk

1 scoop vanilla protein powder

1 tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp turmeric

Directions:
Puncture holes in sweet potato and microwave 5 to 8 minutes until soft, rotating halfway through.  Scoop out from skin and let cool.  Blend with milk, protein powder, cinnamon and turmeric and enjoy.  If you have a high power blender, such as a Vitamix, you can even leave the skin on the potato to add even more nutrients.

Enjoy!

Kelly Harrington, MS, RD

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist for Healthy Goods

Don’t treat the symptom, treat the cause!  It is very important to determine the cause of your gastritis.  Once you have determined the cause, eliminate it and do not re-introduce it.   

Common Causes of Gastritis (Stomach Inflammation)

• Spicy or acid foods
• Coffee
• Stress
• Helicobacter Pylori (h. pylori); a main cause of gastritis
• Autoimmune diseases that attack the stomach lining, such as pernicious anemia
• Ibuprofen, aspirins, NSAID’s (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs)
• Bile Reflux
• Alcohol
• Celiac Disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity

How do you treat Gastritis?  Each product recommendation has a reasoning for treating chronic gastritis so please determine which would apply to your specific situation.

Manuka Honey:  Manuka is very healing for ulcers and also is known to help kill h. pylori.  Best to take Manuka honey between meals - about 1 tablespoon three times a day.

L-Glutamine Powder:  Glutamine is known to help heal gastritis because glutamine assists in repairing damaged tissue.  It is b...