Drug Interactions with Alternative Therapies

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Drug Interactions with Alternative Therapies

Article Description:

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Herbs and other alternative therapies were the original medicine.

Ancient cultures used herbs and plants to stay healthy and cure

illness. But, for years after the pharmaceutical world took over

treatment, the Western world lost interest in alternative

therapies.

Additional Article Information:

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840 Words; formatted to 65 Characters per Line

Distribution Date and Time: 2007-01-19 10:36:00

Written By: Jon M. Stout

Copyright: 2007

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Drug Interactions with Alternative Therapies

Copyright © 2007 Jon M. Stout

Golden Moon Tea

http://www.GoldenMoonTea.com

Herbs and other alternative therapies were the original medicine.

Ancient cultures used herbs and plants to stay healthy and cure

illness. But, for years after the pharmaceutical world took over

treatment, the Western world lost interest in alternative

therapies.

Today, however, interest in alternative therapies is renewed.

Many people are choosing to treat some conditions naturally

before trying medicines. For example, many people recently

diagnosed with high blood pressure and high cholesterol are

choosing to increase their exercise, change their diet and lose

excess weight before resorting to high blood pressure and

cholesterol medications. In many cases, patients can reverse

their blood pressure and cholesterol problems without ever

needing medication.

Other patients are using alternative therapies as adjuncts to

traditional medicine. For example, green tea has been shown to

improve the effectiveness of chemotherapy in some forms of

cancer. Drinking large amounts of tea while undergoing

chemotherapy treatments can increase the concentration of the

chemo drugs in the cancerous cells, making it more effective.

A large number of people are also using alternative therapies for

preventative purposes. Take green tea, for example. It has been

shown to prevent many types of illness, including heart disease,

Alzheimer's and some forms of cancer. Others use yoga to relieve

stress and massage to manage muscle and joint pain.

But, what if you're pursuing alternative therapies at the same

time that you're using conventional drug therapies? Is there a

chance that there could be interaction between the two?

Well, the answer is, possibly. There are thousands of drugs being

prescribed for hundreds of different conditions today, and no

doubt some of the drugs will interact with some of the

alternative therapies.

Since alternative therapies have become so popular, some research

has been performed to determine how, and if, some of the most

popular alternative therapies interact with drugs.

One study, in particular, reported by the UK Tea Council studied

the effects of flavonoids on drug therapies. Flavonoids were

chosen for study because they are contained in so many substances

that we many of us consume regularly, and because flavonoids are

generally thought to be very healthy.

Flavonoids are a type of anti-oxidant. Anti-oxidants are

extremely important to our health because they combat free

radicals. Free radicals are created in our bodies as a by product

of converting our food to energy. Free radicals damage our cells

and DNA. Over time, this leads to premature aging and disease.

Anti-oxidants combat these free radicals, preventing them from

causing damage. Research has shown that a diet rich in

anti-oxidants, including flavonoids prevents many forms of

disease, such as cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer's.

Fruits and vegetables contain flavonoids, as does beverages made

from plants, such as tea and wine. But, doctors wondered, could

these healthy flavonoids interfere with drugs that we may be

taking for medical conditions?

The research mentioned above found that flavonoids can, in some

cases, interfere with the transport of certain drugs. Transport

refers to how drugs reach the organs or body systems they're

designed to affect.

In some cases, this could cause interactions between your

medications and alternative therapies such as Gingko Biloba, Milk

Thistle, green tea, and soy isoflavones. It's not likely that

the flavonoids found in your food would interact, as they are not

typically consumed in highly concentrated quantities as is found

in herbal supplements.

So, for example, if you're drinking three or four cups of green

tea each day to help protect your health, it's unlikely that

there would be any interaction. However, if you're taking 10-12

capsules of green tea extract each day, your concentration of

flavonoids would be significantly higher, and might cause some

interaction.

This information is not designed to influence you to stop using

flavonoids to protect your health. Research has shown time and

again that they're very effective at keeping you young and

healthy. A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, green tea and other

anti-oxidant sources can help you keep your weight in check,

lower your cholesterol and even regulate insulin.

However, as with any alternative therapy you're considering,

it's important to keep your doctor in the loop. Inform him of

any alternative therapies you'd like to try, and find out how

they might interact with any particular medicines you're taking.

This way you can ensure that you're treating your particular

health concerns in the best way possible, whether that means

traditional medicines alone – or in combination with alternative

treatments.

It's nearly impossible for researchers to list every possible

medication and every alternative therapy that it might interact

with. But, working closely with your doctor, who knows your

medical history, health concerns and treatments can ensure that

you're pursuing the healthiest route for treatment.

We're all concerned about our health. And, many of us are also

concerned about using natural, healthy remedies whenever

possible, as well as taking advantage of all we've learned about

how substances like anti-oxidants can prevent disease.

Alternative remedies can be a great way to stay healthy, but

it's important to always consult your doctor before you begin

something new.

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Jon M. Stout is the Chairman of the Golden Moon Tea Company.

Golden Moon Tea carefully selects the finest rare and orthodox

teas, which are processed slowly and handcrafted with extreme

care. At their website, you can learn more about their current

tea offerings, including their exceptional green tea

(http://www.goldenmoontea.com/greentea), white tea, black

tea, oolong tea (also known as wu-long and wu long tea -

http://www.goldenmoontea.com/wu-long) and chai. Visit

http://www.goldenmoontea.com for all details concerning

the Golden Moon Tea Company's fine line of teas.