While herbal teas in moderation are safe to drink while taking medications, drinking coffee is of great concern and you probably were not warned of this by your doctor either. The reason is that the majority of medical doctors are not trained in herbal medicine or nutrition. Therefore most of them assume that herbal teas, herbal and nutritional supplements interact with their patient’s medications. On the other hand, many medications deplete the body of nutrients like a contraceptive pill for example, or decrease absorption together like Nexium. Coffee is also acidifying and diuretic too.
A comprehensive Natural Medicine Data Base is available online to all professionals in the health industry, by paid subscription, which provides comprehensive information on interactions between medications, herbs, commercial products, and food.
Every naturopath is trained for 5 years at a University or at a College and so subscribes to such database in order to provide her/his patients with facts only not the myth. By cross-referencing a patient’s medications and food for instance a naturopath or an integrative medicine doctor may find out that some of the food /drink a patient consumes, may have major interactions with his medications.
A classic example are beverages such as coffee, grapefruit juice, beer, cocoa, and wine which have major interactions with most medications. Major interaction means that such food/beverage /medication increases or decreases the action of the medication. This is of concern, but were you advised by your medical professional of that?
Do you know what you may eat or drink while on your medication?
How many medications do you take?
Were you advised which medication/s depletes your body of certain nutrients?
Do you drink coffee, wine, beer, grapefruit juice, or eat chocolate or soy?
Has your doctor provided you with the list of foods and drinks you should avoid because they interact with your medication?
Some foods are contraindicated in certain medical conditions and it is imperative that you know which. A naturopath will be able to answer all those questions.
Below is an example of only a few most common beverages and foods contraindicated in chronic conditions and while taking medications.
| food | Not recommended in medical condition | rationale |
| coffee | arthritis, anxiety, pain, bone fractures, gallstones, gastric hyperacidity, IBS, stomach ulcer, sciatica, stroke, angina, high blood pressure | Increases acidity, stimulating |
| Cocoa, chocolate | pain | Increases acidity |
| Black tea (tannins) | Pain, Cataracts, benign breast disease, anemia | Tannins, reduced absorption of nutrients |
| beer | Diabetes, digestive disorders, UC | acidic |
| wine | stroke | |
| Soy | Pain, colitis, venous insufficiency | Phytoestrogens interactions possibly GMO |
If you would like to know more about how natural medicine can help you, please contact Danuta Hulajko on 02 4854 0205
Danuta Hulajko is a holistic practitioner, international speaker, founder and practitioner at the DH Natural Medicine Clinic and www.healingremedies.com.au , Southern Highlands. She specialises in anti-aging, autoimmunity, thyroid conditions, digestive disorders and heavy metals chelation. For more information please go to our website. You can follow Danuta Hulajko’s work, events, seminars, expos, latest health research, health tips and advice on Facebook and LinkedIn
