Ran across this article this morning:
Supplements That Should Not Be Mixed
I was struck by how many supplements I DON'T take... because I'm not trying to make up for a bad diet. Just as exercise won't take the pounds off by itself, eating badly and thinking we can make up for something by taking a pill of whatever form. It's not a working plan, and it hasn't been working.
Like I use green tea to keep my cortisol low, and Ashwagandha is a favorite adaptogen, which are herbs which provides a "boost" for me when I take them for 6-8 week periods. But the article warns me I shouldn't do that if I'm taking prescription drugs:
Quote:
But taking ashwagandha might interact with a variety of medications including:
Drugs for people with diabetes
Taking ashwagandha with antidiabetes drugs meant to lower blood sugar levels could increase the risk of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) (NMD, 2022). Some herbs have been shown to help in the management of diabetes, but taking them on top of drugs that do that too can potentially lead to blood sugar that is too low (Gupta, 2017).
Drugs for high blood pressure
There is animal research that suggests that ashwagandha may lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure, putting people who take blood pressure-lowering medication at risk for hypotension, blood pressure that is too low (NMD, 2022).
Immunosuppressants
Human research has shown that ashwagandha can stimulate the immune system. In addition, animal research has shown that ashwagandha can decrease the effectiveness of the immunosuppression caused by cyclophosphamide, a drug used to treat cancer and nephrotic syndrome (NMD, 2022).
|
This is good to know, but I'm eating in a way that gives me stable blood sugar, normal blood pressure, and a grip on my autoimmune issues. It turns out adaptogenic herbs all have a beneficial effect on my quest to stabilize my cortisol and stress levels in a way that lets my body function properly. I apparently I shouldn't take them when I'm eating a bad diet and taking drugs for it.
While I am a fan of medicine, I think the science of nutrition has been so woefully propagandized we really need a double-take on this assumption, as so many doctors have, that at my age I'm not taking ENOUGH drugs. I've lost track of the many who were certain I was simply under-medicated, and offered their favorite combo of Prozac and Ambien. Get me shut up, going and coming, because they aren't given any other tools.
We can't outrun a bad diet, and we can't medicate/supplement our way out, either. That was my take on this article, which was really interesting.
DH, who always had high triglycerides and high blood pressure on the SAD, is getting great numbers and cutting down his dose of high blood pressure medicine as it swings, in smaller and smaller arcs, back to normal as he decreases his doses -- with doctor permission -- with the pills.