Don't Eat This If You're Taking That: Medication and Food Interactions
Author: AARP
Published: 2017/05/02 - Updated: 2026/01/25
Publication Type: Literature / Review
Category Topic: Publications - Related Publications
Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main - Insights, Updates
Synopsis: This report, authored by the Fernstrom researchers and published by AARP, addresses a critical gap in consumer health knowledge: understanding how everyday foods can reduce medication effectiveness or trigger serious health complications. The resource proves particularly valuable for adults managing multiple prescriptions, seniors taking blood thinners or cholesterol drugs, and disabled individuals dependent on complex medication regimens. By organizing practical guidance across eight major drug categories - from antidepressants to heart medicines - it cuts through medical jargon to explain concrete interactions: why grapefruit interferes with statins, how leafy greens affect anticoagulants, or which supplements interact dangerously with antidepressants. The revised edition includes updated alerts for over-the-counter vitamin and mineral interactions, making it genuinely useful for anyone whose medications require dietary adjustments - Disabled World (DW).
Introduction
Millions of Americans age 50-plus take prescription drugs, yet few know the health risks of taking them along with certain foods and over-the-counter (OTC) supplements. For instance, some blood thinners taken with everyday foods like spinach, kale, and tomatoes can increase the risk of irregular heartbeat and heart attack.
Main Content
To address these kinds of food and drug interactions, AARP and Skyhorse Publishing have just released a jointly published revised edition of Don't Eat This If You're Taking That: The Hidden Risks of Mixing Food and Medicine (Skyhorse Publishing paperback; May 2, 2017).
Written by Madelyn Fernstrom, Ph.D., and her husband John Fernstrom, Ph.D., Don't Eat This If You're Taking That provides a consumer's guide to understanding how mixing prescription medications with certain foods and supplements can lessen their effectiveness or even cause a serious health problem.
"Most people are surprised to learn that even healthy foods can interfere with the actions of many medicines," says Madelyn Fernstrom. "Small changes in what you eat can make a big difference in making sure your medications are working the way your doctor intended."
Some examples of expert advice from Fernstrom:
- Avoid eating grapefruit when taking cholesterol medicine.
- Know which of the many herbal supplements can affect blood pressure.
- Steer clear of red wine, hard cheese, and chocolate while on certain antidepressants.
The revised and thoroughly redesigned edition focuses on which foods to take and which to avoid with the most common prescription drugs. Covering everything from antidepressants to herbal supplements, the book takes the mystery out of food and medication interactions. The book is divided into eight sections covering the most widely-used medications:
- Antidepressants
- Pain relievers
- Blood thinners
- Diabetes drugs
- Antacids
- Cholesterol drugs
- Blood pressure drugs
- Heart medicines
"This book will help anybody tackle the complexities of food and medicine interaction," said Jodi Lipson, Director of AARP Books. "Don't Take This If You're Eating That is especially useful for people taking more than one medication."
Each chapter of the book features a Dietary Supplements Alert box providing up-to-date information on drug interactions with OTC vitamins and minerals.
Insights, Analysis, and Developments
Editorial Note: The intersection of pharmacology and nutrition remains surprisingly overlooked in standard medical practice, despite affecting millions taking multiple medications daily. This guide fills that void by translating complex drug-nutrient interactions into actionable information without oversimplification, respecting readers' intelligence while avoiding technical jargon that obscures real health consequences. For disabled individuals and chronic disease patients who often navigate intricate medication schedules, understanding these interactions represents genuine autonomy - the ability to make informed choices about what goes into their bodies rather than discovering adverse effects through trial and error or medical emergencies. Its structured approach suggests that medication safety isn't mystical but manageable with the right information - Disabled World (DW).Attribution/Source(s): This quality-reviewed publication was selected for publishing by the editors of Disabled World (DW) due to its relevance to the disability community. Originally authored by AARP and published on 2017/05/02, this content may have been edited for style, clarity, or brevity.