(Question) Why does the sole of the foot hurt? The unexpected combination of medicine and food.

 

Is it because it's winter? I'm also thinking about that.

These days, the left side is okay, but in December, the top of the right foot was like that.

It was throbbing and aching,

Recently, I have been experiencing pain in the soles of my feet.

 

I think the swollen area under my big toe is hurting.

 

Gout?

I'm not sure if I recognize this...

 

I really like coffee, but I hardly ever drink carbonated beverages.

 

I am not taking medication for gout or osteoporosis, but

That high caffeine that prevents calcium from accumulating in my body...

 

Is this coffee the original?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The compatibility of food and dishes is very well known.

Pork and salted shrimp, soybean paste and chives, mackerel and radish are representative complementary foods. However, you may have rarely heard of the compatibility between food and medicine. Just like food, all medicines also have their own compatibility.

 

In most cases, there are many foods to avoid when it comes to the compatibility of medicine and food. The idea of medicine and food compatibility may be somewhat unfamiliar, but there are well-known foods that are almost completely incompatible with most medicines. One such food is alcohol. Alcoholic beverages place a burden on the liver and are generally incompatible with medications that require liver function. Alcohol is the enemy of almost all medicines.

 

And in the case of caffeine, it interacts poorly with many more medications than we might think. However, proteins, carbohydrates, and even vitamins can also conflict with the medications we take. Recently, the Korea Food & Drug Administration compiled a list of foods to check before meals if you are taking medication, and published it as a booklet called 'Medication and Food Interaction Avoidance Guide.' Here, we introduce some of the common medications and foods that should be avoided when taken together.

Allergy

The main ingredient of allergy medication is an antihistamine. However, key components of antihistamines such as fexofenadine have reduced effectiveness when taken with fruit juices. Fruit juices like grapefruit juice and orange juice affect stomach acidity and interfere with the absorption of the medication. Therefore, when taking antihistamines, it is correct to take them with water instead of juice.

 

 

Asthma, arthritis pain medication

Patients with bronchial asthma or chronic bronchitis should carefully check products containing caffeine and their medication ingredients. Medications used for bronchial conditions such as albuterol, clenbuterol, and theophylline can stimulate the central nervous system when taken with caffeine, potentially causing side effects like excitement, anxiety, and increased heart rate. Additionally, theophylline is incompatible with high-carbohydrate or high-fat foods. High-fat foods increase the absorption of theophylline, leading to excessive drug effects, while high-carbohydrate foods decrease the absorption, reducing its effectiveness.

 

Cardiovascular disease medication

Medications such as candesartan, valsartan, and telmisartan, used for hypertension or heart failure, can cause hyperkalemia.

 

Bananas, oranges, plums, and green-yellow vegetables are foods that contain a large amount of potassium, so they should be avoided when taking medication. You can easily find high-potassium foods by searching online, so if you are taking blood pressure medication, it is advisable to avoid these foods.

 

 

Gout, osteoporosis medication

The issue of compatibility between gout medication and food is uric acid.

 

It is best to avoid meat, bluefish, anchovies, and spinach, which produce a lot of uric acid.

 

Additionally, beers and makgeolli containing yeast also contain purines that are metabolized into uric acid in the body, so caution is necessary. Furthermore, bread and soft drinks with added fructose also increase uric acid levels and are as risky as alcohol, so they should be avoided.

 

Taking osteoporosis medications such as alendronate and risedronate on an empty stomach in the morning is an effective way to enhance their efficacy.

 

The key is to take the medication with sufficient water to reduce strain on the esophagus during ingestion.

 

Additionally, high-caffeine beverages such as coffee do not cause calcium buildup in the body, while carbonated drinks like cola and cider contain large amounts of phosphorus, which promotes calcium loss from the bones. It is advisable for osteoporosis patients to avoid these drinks.

 

 

[Source: Ministry of Food and Drug Safety]