WHEN FOODS REACT WITH DRUGS

Here's a list of five healthy diet staples that may interact with prescription drugs so read and pay heed

One of the most popular New Year's resolutions is making a commitment to healthier eating. Whether that's eating more fruits and vegetables, cutting down on meat consumption or even becoming a vegetarian or vegan a few days a week.

While there are many benefits that can come from following a healthier diet, it's important that any diet changes are made carefully. This is especially true if you're someone who takes a prescription drug, as many health food staples can negatively interact with them.

Here are some common foods and drinks interactions you should know about:

Green leafy vegetables
Spinach, broccoli and kale are often hailed as healthy foods because they're filled with nutrients while being low in calories. However, they're also high in vitamin K, which is needed to activate certain clotting factors (proteins in the blood which help it clot). This may be problematic for patients taking warfarin. Warfarin works by blocking vitamin K in order to prevent blood clots from forming. But eating foods rich in vitamin K can lower your INR and increase the risk of developing a blood clot.

It's important to have a healthy diet but be sure to monitor your INR levels or speak to your doctor if you do introduce more vitamin K-rich foods into your diet.