Read this before Changing Your Diet Because a plant-based diet so powerfully reduces risk factors, we must adjust your medications prior to starting the diet. The type of diet that I promote is healthy and safe. Strangely, though, making a dramatic diet change can be dangerous to people taking certain medications. Suppose you start a diet that quickly lowers your blood pressure to the normal range. At the same time, you continue taking your blood pressure medications at your previous dosages. Now you could experience too low a blood pressure. This could cause you to be lightheaded, pass out if you stand up too fast, or more serious effects. If you are taking insulin for diabetes and don't coordinate changes in dosages with your doctor, this could cause a potentially life threatening reaction. You may be overdosing yourself when you blood sugar levels come down on the diet. You could become severely hypoglycemic and risk falling into a coma. Suppose you take Coumadin, a blood thinner. If you change your diet without appropriately monitoring or adjusting your medication, you could find that your blood is more or less thinned. You may increase your risk of clotting or bleeding. There are other medications with similar potential side effects. A plant-based diet is safe, but it is powerful. Let your doctor know when you decide to make any diet changes. We can discuss which of your medications we need to reduce in dose or discontinue. Even if you are not on medications, contact Dr. Beck prior to starting any new diet, including the ones discussed on this website. Return to Moving Toward a Plant-Based Diet or Continue with the Next Topic

Read this before Changing Your Diet

Because a plant-based diet so powerfully reduces risk factors, we must adjust your medications prior to starting the diet. The type of diet that I promote is healthy and safe. Strangely, though, making a dramatic diet change can be dangerous to people taking certain medications. Suppose you start a diet that quickly lowers your blood pressure to the normal range. At the same time, you continue taking your blood pressure medications at your previous dosages. Now you could experience too low a blood pressure. This could cause you to be lightheaded, pass out if you stand up too fast, or more serious effects.

If you are taking insulin for diabetes and don't coordinate changes in dosages with your doctor, this could cause a potentially life threatening reaction. You may be overdosing yourself when you blood sugar levels come down on the diet. You could become severely hypoglycemic and risk falling into a coma.

Suppose you take Coumadin, a blood thinner. If you change your diet without appropriately monitoring or adjusting your medication, you could find that your blood is more or less thinned. You may increase your risk of clotting or bleeding.

There are other medications with similar potential side effects.

A plant-based diet is safe, but it is powerful. Let your doctor know when you decide to make any diet changes. We can discuss which of your medications we need to reduce in dose or discontinue. Even if you are not on medications, contact Dr. Beck prior to starting any new diet, including the ones discussed on this website.

Return to Moving Toward a Plant-Based Diet

or Continue with the Next Topic - Vitamin B12 is Required