Diet may affect how medication works according to experts
EL PASO, TEXAS (KVIA)-- Medications that treat mental health disorders such as ADHD, depression and anxiety work best when paired with a healthy diet.
Tewiana Norris, Doctor of Nursing Practice and Chief Nurse Practitioner officer at Emergence Health Networks, says the food we eat may help regulate our brain function. The problem is, not everyone knows how to properly shop and prepare meals.
El Paosans Fighting Hunger and Emergence Health Network have combined forces to help patients understand how food works with their medicine. Through EPFH's Food FARMacy patients are able to work one on one with a dietitian to show them how to read labels and make healthier choices.
Since the food FARMacy opened in late 2021, they have worked with patients who have food related illnesses like diabetes and hypertension. Susan Goodell, CEO of El Pasoans Fighting Hunger says one of the things they've learning over time is that there are a large number of other medical conditions that require the extra nutrition and education that is offered at the food FARMacy.
Dr. Norris says to maintain a health diet she generally recommends adding more vegetables to your diet and choosing brown rice over white rice. Excessive intake of processed foods high in sugar or salt can leave a person feeling depressed, tired or fatigued and also cause weight gain.
"Medications as it relates to, antipsychotics, you have antidepressants, you have, other classes of medications, some of those medications will cause weight gain. You need to be able to one decrease that BMI, couple that with healthy food choices, moderate exercise. I know people say they exercise, but we need some moderate exercise and not just a slow scroll walk in a park." Dr. Norris said.
