All About Technology That You Need

The 2012 National Geographic Photography Contest ends on November 30th, and participants can submit photos in all or one of three categories: people, places and nature. The grand prize winner will win a $10,000 prize and a trip to the National Geographic headquarters in Washington, DC. Here is a look at a few of the many breathtaking entries.

The number of common prescription drugs that can interact with grapefruit—with potentially serious or even fatal results—is climbing sharply, according to a new comprehensive review published in Canadian Medical Association Journal.

Researchers from Western University report that grapefruit juice can interact with more than 85 oral medications, including certain cholesterol-lowering statins, cancer medications, antibiotics, anti-depressants, pain medications, heart drugs and other widely used pills.

"What I've noticed over the last four years is really quite a disturbing trend, and that is the increase in the number of drugs that can produce not only adverse reactions but extraordinarily serious adverse drug reactions," lead researcher David Bailey, a clinical pharmacologist at the Lawson Health Research Institute, told CBC News.

Learn About More Dangerous Drug and Food Interactions

Potentially Fatal Interactions

Between 2008 and 2012, the number of drugs with the potential to cause the most dangerous interactions, including acute kidney or respiratory failure and GI bleeding, has jumped from 17 to 44, says Bailey, "Half of these drugs actually can cause sudden death," if taken within hours of drinking grapefruit juice (or eating the fruit.)

Although the tart citrus can interact with more than 85 drugs, some interactions are unlikely to cause serious harm. Here's a closer look at the research and what you need to know to protect your health. A number of other foods, including deli meat, milk and even candy, can also react adversely with certain drugs.

5 Hidden Dangers in Your Home

Why Are Grapefruit-Drug Interactions So Dangerous?

Twenty years ago, the same team of researchers discovered that grapefruit disrupts the body's metabolism of certain drugs. The tart citrus contains compounds called furanocoumarins that interfere with enzymes that break down the drugs.

That means more of the drug stays in your body, which could cause it to build up to toxic or even lethal levels. The same compounds are also found in other citrus fruits, including Seville oranges (the kind used in marmalade), limes and pomelos, the study reports, but not in regular oranges.

These adverse reactions can occur many hours after someone consumes grapefruit or its juice—and as little as one glass of grapefruit juice can be enough to trigger dangerous interactions, the researchers report.

Which Drugs Interact with Grapefruit?

All of the drugs cited in the review are taken orally and share certain characteristics. They have limited "bioavailability," meaning that, normally, only small amounts of the drug circulate in the bloodstream. And they all interact in the gut with an enzyme called CYP3A4.

Although this information is included in medication packet inserts, many people, including doctors, aren't aware of this hazard, the review reported. Drugs with the potential to interact with grapefruit include the following:

• statins (Zocor, Lipitor)
• calcium channel blockers (Procardia, Nimotop, Sular)

And certain medications for the following conditions:

• anxiety (BuSpar)
• heart arrhythmias (Cordarone)
• depression (Zoloft)
• seizures (Tegretol, Carbatrol)
• malaria (quinine)
• insomnia (Halcion)

The Most Addictive Prescription Drugs on The Market

What Kinds of Interactions Can Occur?

One of the most dangerous medications—if combined with whole grapefruit, concentrate, or fresh juice—is the heart drug Multaq (dronedarone). This interaction can trigger a rare type of ventricular tachycardia, an extremely rapid heart arrhythmia, the researchers report.

Mixing the citrus fruit with the prescription painkiller oxycodone can lead to severe breathing problems, while combining grapefruit and the statin medication Zocor (simvastatin) may spark a potentially life-threatening complication called rhabdomyolysis, in which breakdown of muscle fibers can result in kidney damage of failure.

For a complete list of drugs that react with grapefruit—and which adverse events can occur, click here.

Which Other Foods Interact With Medication?

Among the other common foods that affect absorption or effects of medication are:

Black licorice. Many forms of black licorice (used to flavor foods and candy) contain a sweet substance called glycyrrhizin, which can increase the toxicity of certain drugs or worsen side effects.

Drugs it can interact with: University of Maryland warns that if you're taking Lanoxin (a treatment for heart failure and irregular heartbeats), licorice can dangerously raise the risk of toxic side effects. It can also lower the effectiveness of ACE inhibitors and diuretics used to regulate blood pressure, may increase adverse effects from insulin, and boosts the potency of corticosteroids. There have also been reports of women on birth control pills developing high blood pressure and low potassium levels after eating licorice.

Leafy green vegetables. Kale, spinach, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage can make medication that combats blood clots less effective. That's because these foods are high in vitamin K, a crucial nutrient for clot formation, while the goal of anticoagulant therapy is to slow down production of vitamin K to reduce clot risk. In effect, these foods counteract the drug's desired effect.

Drugs these foods can interact with: Warfarin (Coumadin). If you take this drug, it's not necessary to avoid leafy greens—instead doctors advise eating a consistent amount week to week, so your dose of warfarin can be calibrated accordingly.

Milk. Milk and calcium supplements can interfere with absorption of certain infection-fighting drugs, if taken together. The best solution is to wait a few hours after taking these drugs before drinking milk, popping a calcium supplement, or taking antacids (which can also contain calcium).

Drugs it can interact with: Tetracycline and fluoroquinolones (a class of antibiotics that includes Cipro, Levaquin and Avelox).

Alcohol. Mixing alcohol with certain medications—including both prescription and over-the-counter drugs—can have a wide range of harmful effects, from nausea and vomiting to drowsiness (increasing risk for car accidents), internal bleeding, liver damage, sudden changes in blood pressure, impaired breathing, and loss of coordination, warns National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA).

Drugs it can interact with: Painkillers, OTC cold, cough, flu and allergy remedies statins, drugs for angina (Isodil), anxiety and epilepsy (Ativan, Klonopin, Xanax,), arthritis (Celebrex, Voltaren), depression (Celexa, Effexor, Lexapro), diabetes (Glucophage, Orinase), enlarged prostate, high blood pressure, infections and other conditions. NIAAA offers a detailed list of drugs that don't mix with alcohol.

Aged, cured or pickled foods. Aged cheeses like cheddar or Swiss, cured meats, and sauerkraut contain tyramine, an amino acid that sparks one of the most feared drug-food interactions when combined with certain antidepressants. The mixture can cause facial flushing, sweating, sudden rise in blood pressure, irregular heartbeats and brain hemorrhage. Tyramine is also found in certain types of wine, such as Chianti, sherry and Riesling.

Drugs it can interact with: Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI) for depression, and the antibiotics Zyvox and isoniazid.

Chocolate. The caffeine in chocolate (and other caffeinated foods) can trigger severe jitters or tremors when combined with certain meds, and packs a double whammy by irritating the stomach lining, amplifying the side effects of drugs likely to cause nausea. Chocolate also contains some tryamine, the culprit in a food-drug interaction that killed a University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics patient.

Drugs it can interact with: MAO inhibitors for depression, some antibiotics, narcotic painkillers like Vicodin and Percoset, asthma medications, and stimulants, such as Ritalin.

Avoiding food-drug interactions

The best ways to protect yourself is to check medication package inserts for interaction warnings and ask your doctor and pharmacist if they advise any dietary restrictions. Drugs.com offers an online interaction checker for both interactions with other drugs and with food.

As the evenings get darker (and colder) it's tempting to crave calorific comfort food. But you can still enjoy satisfying winter foods if you're watching your waistline. Check these out...

Sardine puttanesca
Sardine puttanesca © Jo RomeroThe pasta's not to blame for all the calories in lasagne and carbonara - it's the cheese and cream in the sauces. This punchy tomato-based sauce also contains sardines, which are high in Omega-3 fats. Serves 2.

Ingredients:
140g dried spaghetti
120g can skinless, boneless sardines in olive oil
2 chunky garlic cloves, chopped
1 tsp capers
quarter teaspoon chilli flakes
handful black pitted olives, sliced in half lengthways
400g can chopped tomatoes
handful of fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Method:
Put the pasta on to boil. While it's cooking, fry the garlic, chilli flakes and capers in a little olive oil for about 1 minute. Tip in the sardines, with a little of their olive oil if you like, trying not to break up the fillets too much. Finally, stir in the tomatoes and olives and leave to bubble for about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve with the drained pasta and a generous sprinkling of freshly chopped parsley.

Leek, potato and goat's cheese frittata
Leek, potato and goat's cheese frittata © Jo RomeroThis frittata is filling, healthy and cheap. Goat's cheese is low in cholesterol but still adds an indulgent creaminess to the dish. Serves 2.

Ingredients:
200g new potatoes, washed and cut into 1cm wide slices
1 tsp butter and a drizzle of olive oil
1 small leek, washed and trimmed
4 eggs, beaten
50g soft goat's cheese

Method:
Boil the potato slices for 5 minutes, until just tender. Rinse with cold water and pat dry. Meanwhile, thinly slice the leek and gently fry in the butter and olive oil until soft. Add the potato slices and season with salt and black pepper. Crumble half of the goat's cheese into the beaten eggs and pour them into the pan. Give the pan a shake and cook for about 5 minutes. Crumble the remaining cheese over the top and slide the pan under a hot grill. Grill until golden, slice into wedges and serve hot.

Spinach and ricotta flatbread pizza
Spinach and ricotta flatbread pizza © Jo RomeroRicotta is low in fat and makes a great topping for a pizza. This recipe uses ready-made flatbreads, so it can be whipped up in minutes, too. Serves 4.

Ingredients:
2 garlic and parsley flatbreads
200g tin chopped tomatoes
1 small red onion, chopped
handful baby spinach leaves
4 tbsp ricotta cheese
olive oil and black pepper, to serve

Method:
Heat the oven to 220ºC. Arrange the flatbreads on a baking tray and scatter over the chopped tomatoes (but not their juice), onion and spinach leaves. Finally, drop teaspoonfuls of the ricotta over the flatbreads, drizzle with a little olive oil and season with a pinch of salt and black pepper. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes, until the top is golden and the pizzas are cooked through.

Ratatouille-style vegetables with giant couscous
Ratatouille-style vegetables with giant couscous © Jo RomeroBoost your 'five a day' with this veggie dish served with giant couscous. The couscous is filling, low in fat and high in fibre.

oIngredients:
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 small aubergine, trimmed and diced
1 courgette, trimmed and diced
1 small red onion, peeled and chopped
400g tin chopped tomatoes
pinch dried thyme
pinch sugar
100g wholewheat giant couscous

Method:
Fry the garlic in a little olive oil until soft and then add the diced and chopped vegetables.
Cook for 5 minutes, until just softened and then stir in the chopped tomatoes, thyme and sugar. While that's simmering, heat 2 tbsp olive oil in another pan and gently fry the giant couscous for one minute, until it starts to turn golden. Pour in 200ml cold water and bring to a simmer, leaving it to cook for about 15 minutes, or until tender. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper and serve hot, with the couscous.

Turkey and chorizo burgers
Turkey and chorizo burgers © Jo RomeroWe've used lean turkey mince and a little chorizo for these low-fat burgers topped with reduced-fat Swiss cheese. This is great made into 8-9 mini burgers or 4 large ones.

Ingredients:
1 medium onion
50g chorizo, chopped finely
500g lean turkey thigh mince
8 mini burger rolls
mayonnaise, rocket and low-fat Swiss cheese, to serve

Method:
Finely chop the onion and fry in a little olive oil until soft. Take off the heat and leave to cool completely. In a bowl, combine the turkey mince, chorizo and the cooled onions. Divide into 8 small burger patties and fry in a little olive oil for 10-15 minutes, turning occasionally. When they're fully cooked through and no pinkness remains, slide into a bun with a little mayonnaise, rocket and top with a slice of Swiss cheese.

Pan-fried venison steak with red wine

Pan-fried venison steak with red wine © Jo RomeroVenison is lean and has a rich flavour which works well with red wine. It also isn't as expensive as you probably think: you can pick up a venison steak for about £3. Serves 2.

Ingredients:
2 venison steaks
olive oil
salt and pepper
1 tsp butter
1 tsp plain flour
150ml red wine

Method:
Rub the venison steaks with a little olive oil and heat up a dry, non-stick frying pan. Season the steaks with a little salt and pepper and place them in the pan. Fry for about 10 minutes, turning once halfway through. Check the steaks are cooked, and then place them on a plate and leave to rest. Add the butter to the pan you cooked the steaks in and sprinkle in the flour. Stir, cooking for about 30 seconds and then pour in the wine. Increase the heat, stirring, until the sauce has thickened. Season the sauce with a pinch of salt and black pepper and serve with the steaks.

Creamy bacon pasta
Creamy bacon pasta © Jo RomeroJust for those moments when only a creamy pasta dish will do. We've used low fat soft cheese instead of the usual double cream and grated cheese. And because it already has a strong cheesy flavour, you don't need to add more cheese on top. Serves 4.

Ingredients:
250g dried pasta
4 rashers streaky bacon, chopped
1 garlic clove
100g low-fat soft cheese
black pepper and freshly chopped parsley, to serve

Method:
Put the pasta on to boil. Meanwhile, fry the bacon in a dry non-stick pan gently until just crisp. Drain off the fat that has rendered down from the bacon and grate in the garlic clove. Lower the heat and fold in the soft cheese, along with a grinding of black pepper and a little of the pasta cooking water to loosen the sauce. Toss the drained, cooked pasta into the sauce and scatter with freshly-chopped parsley just before serving.