Warfarin prevents clots from forming or from growing larger by stopping the formation of substances that cause clots. Because warfarin thins your blood, it's important to stop taking it before any surgical procedures. Check with your doctor regarding his recommendations before your surgery.

Warfarin's side effects include

• headache

• upset stomach

• diarrhea

• fever

• skin rash

Recently, there has been discussion that some beverages may inhibit the blood thinning properties of warfarin. The beverages in question include cranberry juice, grape juice and tea.

The theory was that the beverages inhibited the human enzyme upon which warfarin works to prevent the formation of clots. This led patients to wonder if it was safe to consume these beverages while taking warfarin and similar drugs.

Similar concerns were raised for patients who might be taking an anti-fungal such as fluconazole; the drug commonly prescribed to treat yeast infections.

A study was conducted to measure the effects of these three beverages on the effectiveness of warfarin. To conduct the study, researchers performed experiments both in vitro and on human participants, using flurbiprofen, a common anti-inflammatory drug.

The flurbiprofen mimics warfarin's action in the body, so it was thought to be a safer alternative for the participants.

The human participants were given grape juice, cranberry juice, brewed tea, or a placebo cranberry juice for control. The patients were also given either flurbiprofen to determine any interactions.

In addition, the patients were given fluconazole along with flubiprofen to study its possible interaction, too.

The study used 14 healthy volunteers and studied them weekly over a 5 week period. At each visit, the volunteer would receive a different combination, so that each combination could be compared on each participant.

In addition to using human participants, researchers also studied the reactions created by these various combinations in the lab. Under these conditions, scientists can more closely monitor exactly how the substances might affect each other.

The studies concluded that the beverages in question did not inhibit the effectiveness of warfarin in terms of its ability to thin the blood in the human studies. However, the in vitro trials showed a slight inhibition when the flurbiprofen was combined with tea or grape juice -but this finding was not replicated in the human studies.

What the studies did find, however, was that fluconazole did appear to inhibit the effectiveness of warfarin in both human trials and in vitro tests.

So, this study concluded that those who drink juices and tea need not worry that their beverages will interfere with the drug's ability to do its job. You should speak to your doctor, however, if you are prescribed fluconazole while taking warfarin, as the interaction may cause warfarin to be less effective.

But, you can feel safe drinking your usual beverages without fear that you'll have an interaction. And, in fact, if your beverage of choice is green tea, you may actually be working your way out of taking that warfarin in the future.

Green tea's potent anti-oxidants have been shown to help improve blood pressure and lower cholesterol. An improvement in blood pressure and cholesterol can mean a significant improvement in any cardiovascular disease that you might have.

Abnormally high blood pressure puts pressure on the arterial walls, which often causes them to have little nicks. Blood clots are formed as your body attempts to repair these little nicks.

But, if the blood clots grow too large or break off, they can block an artery to the heart, causing a heart attack. Or, if they block an artery that supplies the brain, they can cause a stroke.

Warfarin is prescribed to help prevent these clots from forming, but if blood pressure and cholesterol are lowered naturally, the need for a blood thinner can sometimes be eliminated.

Of course, you should never discontinue any medication without consulting your doctor, but wouldn't it be nice to be able to manage your blood pressure naturally?

In general, adding green tea to your diet is a healthy idea. It has been shown in study after study to help prevent premature aging and a whole host of diseases, including heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and some cancers. It may also help you keep your weight under control, which also helps keep you healthy and strong.

Try adding two to three cups of green tea per day to your diet to start seeing the healthy benefits. You'll find green tea available in a wide variety of flavors, in both loose form and tea bag form. You can drink it hot or iced - and add milk if you wish. Any way you drink it, you can be sure you're doing something healthy - and that won't interfere with medications you're already taking.