Message from
Councilman Mark Gjonaj
Grapefruit juice and several drugs don’t mix well together
SPIRIT
FILLED
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LOVE
EXTENDED
VAN NEST
ASSEMBLY
OF GOD
755 Rhinelander Ave.
Bronx, NY 10462
Corner of Holland
2 blocks from
White Plains Road
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multi cultural, multi-generational,
evangelistic home church!
5 services every Sunday.
8:30 am, 10 am (Service & Sunday School)
11:30 am, 4pm, 7pm.
Ministry programs and activities for
all ages — all week — all year!
Come join us in prayer, praise
and celebration!
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PASTOR
ASSISTANT PASTOR
YOUTH PASTOR
BRONX TIMES REPORTER, DECEMBER 28 24 -JANIARY 3, 2019 BTR
COUNCILMAN MARK GJONAJ
Grapefruit has vitamin C and potassium—
nutrients your body needs
to work properly –and the fruit and its
juice can be part of a healthy diet.
But it isn’t good for you when it affects
the way your medicines work.
Here are examples of some types of
drugs that grapefruit juice can cause
problems with (interact):
• Some statin drugs to lower cholesterol,
such as Zocor (simvastatin) and
Lipitor (atorvastatin).
• Some drugs that treat high blood
pressure, such as Procardia and Adalat
CC (both nifedipine).
• Some organ-transplant rejection
drugs, such as Sandimmune and
Neoral (both cyclosporine).
• Some psychiatric/neurological
medications, such as BuSpar (Buspirone),
Sertraline (Zoloft) and Carbamazepine
(Tegretol).
• Some corticosteroids that treat
Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis,
such as Entocort EC and Uceris (both
budesonide).
• Some drugs that treat abnormal
heart rhythms, such as Pacerone and
Nexterone (both amiodarone).
• Some antihistamines, such as Allegra
(fexofenadine).
• Erectile dysfunction medications
such as Viagra (sildenafi l)
Why does this happen?
When drugs are swallowed, they
may be broken down (metabolized) by
enzymes and/or absorbed using transporters
in cells found in the small intestine.
Grapefruit juice can cause
problems with these enzymes and
transporters, causing too much or too
little drug in the body.
With most drugs that interact with
grapefruit juice, the juice lets more of
the drug enter the blood. When there
is too much drug in the blood, you may
have more side effects.
But grapefruit juice also has the opposite
effect on some drugs, causing
less of the drug to enter your blood,
so the drug does not work as well as it
should.
What should you do?
Grapefruit juice does not affect all
drugs, even those in the categories
listed above. The severity of the interaction
can be different depending on
the person, the drug, and the amount
of grapefruit juice you drink. Ask
your doctor or pharmacist if any of the
drugs you take may be affected; how
much, if any, grapefruit juice you can
have; and if other fruits or juices may
also affect your drugs.
Brought to you by Montefi ore Medical
Group, R.A.I.N. and the Hartford
Institute for Geriatric Nursing @
NYU, based on material from the U.S.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
and Harvard Health Publishing.
BY TONY SALIMBENE
What a great Annual
Post Christmas party.
Ninety-fi rst I believe?
Thanks to vice commander
Gene, DJ Lady
V and Max from American
Turners.
Our next post meeting is the 3rd
Sunday in January at American
Turners, The Turner Club - 10:30
a.m. coffee and rolls, 11
a.m. meeting, noon buffet
and cash bar. Have
a happy and safe New
Years Eve!
Until next time:
“The most glorious
mess made is the mess
made on the living room fl oor Christmas
Day, don’t clean it up to quickly.”
- Andy Rooney
S SHOP OUR CLASSIFIED S
PAGES EVERY WEEK AND
SAVE MONEY
With the end of the year fast approaching
I want to take a moment to
refl ect on a successful 2018 and wish
everyone a happy New Year.
As the holiday season is coming to
an end it is important to bear in mind
the spirit of giving and generosity that
this time of year represents. I encourage
everyone to volunteer their time
and support a local charity or community
organization and give back to our
neighborhoods. The end of the year
and of the holiday celebrations should
not also be the end of generosity and
of caring for our neighbors. We must
take this spirit and energy into 2019.
While much was accomplished
in 2018, we have to work together to
strengthen our community even more
for 2019. With your support, I will continue
to fi ght for you and be the voice
of council district 13. I count on you all
expressing your concerns to my staff
and me, so that I can know the issues
and needs of our community.
It is because of your feedback that I
have ‘curb your dog’ and ‘illegal parking’
signs available at my district offi
ce and why I contest the city’s plan to
road diet Morris Park Avenue so passionately.
These are just a few of the examples
of how your feedback helps me
better represent you in City Hall. It is
imperative that we, as a community,
continue to work together to improve
our quality of life. Please call my offi
ce at (718) 931-1721 and ask about how
to sign-up for my weekly e-newsletter
and stay in touch with all community
developments.
I have a hardworking staff that is
dedicated to helping the residents of
the district and we are all eager to help
provide you with the resources necessary
to help you with your troubles.
“You can only get out of a community
that which you put into it” – Councilman
Mark Gjonaj
/www.vannestassembly.org
/www.vannestassembly.org