This Holidays

Writen by Dorothy M. Neddermeyer, PhD

The holidays are upon us with rich delicacies that threaten to derail a healthy food plan and clog arteries. There is good news.

Researchers have found that physical activity after a high calorie meal not only reverses the arterial dysfunction caused by fatty foods, but actually improves the function of these arteries compared to before the meal.

Reported in the European Journal of Applied Physiology, the findings are part of a growing focus on the effect food has on the body after a meal. "What happens four hours after that high-fat meal, is that your artery looks just like the arteries of a person who has heart disease, said co-author Janet P. Wallace, professor in IU Bloomington's Department of Kinesiology. "What our study showed is that when you exercise after that meal, it does not look like a sick artery anymore." High fat meals cause oxidative stress that harm the arteries and contribute to such conditions as heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer's and cancer. This research shows that physical activity counteracts this oxidative effect. More studies need to be done.

Based on this research, it appears that fatty foods in moderation and exercising won't derail your healthy food plan.

Want to increase your odds--consider these low fat delicious items:

Sweet Potato--A nutritional All-Star – one of the best vegetables you can eat. They're loaded with carotenoids, vitamin C, potassium, and fiber. Mix in unsweetened applesauce or crushed pineapple for extra moisture and sweetness.

Grape Tomatoes: They're sweeter and firmer than other tomatoes, and their bite-size shape makes them perfect for snacking, dipping, or salads. They're also packed with vitamin C and vitamin A, some fiber, some phytochemicals, and zesty flavor.

Blue Berries They're rich in fiber, vitamin C, and antioxidents. Toss'em in cereal, stir'em in yogurt, or sprinkle them on low-fat ice cream.

Wild Salmon: The omega-3 fats in fatty fresh fish like wild salmon can help reduce the risk of sudden-death heart attacks. Wild salmon has less dioxin contaminant than farmed salmon. Salmon pate` is heavenly on rice crackers.

Crispbreads: Whole-grain rye crackers—Wasa, Ry Krisp, and Ryvita – usually called are loaded with fiber and often fat-free.

Brown Rice: Instead of white potatoes. Excellent fiber, magnesium, vitamins E and B-6, copper, zinc. Quick cooking or regular brown rice makes rice an easy dish.

Butternut Squash: A growing number of food stores sell peeled, seeded, cut, and ready to go – into the oven, into a stir-fry, or into a soup or risotto–bags of diced butternut squash. Every half cup has 5 grams of fiber and payloads of vitamins A and C.

Greens: Kale, spinach, and broccoli rabe are nutritional power houses. Most are loaded with vitamin C, carotenoids, calcium, folate, potassium, and fiber.