Thanksgiving Tip

ating just one fatty meal can affect your blood vessel function and increase inflammation in your vessels and arteries. Saturated fat in particular can affect the ability of your blood vessels and arteries to expand enough for the blood to flow through easily. This difficulty can cause a heart attack and, in fact, there are more heart attacks on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's than on other days of the year. Researchers speculate that for those who are predisposed to heart disease, the combination of large, fatty meals, excess salt, alcohol and holiday stress can contribute to a cardiac event.

I don't expect you not to overeat on holidays, but there are things you can do to help moderate the harmful effects of the holiday meal. First, go for a long walk or exercise for 90 minutes before your big meal to increase blood flow, improve vessel function and lower the amount of fat that will get into your blood stream. Second, try to minimize the use of saturated fats like butter, margarine, shortening, cream and cheese. Use olive oil whenever possible, since it has anti-inflammatory properties that can prevent damage to the vessels. Third, try to use less salt and more fresh herbs to enhance flavors. Fourth, consume alcohol only moderately since it can depress heart function, precipitate arrhythmias and prompt you to overeat. Finally, take measures to reduce holiday stressors.

Eating healthfully and in moderation most of the time is important for protecting your health. If a holiday meal can affect our bodies this negatively, can you imagine the cumulative long-term effects of overeating? If you have trouble with portion control, start to work on leaving a few bites of food on your plate every time you eat. Learn to dislike the way you feel after you overeat so you can break that habit and get yourself on track for healthy eating.