Food 911: What to Do After Splurging

Sept. 4, 2007 — -- So, you overdid it at the dinner table and now you're feeling a little guilty. Perhaps it was too much barbecue during the holiday weekend or too much popcorn.

Now you don't have to fret because there is a way to fix your diet mistakes. You can undo some of the damage by eating strategically. Check out the tips below.

Problem: Bloated From too Much Salt

Fix: Get Potassium

So, after consuming a week's worth of salt in a bag of popcorn, you feel like a blimp. You need to get some potassium on board. There are several foods you can eat that are good sources of potassium: bananas, sweet potatoes, figs, unsalted edamame, watermelon, apricots or cantaloupe. Here's why: Potassium is sodium's chemical counterpart, and it latches onto sodium to flush the excess out in your urine. That relieves bloating. Another bonus is that potassium is also good for keeping blood pressure down.

Problem: Shaky From too Many Sugary Carbs

Fix: Get Protein and Fiber

So you overdid it on cake and cookies, and now you've got the shakes and feel sick. Then, you should nibble on foods high in protein, fiber and complex carbs. The combination of both is key, and you should eat them ASAP.

Try yogurt and berries; handful of almonds and small fruit, like an apple; peanut butter on whole-grain toast or unsalted soy nuts. The complex carbs work because those empty, refined carbohydrates cause your blood sugar to spike. Protein, fiber and complex carbs take longer to digest and are released slowly into your bloodstream. This will even cut your blood sugar when you eat them right away.

Problem: Saturated Fat Heading Straight for Your Heart

Fix: Get Soluble Fiber

If the grease from your burger and fries is headed straight to your heart, you should know that fat, particularly saturated, increases cholesterol and increases the risk for cardiovascular disease.

So you should eat soluble fiber. Go for whole-wheat bread, fruit like blueberries, pears or raspberries, and vegetables like asparagus, broccoli, peas, bean , raw carrots and humus or a high-fiber cereal.

It works because fiber binds to LDL, the bad cholesterol, pulling it from your blood and ushering it out of your body. Unlike with the blood sugar scenario, you don't need to eat this immediately to get the benefits. Have fiber within 24 hours of your greasy meal. Example: Did you have pepperoni pizza for dinner? Have Kashi Go Lean with berries for breakfast.

Also, take a walk. If you take a 30- to 45-minute walk, you can undo some of those heart-damaging effects the greasy foods created. It won't do much for your calories, but it's heart smart.

Problem: Too Much Caffeine

Fix: Eat a High-Carb Snack

When this happens, your best bet is having a high-carb snack before going to bed. Eat a bowl of cereal with skim milk, crackers or toast with jelly. The reason it works is because carbohydrates contain tryptophan, which helps you fall asleep. Tryptophan is the amino acid that the body uses to make serotonin, the neurotransmitter that slows down brain traffic.

For more tips go to www.self.com/health.