Nutrition & DietExercise Within 90 Minutes of a High-Fat Meal Protects Your Arteries
Eating a high-fat meal measurably impairs artery function within hours, reducing the heart's ability to compensate for blockages. Research shows that exercising before or shortly after such a meal — within a window of 18 hours prior to 90 minutes after — can clear fat from the blood and partially restore vascular function. Even 20 minutes of stair climbing, broken into five-minute intervals over four hours, was enough to prevent artery dysfunction following a fast-food breakfast. However, the benefit is short-lived: skipping exercise for just a few days erases any protective effect, regardless of overall fitness level.
