The Tropical Way to Nix Cholesterol and Pain

Think a Hawaiian vacation makes you feel so great just because, well, it's a vacation? No doubt about that. But it's possible that two of the islands' favorite goodies may be acting like secret agents to help that feeling:

• Macadamia nuts. The fact that macadamias are so rich in unsaturated fats -- more than almost any other nut -- appears to make up for the fact that they also contain some saturated fat. The heart-healthy proof: When people with moderately high cholesterol ate a diet with a handful of macadamia nuts mixed in daily for 5 weeks, they lowered total and lousy LDL cholesterol about 9% more than when they just ate an average American diet. If you eat macadamias, though, use them to kick out a source of unhealthy fat in your diet; don't just add them to what you already eat. (Walnuts help your arteries, too. Although we're talking Hawaiian specialties today, we'll say that walnut-crusted mahimahi is a favorite).


• Pineapple. This juicy fruit contains an anti-inflammatory enzyme called bromelain that may help tame an achy back or bum knee. Bromelain seems to soothe your cells by reducing the migration of white blood cells to areas where there's inflammation -- like sunburned skin, injured muscles, and arthritic joints.

If you're not a pineapple fan, you can get bromelain straight from a supplement. That might even be better, since you can get far more from it than you can from fresh pineapple. You can try about 100 milligrams of bromelain a day for sore joints, if your doc approves.