I know, I know. Just in time for those weekend indulgences, a new study finds eating fatty food seems to take its toll – almost immediately – on our short-term memory and exercise performance.  Of course, we already know that eating a high-fat diet can eventually lead to weight gain, heart disease and hurt our memory and other mental functions. But the new research shows indulging in fatty foods over a period of a few days can affect the brain and body long before you pack on those extra pounds.

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Here’s more proof of how the obesity epidemic is hurting our kids. New research shows obese children as young as seven have high levels – up to 10 times the normal amount – of compounds linked to heart disease and heart attacks. Other studies have shown signs of heart disease in even younger kids.

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The NFL may be filled with athletes, but a new study finds many of them have high blood pressure and the biggest linemen may be at risk of heart disease and diabetes. Researchers say 91 percent of the largest players have high blood pressure or pre-hypertension. And 78 percent of the smallest players have higher than normal blood pressure compared with 30 percent of men aged 24 to 35 in the general population.

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Here’s a heart healthy brunch recipe that’s perfect for Mother’s Day… or whenever your heart desires. It’s from WomenHeart’s ALL HEART Family Cookbook and ToastToWomen.com – a website created by Clos du Bois Winery and WomenHeart: The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease – to support women’s heart disease awareness.

Before we get to the recipe, check out how you can help. Visit ToastToWomen.com and send someone a free, personalized eToast. For every eToast sent, Clos du Bois will donate $1 to WomenHeart. So toast away! Now on to this mouthwatering, healthy recipe…

Asparagus Frittata

A lower-fat Canadian bacon is a great way to add some smoky meat flavor to this open-faced omelet – without all the fat and cholesterol of bacon or ham.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 shallots, finely chopped
2 ounces Canadian bacon, cut into thin strips
1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1” pieces
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1-1/2 cups egg substitute
1 cup shredded low-fat Jarlsberg cheese

Directions:
Preheat the broiler. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallots, bacon and asparagus and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, or until the asparagus is tender-crisp. Add the garlic, salt and pepper and cook for another minute. Stir in the egg substitute and 3/4 cup of the cheese. Cook, without stirring, for 5 minutes longer, or until the
bottom is lightly browned.

If your skillet is not heatproof, wrap the handle with foil. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup cheese over the frittata. Broil 6” from the heat for 5 minutes, or until the cheese melts and the frittata is set.

Serves 6

Heart healthy ingredients: 4

Per serving: 161 calories, 71 calories from fat, 8 g total fat, 2 g saturated fat, 4 g monounsaturated fat, 2 g polyunsaturated fat, 10 mg cholesterol, 347 mg sodium, 7 g carbohydrates, 2 g fiber, 3 g sugar, 16 g protein

GETTING INTO THE THICK OF IT
If pencil-thin asparagus isn’t available or you prefer it thick, go ahead and buy the larger spears (they’re delicious grilled). Just snap off the woody ends and use a potato peeler to remove the tough outer layer and reveal the tender insides. (Not to worry; nearly all of the heart healthy benefits are stored inside.)

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If you’re a meat lover, you might want to cut back a bit. A new large study finds older Americans who eat too much red meat and processed meats are more at risk of dying from heart disease and cancer. Researchers say over 10 years, eating the equivalent of a quarter-pound hamburger every day gave men a 22 percent higher risk of dying of cancer and a 27 percent higher risk of dying of heart disease compared to those who ate the least red meat – just five ounces a week. And women who ate a lot of red meat had a 20 percent higher risk of dying of cancer and a 50 percent higher risk of dying of heart disease than women who ate less.

How much red meat and processed meat do you eat?

Me – I don’t care for the stuff and only eat poultry and fish.

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You know obesity can lead to a lot of serious health problems, but did you know it kills more than 25,000 people a year in the United States? Now a new study finds weighing too much can take up to ten years off your life.  Researchers from Oxford University in England say if you’re 40 or more pounds over a healthy weight, you may be cutting about three years off your life, mostly from heart disease and stroke. And if you’re about 100 or more pounds over a healthy weight, you could be shortening your life by as many as 10 years.

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More disturbing news about the effects of obesity on children – A new report finds overweight preschoolers as young as age three can begin to show signs of heart disease. Researchers say kids with high BMIs and large waist circumferences are more likely to have elevated levels of C-reactive protein and lower levels of HDL cholesterol – both risk factors of heart disease – than children who are at a normal weight.

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Obesity epidemic hits toddlers

Obese kids have middle-aged arteries

How to talk to your kids about obesity

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Last year, we found out a big belly in mid-life can increase the risk of dementia. Now several new studies show obesity, diabetes and heart disease can do the same. Researchers say more and more data are showing the connection between lifestyle and cognitive decline. They stress it’s important to improve your lifestyle early in life to help slow the effects of Alzheimer’s disease when you get older.

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You probably know you should avoid artery-clogging trans fats. But do you know where they lurk? A new report finds out of 1,000 U.S. adults surveyed in 2007, 92 percent said they had heard of trans fats, and most knew they may raise the risk of heart disease. But when they were asked to name three foods with trans fats, only 21 percent could do so.

Can you name three types of foods that contain trans fats?

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You may not want to count on a multivitamin to keep you from getting a serious illness. The largest study ever of older women who take multivitamins finds the pills do nothing to prevent common cancers or heart disease. The findings are similar to recent disappointing results in men. Research has focused on cancer and heart disease in particular because there’s proof diets full of vitamin-rich foods may protect against those illnesses. But pills may not do the trick.

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