Happy Valentine's Day Ladies

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 8, 2013

For years we have celebrated Valentine's Day with flowers, candy, romantic dinners, and more recently ,with news about women's heart health. According to the national Heart, Lung and Blood Institute," An astonishing 80 percent of women ages 40 to 60 have one or more risk factor for heart disease. Having just one risk factor doubles your chance of developing heart disease. Among U.S. women ages 18 and older, 17.3 percent are current smokers, 51.6 are overweight (BMI of 25 or greater), 27 percent have hypertension, 35 percent have high cholesterol, and 53 percent do not meet physical activity recommendations." http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov (national heart, lung and blood institute)

"267,000 women die each year from heart attacks, which kill six times as many women as breast cancer. " http://www.womensheart.org

The statistics are staggering; the facts overwhelming. The assumption that only men have to worry about heart disease is no longer true. Heart disease is the major killer of our mothers and sisters and friends. What are we going to do about it? We could ignore it. Our response could be, "why bother". The facts are enough to make you order the super-sized meal at the local fast food chain. But don't. Think about your future and the future of your daughters. Forego the fries. Say no to the shake. Dismiss the doughnuts. Do one thing today that will make your tomorrow healthier. Take a walk. Eat some veggies. Skip the second helping. Ladies, we are all in this together. Support one another. Instead of meeting for fancy, expensive "coffee", take a walk. And when it comes to feeding your family, be smart. Make small changes. Try a new recipe, like the one below. One thing can make a difference. One small change can mean the difference between watching your grandchildren play….or not. Let's celebrate Happy Valentine's Day by taking care of our hearts. .Eat Well, Be Smart and Get Healthy.

Mary Liz Wright
Nutrition and Wellness Educator

Serving the counties of Clark, Crawford & Edgar

Just like Fast Food" Baked Fries

SAVE: 106 calories, 12 g fat, 2 g sat. fat

• 2 russet potatoes (1 pound)
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• ½ teaspoon salt (optional, to taste)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. . Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 F. Peel the potatoes. Cut the potatoes lengthwise into ¼-inch thick sticks. Transfer the potatoes to the boiling water. Cook for exactly 2 ½ minutes but no longer or they will break. Drain in a colander. Set aside for about 5 minutes to cool. Pat dry with a paper towel.

Transfer the potatoes to a mixing bowl. Add the oil and ½ teaspoon salt. Carefully toss to coat well. Place the potatoes, not touching, in a single layer on a large nonstick baking sheet.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, turning the potatoes about every 5 minutes, or until crisp and golden.

244 calories, 5 g protein, 46 g carbohydrates, 5 g fat, <1 g sat. fat, 4 g fiber

Original McDonald's Medium French Fries: 350 calories, 5 g protein, 47 g carbohydrates, 17 g fat, 3 g sat. fat, 4 g fiber

Source: Mary Liz Wright, Extension Educator, Nutrition and Wellness, maryliz@uiuc.edu