One hundred and fifty-seven pounds of beef, veal, pork, lamb and mutton - that's how much red meat the average North American male eats every year; women average about 100 pounds; and many people eat much more! That's at least 4,000 grams (9 pounds) of artery-clogging, brain-damaging, cancer-promoting saturated fat.

But that's not all the harm it can do to you! For every half-serving increase per week in your usual intake of red meat (that's 1.5 ounces), you up your risk for Type-2 diabetes by 42 percent. Go on a summertime grilled-steak-and-hamburger binge, and you're looking at a saturated fat and blood glucose disaster.

So let's see if you can reduce your red meat consumption to one serving a week at most.

Step No. 1: Try giving up half a serving of red meat in each meal; North Americans average between 2 (women) and 3 (men) pounds a week, so there's plenty of room. That alone will cut your risk for Type-2 diabetes.

Step No. 2: For the next two weeks, eat red meat no more than three times a week. Fill in with skinless (never fried) chicken, vegetarian entrees (try pasta primavera) and fish (especially salmon and ocean trout - they've got healthful DHA-omega-3 fat and some omega-7).

Step No. 3: Take red meat consumption down to once a week. And remember, cold turkey's always a tasty meal.The rewards are enormous: You'll dodge heart troubles, obesity, diabetes and wrinkles, and have a better sex life!