Recently, I spent a week at the Kripalu Center in Lenox, MA. I ate entirely vegetarian for the week. I have to admit besides the yoga & relaxation, I never felt better. My tummy looved me for it. Now as my bad habits have slowly returned, my tummy is rebelling. So I agree that there is something to this. Thanks for the links and I am hoping to join the ranks of veggie people for good.

Sent by Sue Wargo | 8:53 AM ET | 03-20-2008

Last summer I decided to give up caffeine and alcohol. Caffeine was the worse of those two. Oh, the headaches. This winter I decided to give vegetarianism a try. This was hardest of all. Not because of meat cravings, but making tasty meals that are nutritionally balanced without meat is tough. My immediate tendency was to put cheese in every dish, but this rather defeats the purpose. My eventual compromise is no red meat at all and every other week is strictly vegetarian. This way I can let the "complete protein" concept go and just focus on tasty. One trick I found was to have salad fixings around at all times. This is difficult with leaf lettuce and spinach because they slime so quickly. Cabbage, on the other hand, keeps practically forever. I make salads with chopped napa cabbage, red cabbage, and shaved carrots (start with a vegetable peeler and don't stop), and other greens if I have them. This gets tossed with the dressing. On the top goes anything that happens to be hanging around: peanuts, pine nuts, artichoke hearts, cheese, apple slices, canned tuna, or even poached salmon (yum).

Sent by Dave Wiley | 10:26 AM ET | 03-20-2008

As a vegetarian of many years I just listened to the segment about Rod Dreher going almost vegan for lent kind of annoying. Although he is fairly positive about the experience so far the interview is indicative of many of the attitudes that surround vegetarianism. It insinuates that a veg diet may somehow be lacking in nutrition and that it is a challenging way of eating because how could anyone just give up meat and deal with all the cravings? A vegetarian diet is just about the easiest way in the world to eat ??? just control what goes in your mouth! It???s not boring, it???s not bland and there is a huge variety of choices out there ??? far more variety than the average meat eater might think. The only difficulty I have ever experienced with being a vegetarian or vegan is meat eater???s attitudes and reactions. Just get over it already. Oh ??? and missing chipotle ??? try it on some beans.

Sent by Jessica | 10:40 AM ET | 03-20-2008

And of course, I ate meat for dinner. :(

Sent by Tricia, NPR | 8:42 PM ET | 03-20-2008