No negative judgment on ANYONE (except for insensitive doctors, esp. Dr. Mercola, on the topic of a vegetarian diet): One of my teenage children does not want to eat meat (fine with me). If his first meal of the day contains plenty of vegetable-type protein, still his day is poor (bad attitude, etc).

If the first meal of the day is a big serving of free-range eggs, and bean soup, and vegetables, and a bit of fruit, his outlook and energy are pretty impressive.

I remember reading back in the 1970's all this stuff about "limiting amino acids". I hardly ever hear this discussion anymore. So, apparently, certain amino acids in animal prods (doesn't have to be flesh as such) are necessary in generous amounts for brain function. This is just our experience here in this family.

Notwithstanding the above, I still support people who have strong feelings about animals and who want to live accordingly. A doctor or dentist who is worth his salt must take these into consideration. Mercola, mentioned above, is suck a dork: he has this Emotional Freedom Technique that he advises animal-loving vegetarians to use to divest themselves of their apparently inappropriate feelings. Emotional "freedom"? I don't think so; more like mind control by people uncomfortable with OTHERS' feelings.