Have you considered becoming a vegetarian? How about a vegan (someone who does not eat any animal products, such as dairy or eggs)? There are even more extreme alternatives, such as macrobiotic and raw foods diets.
When it comes to choosing a healthy diet, with all of the conflicting information out there, where do you turn? When it comes to the arguments for vegetarianism and veganism, it's helpful to distinguish between the ethical considerations on the one hand, and the question of whether these diets are truly healthier than a "normal" diet.
When it comes to ethics, no one can make the decision for you.
If you feel that it's truly immoral to take the lives of animals for food, then you should eat a vegetarian diet.
One thing to consider today is where your food comes from.
There are many concerns, quite justifiable, about the conditions animals live under on modern factory farms.
In this case, the ethical and health arguments come together, as the conditions in many of these factory farms is unhealthy as well as extremely uncomfortable for the animals.
Animals kept too close together are prone to many diseases; when they are treated with powerful medications, this too becomes part of the meat you eventually consume.
If you are concerned about the conditions on factory farms, you can make the choice to consume local, organic and/or free range dairy and meat products.
This may entail some research.
It also means paying a little more.
However, you will almost certainly be getting a healthier meal and one that did not entail unduly cruel conditions for animals.
On the other hand, some people feel that this distinction does not go far enough, and that any killing of animals for food is unjustified.
Again, this is a personal choice.
However, I think we should acknowledge at least that there are degrees.
No matter what you think of eating meat, it seems that it's better to patronize enterprises that treat their animals humanely.
What about the purely health-related arguments for being a vegetarian? Well, the jury is still out on that one.
One thing you should remember (though some vegans will dispute this) is that if you consume no animal products at all, you have to be sure to get enough protein from other sources.
The same is true for a raw foods diet, but in this case you can get your protein from nuts.
I think it's safe to say in this day and age that you can eat a healthy diet as a vegetarian, vegan or omnivore.
It's a question of getting as much information as you can and following your own conscience.