I describe myself as a "lax-vegan." On my own, I avoid meat, dairy, and eggs, though I will eat other animal products such as honey and the fish gelatin in my daily vitamin supplement. When I went vegetarian, I made a concious decision, however, not to let my diet interfere with my relationships with other people. So, for example, if a friend has me over for dinner and goes out of his/her way to prepare some vegetarian dish but uses cheese, I'll still eat it. I went vegetarian mainly for health reasons, and through a combination of diet and exercise, I've lost 15 pounds this year. I haven't experienced the huge jump in mental clarity that Steve described, but I do feel better overall.
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