The April 24, 1999 issue of Science News carries an article on two of the many disease risks from eating meat. When it comes to the twin risks from e. coli and other bacteria on the one hand and cancer-causing heterocyclic amines on the other, meateaters are between the proverbial rock and a hard place. "Though grilling will kill microbes on the surface of ground meat, it can leave live bacteria inside--unless the meat is well done. Yet the extra time or higher heat needed to ensure that the inside is fully cooked can produce toxic HCAs."

The article goes on to ask: "Short of turning vegetarian, what precautions can a diner take?" Why stop short? When you can't avoid one health risk without running headlong into another, it's a sure sign that you should move in a completely different direction. Forget the tightrope act and sample the delicious abundance of the vegetarian diet