Bruce:
But claiming that we need to avoid meat or animal products to
achieve health is junk science. "Correlation equals causality"
logic with extreme flaws in methods and interpretation.


Calorie restriction is not healthy. Roy Walford, the leading
proponent, was recently diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's Disease,
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). So much for the CR diet
preventing chronic degenerative disease. 
 Bruce, thanks for your energetic reply.   I will check out the links which you provided. But, what do you know about the etiology of Lou Gherig's disease?  Aren't there their well know victims who probably did not practice calorie restriction (e.g. Lou Gherig, Woody Guthrie (although poverty may be an unintentional factor in calorie restriction), Stephen Hawking.  The cause may have a genetic component, it may be viral;  dietary??  Who is saying that?? And calorie restriction?  My questions were directed toward trying to understand why there are many studies that do verify health benefits of a diet heavy in plant based foods.  Frankly, while I love meat,  I am bored when I do not have a diet rich in tasty items from the plant world (sometimes, I cycle a very low carb regimine).   I cannot imagine that the average  paleo stud would have passed up the opportunity to gorge on berries (just like your average 1000 pound griz).  Rick