I've been a strict vegetarian (no dairy/fish/chicken/meat) for several years now. I have decided to begin eating dairy and poultry again. What is the best way to go about implementing this plan?

Usually I am asked just the opposite of what you want to know. It is fun to get a question in reverse!

You will be introducing a whole new family of foods to your diet, one that your digestive system has not seen for years. For this reason, you don't have the bacterial make up in your gut to effectively digest animal products: Therefore, you will want to start very slowly, with small amounts, so that a new type of digestive flora can become established in your intestine. Bodies are wonderfully adaptive to different food sources -- it is a survival mechanism from cave man days!

Eating animal products won't be a problem if you add them back in a manner that doesn't initially overload your system. Begin with low fat items. Animal fats are probably one of the most difficult food items for your system to digest, and one of the least healthy, with the major exception being fish oils. Start with a small serving of skinless chicken breast or white fish a couple of times per week. Next, add low fat dairy products in small amounts. The milk sugar -- lactose -- may cause digestive problems if you have become lactose intolerant. Yogurt is one of the best dairy products to add due to the presence of gut-friendly bacteria. Yogurt is also lower in lactose than other dairy products so it will be easier to digest.

When returning to a more omnivorous style of eating, be careful not to give up on the healthy aspects of vegetarian eating, particularly all the fruits and vegetables and grains that make up that diet.

If done correctly, a vegan diet can be very healthful. Adding meats and animal products to your diet should be fun and enjoyable, and it can add some wonderful nutritional benefits such as high quality, concentrated sources of protein, calcium and many vitamins and minerals.