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One of the best things to ever happen to public health happened this month when Oprah Winfrey announced she was starting a 21-day vegan makeover. If anyone can inspire positive change in America, it's

someone as influential as Oprah.

The healthy vegan diet, which is free of meat, chicken, eggs, dairy and other animal products - but rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and beans - is finally coming into its own.

Two irreverent vegan advice books, "Skinny *****" and "Skinny ***** in the Kitch," have both scored big on the best-seller lists. And they're hardly the only meat-free books flying off the shelves. Quantum Health, which promotes the three-week diet makeover that Oprah is following, recently hit No. 2 on Amazon.

Every few months, we hear of a new celebrity or sports star who's ditching meat. (Last month, it was Prince Fielder of the Milwaukee Brewers.) Vegan story lines have worked their way into episodes of "Boston Legal" and other top TV shows. The most conservative newspapers in the country offer columns on how to work more vegetarian foods into one's diet. Even Dunkin Donuts is offering soymilk at some locations.

What's going on? Have we reached a critical mass - where the average American might consider trying a vegan or vegetarian diet? As a dietitian, I certainly hope so. ... Popular books like "Fast Food Nation" have opened our eyes to the truth about the food industry. Food activists like Alice Waters have taught us the benefit of eating locally. And a recent undercover investigation at a California slaughterhouse exposed the cruelty that is endemic to the meat industry.

Former Vice Presdient Al Gore got everyone concerned about global warming, but it took a United Nations report to reveal that livestock production is actually responsible for more greenhouse gasses than all the world's vehicles and airplanes combined. And now we face a global food crisis, one that could be greatly alleviated by a reduction in resource-intensive meat production.

Here's to Oprah and those of her fans who are trying the diet makeover. You couldn't have picked a better time to go vegan. Susan Levin is a staff dietitian with the nonprofit vegan group Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, 5100 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Suite 400, Washington, D.C. 20016; e-mail slevin@....

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