You may be considering cutting down on meat or ditching it altogether, but just haven't found the right opportunity to pull the switch. If so, May is the perfect time to do it, as the weather gets warmer and seasonal vegetables and fruits full of antioxidants are more plentiful. Whether you're considering leaving meat behind for your health or the planet, both happen when you swap out meat and choose more plant-based sources of protein. Ditching red meat has been scientifically proven to lower your risk of heart disease, help you lose weight and reduce your lifetime risk of type 2 diabetes and keep blood pressure in check. You'll also lower your risk of Alzheimer's and dementia when you take meat off the table and choose a plant-based approach instead. Eating less meat and dairy (both high in saturated fat) has also been shown to lower your risk of breast cancer and prostate cancer. And when you leave meat out of your diet you will start to lighten your carbon footprint, as agriculture of farmed animals is one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gases.