Guest guest Posted July 26, 2000 Report Share Posted July 26, 2000 Mary, Hi! Thank you so much for the information! I will look into it and let you know how things develop. Especially since you're geographically so close to us! Ted's mother lives near Baltimore, in Catonsville, and we're there quite often. By the way, I meant to state my age..I'm 35 and my husband Ted is almost 35. Rootsie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 26, 2000 Report Share Posted July 26, 2000 Hi Rootsie, My name is Mary and I have a 21 month old daughter named Sierra. We are vegetarians and part time vegans. We live in Baltimore. Good sources for your school program are VSDC (Vegetarian Society of District of Columbia) and VRG (Vegetarian Resource Group) in Baltimore. Both I believe have a healthy lunch program for schools set up. You may also try Earth Save. I believe there are pamphlets and such already made up that you can take to schools and get them to offer vegetarian/vegan meals to the kids. Let me know how you do. Mary Maxey Paul Patuxent Wildlife Research Center Biological Science Technician (Wildlife) 301-497-5725 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 27, 2000 Report Share Posted July 27, 2000 In a message dated 7/26/00 10:52:26 AM Pacific Daylight Time, rootcee writes: << I'm working on a presentation with an environmental theme and I'm trying to keep it as " politically correct " as possible so as not to offend or anger any of the kid's parents. >> My Friend Root, I do not think it is going to be possible to not offend these people. Most are very attached to what they eat and the ideas that they were taught about health and meat and dairy. I want to be supportive of you but I do not see how this can work out well for you. The kids just might be harder on Rai.If I had may sweeties in a non-supportive environment like public school, I would teach them to live and let live with people that cannot understand. I do not think that she needs to defend her lifestyle. she can see that she is not getting ill and staying sick like the milk drinker are. She has health and she is in the right. I will be thinking of you this weekend we are going to a vegan festival that John Robbins and Howard lyman will be at.We are in Cal.and know many veg.Maybe you can start some kind of group.Maybe Earth Save? BB RainingStar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 27, 2000 Report Share Posted July 27, 2000 Dear BB RainingStar, I completely agree with you. For the most part, we have " a live and let live " approach towards these issues. When Rai asks why her favourite uncle eats chicken and doesn't he realize what they go through and that they too have an agenda and a right to live their lives free of exploitation - - - I tell her that people's decisions, including her favourite uncle's, are to be respected and not judged. I tell her that we are each in charge of our own lives and that it's a beautiful thing that we can make our own choices. She is slowly grasping that, but this is a child who at 4 years old cried from the depths of her soul for the animals (I've never ever in my life been so touched and so in pain at the same time). Our family is committed to practicing tolerance and compassion towards the human animal as well. I've found that that is the best way to raise awareness. Thanks for your useful advice. I'm looking forward to learning as much as I can, with all of you. This group is great! One love, Rootsie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 27, 2000 Report Share Posted July 27, 2000 BBRaining Star, We are also going to World Fest this weekend. I wonder if we'll run into each other and not even know it. I can't wait to hear John and Howard speak. It's going to be really hot though, something I am not looking forward to... Erin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 28, 2000 Report Share Posted July 28, 2000 In a message dated 7/27/00 8:02:43 AM Pacific Daylight Time, erin writes: << We are also going to World Fest this weekend. I wonder if we'll run into each other and not even know it. I can't wait to hear John and Howard speak. It's going to be really hot though, something I am not looking forward to... >> Oh yes I think we will run into each other and not know it! LOL This is going to be very nice.It was much cooler today so I am sure that it will be good on sunday.I am going to believe that and bring ice water. Blessed Be, RainingStar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 28, 2000 Report Share Posted July 28, 2000 I thought I would introduce myself also. I am Natalie, my husband, Tim, and I have a 2 & 1/2 year old, Celeste. I have been vegan for 5 years, my daughter since birth and my husband for a few monthes now. I live in NYC (Brooklyn) and I have found it really difficult to find parents of like mind. I am amazed by the fact that we only have one family of frineds who are vegan. I know a few people without children who are vegan. Natalie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 27, 2003 Report Share Posted October 27, 2003 Sunyatta, I think you are very brave and I hope you research well before you put your baby on all raw. I have a two year old and people are amazed at how well she eats. She LOVES salads, broccoli, fresh fruit, nuts, veggies and the like. However, going exclusively raw with her is too scary for me because their bodies are growing and developing so rapidly. I would hate to make a critical mistake in her development. Their nutritional needs must be met and I would feel horrible and sick if I depleted some key nutrient from her growing body though I had all the best intentions at heart. I believe in the raw foods way of life, but there are so many different variations and information, to know what is correct is impossible. Though I am confident enough to follow it for me, there is an area of doubt that makes me too fearful to make that choice for my child. I can listen to my body and recognize signs of trouble and research to make changes. I cannot expect my baby/toddler to be as conscious with her body. I would hate to deplete her body of something she needs without knowing it and have her suffer the consequences later. I plan to educate her on eating healthy and let her make her choices about all raw or vegan when she is old enough. She gets very little processed food, sugar and meat. She has not yet had red meat, chocolate or more than one lollipop in her life. She will tell me “water is good for your body” and “my body doesn’t like chocolate”, “my tounge likes sugar but my teeth and body don’t”. And she eats a healthy diet. I let her have fish and chicken occasionally, but mostly her meals are vegetarian. She does eat eggs, cheese and milk and some whole wheat bread. It is extremely hard for me to give her these things believing in the raw food diet, as I do. However, my fear of messing up her body out weighs my belief that raw is the best for a growing child. I wish there was more research, I would do it in a heartbeat. But when I hear about teeth problems, hair loss, eating disorders (binging and bulimia) it makes me question how balanced and sound the raw food movement is. It makes me wonder if these are short term problems, what is going on deeper that we will find out later. I imagine one day she will make the same choices I have. But for me to make those for her without the confidence, I can’t do with a clear conscious. Aside from the heart wrenching guilt I would feel if something went developmentally wrong as a result of her diet, I would never hear the end of it from family and friends who think I am a bit extreme, to say the least. I think while he/she is a baby, you don’t have any worries. Breast milk is all your baby needs. I think, from looking into it with my baby, until the age of 2 they can get all the nutrients they need from mother’s milk (no matter what your doctor tells you). I would breast feed as long as your baby allows. I would love to hear of other raw families having success with nursing and feeding their toddlers only raw foods with no health complications down the road, but I haven’t and good luck to you for being a pioneer in our society. I’m sure you can find good, healthy information by researching tribes who only have access to nature’s food. I think if you introduce the fruits and veggies exclusively when you introduce foods your baby will do great. My daughter was over 1 & 1/2 before her first bite of meat. It was all fruits, veggies, beans. I also gave her yogurt and cheese, but you don’t have to if your baby is still nursing. I would honestly tell you to pursue it, and let me know what research you find, because I could very easly turn my daughter to raw if I had the confidence it was nutritionally balanced. Good health to you and your family Beverly J Dr. Sunyatta Amen [dr.sunyatta] Sunday, October 26, 2003 7:22 PM greetings! Greetings! I’m so glad Elaine and I were chatting and found we were on the same page with starting a support group for vegetarians/vegans interested in Live Foods. We figured we’d team up… I mean, why re-invent the wheel, right? The social aspect of maintaining a healthy lifestyle is perhaps the hardest part. Finding friends and family that can sit down and break (raw) bread with us is not easy. J We are blessed to be able to commune with everyone here (and those yet to join up). When my husband, Matt, suggested the name it really struck a chord. Not just that we are people of color but also that what you eat is very closely connected to how you function spiritually. Just take a look at the meat and potatoes folk in control of the government. Whew! Also, Matt and I have a new baby whom we plan on raising on live/raw foods only. Any other ers feeding their babies or children live foods? Once again, welcome and we are so glad you’re here to share. Be well, ~Sunyatta Co-moderator, To from this group, send an email to: - Your use of is subject to the Terms of Service. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 27, 2003 Report Share Posted October 27, 2003 Greetings Beverly! Thanks for your note. I would like to share a few things with you. I have been a vegan for about 15 years. My father has been a vegan for about 35 years. I grew up only eating no flesh in dad’s house and only fish (as our meat) in my mom’s house. I have a 17 year old whom I raised as a vegan (with 50-70% live/raw foods) already so I am looking forward to stepping it up with this baby. You are right that breast milk is all that babies need for the first year or even longer. I plan to feed her until she wants to come off the breast (maybe 3 years?). I fed my teenager until I had to return to my regular college schedule (about 1 year). I remember raising my 17 y.o. as a vegan there were a lot of naysayers. Being raised as a vegetarian myself there were a lot of naysayers to my dad –and even my mom with the fish only thing. I have never been hospitalized (except to have my first baby 18 years ago but I wouldn’t do again with what I know now!). I don’t have fibroids, heavy cycles, water weight gain, chronic acne, diabetes, dry scalp or anything else diet related. Never had to go to the doctor’s office either. What do I say to family/friends who are curious about our lifestyle? My daughter never had an ear infection, or any of the other things listed in her 18 years. Never a day at the doctor’s office with any mystery illnesses and even when chicken pox was going around her school she never got a full case of it. Just a one day fever and that was all- no sores or itching. She also never had a cavity and had PERFECT tooth development. I attribute all these things to her dairy and flesh free diet – and her breastfeeding for a year. I have found in my medical practice that fish, chicken, cheese, eggs and wheat are the main dietary factors contributing to asthma, eczema, bronchitis, sinus & ear infection and parasites in children. With this new baby I know even more about live foods now. I never hear of bulimia and the other problems you mentioned from live foodists or from vegetarians who are eating balanced flesh and dairy free diets. The more raw foods we have eaten the better my family’s skin, hair and nails have been. And I certainly don’t know of any raw bingers/bulimia folks. Organic produce costs too much to spit it out. J There are 2 books that you may want to add to your library. Raw Kids by Cheryl Stoycoff and Transitioning to Health: A Step-by-Step Guide to Raw for You and Your Children by Beth Montgomery. My husband bought these books when we found out we were pregnant last year. Perhaps the info contained will help you to transition to a vegetarian/vegan household and eventually to raw. I hear your concern about your child’s development but the most important thing to know about growing children is that there is NO nutrient (PROTEIN, CALCIUM & IRON INCLUDED) that you can get from meat/milk/eggs/wheat, etc. that you can’t obtain from vegetables, fruits, sea greens, etc. So why feed them the toxic stuff? If baby gorillas can grow to 400 lbs of well-developed muscle on raw veggies then why would our babies need meat or even cooked food for that matter? Especially when we know that the enzymes, vitamins and minerals are totally destroyed by cooking (even lightly steaming). That means that the “foods” we giving them that are cooked are useless. May as well wet a piece of paper and put it on a dinner plate. J That is SERIOUS cause for concern when thinking of the developing bodies of babies and children. You wrote… “I plan to educate her on eating healthy and let her make her choices about all raw or vegan when she is old enough. She gets very little processed food, sugar and meat. She has not yet had red meat, chocolate or more than one lollipop in her life. She will tell me “water is good for your body” and “my body doesn’t like chocolate”, “my tounge likes sugar but my teeth and body don’t”. And she eats a healthy diet. I let her have fish and chicken occasionally, but mostly her meals are vegetarian. She does eat eggs, cheese and milk and some whole wheat bread. “ I have found in my experience raising my daughter that we teach by daily example. You are educating her about food every time you feed her or allow her certain foods. I found that everyone in the household need to be eating the same foods or it confused the child. “Why is this good for mommy but not for me? Why is this bad for mommy but I can eat it?” When we feed kids flesh, dairy, flour, candy, processed foods (even a little) we are making a pattern. We are saying that these foods acceptable. The truth is that these things are not even food ---not for humans. J Then when we want our kids to eat better later on it is almost impossible because we have already made a clear statement about what food is. For example, it’s hard for me to get my 17 year old to stop eating tofu or other meat substitutes (like veggie sandwich meats and TVP products). They were a staple lunch food for her for 15 years ago. I haven’t served it in our house for more than 5 years but she acquired a taste for it after having it for so long. Perhaps this will info be of help to you with your daughter. If I may ask, why did you give her meat at 1 ½? BTW… a great site to visit about why dairy is VERY VERY dangerous for children is www.notmilk.com. Great research and info located there including a book called milk from A-Z. Great to share with a child at bedtime/reading time. Below is an EXCELLENT book that we bought a few weeks ago when visiting a raw food restaurant outside of Philly (Arnold’s Way). We bought it to read to our daughter as she grows. We have already started reading it to her even though she is only 12 weeks old. The author will be on WPFW with me this Thursday from 3-4pm. The book is FANTASTIC as a gift for kids. Even babies (our baby loves the book!). I wanted to have him in time for Halloween and the “food” madness that comes with it. Speaking of that, my daughter never participated in Halloween and people thought I was nuts. I don’t worry about what they think because as I said, she never got sick. Not even the runny noses and colds that all the other kids were getting. This is why communities like what we have online here are important. The social support aspect is essential. If there is anything else I can share with you about my experiences please let me know. We can all be brave forward-thinking parents together. J Be well, ~Sunyatta Beverly Coose [mermaidcharter] Monday, October 27, 2003 11:07 AM RE: greetings! Sunyatta, I think you are very brave and I hope you research well before you put your baby on all raw. I have a two year old and people are amazed at how well she eats. She LOVES salads, broccoli, fresh fruit, nuts, veggies and the like. However, going exclusively raw with her is too scary for me because their bodies are growing and developing so rapidly. I would hate to make a critical mistake in her development. Their nutritional needs must be met and I would feel horrible and sick if I depleted some key nutrient from her growing body though I had all the best intentions at heart. I believe in the raw foods way of life, but there are so many different variations and information, to know what is correct is impossible. Though I am confident enough to follow it for me, there is an area of doubt that makes me too fearful to make that choice for my child. I can listen to my body and recognize signs of trouble and research to make changes. I cannot expect my baby/toddler to be as conscious with her body. I would hate to deplete her body of something she needs without knowing it and have her suffer the consequences later. I plan to educate her on eating healthy and let her make her choices about all raw or vegan when she is old enough. She gets very little processed food, sugar and meat. She has not yet had red meat, chocolate or more than one lollipop in her life. She will tell me “water is good for your body” and “my body doesn’t like chocolate”, “my tounge likes sugar but my teeth and body don’t”. And she eats a healthy diet. I let her have fish and chicken occasionally, but mostly her meals are vegetarian. She does eat eggs, cheese and milk and some whole wheat bread. It is extremely hard for me to give her these things believing in the raw food diet, as I do. However, my fear of messing up her body out weighs my belief that raw is the best for a growing child. I wish there was more research, I would do it in a heartbeat. But when I hear about teeth problems, hair loss, eating disorders (binging and bulimia) it makes me question how balanced and sound the raw food movement is. It makes me wonder if these are short term problems, what is going on deeper that we will find out later. I imagine one day she will make the same choices I have. But for me to make those for her without the confidence, I can’t do with a clear conscious. Aside from the heart wrenching guilt I would feel if something went developmentally wrong as a result of her diet, I would never hear the end of it from family and friends who think I am a bit extreme, to say the least. I think while he/she is a baby, you don’t have any worries. Breast milk is all your baby needs. I think, from looking into it with my baby, until the age of 2 they can get all the nutrients they need from mother’s milk (no matter what your doctor tells you). I would breast feed as long as your baby allows. I would love to hear of other raw families having success with nursing and feeding their toddlers only raw foods with no health complications down the road, but I haven’t and good luck to you for being a pioneer in our society. I’m sure you can find good, healthy information by researching tribes who only have access to nature’s food. I think if you introduce the fruits and veggies exclusively when you introduce foods your baby will do great. My daughter was over 1 & 1/2 before her first bite of meat. It was all fruits, veggies, beans. I also gave her yogurt and cheese, but you don’t have to if your baby is still nursing. I would honestly tell you to pursue it, and let me know what research you find, because I could very easly turn my daughter to raw if I had the confidence it was nutritionally balanced. Good health to you and your family Beverly J Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 27, 2003 Report Share Posted October 27, 2003 Thanks so much for all your input and experienced advice. It is quite helpful. The eating disorder and binging I heard about came from RAW SECRETS by Frederic Pantenaude. He has a chapter on “Binges and Cravings”. He titles part of the section “Binging Common Among Raw-Foodists: An Open Secret”, so I assumed it was. The hair loss and problems were mentioned in a few website articles I read and Paul Nisson’s book about living raw in a cooked world (can’t remember the title, or how to correctly spell his name.) He interviewed numerous raw food people and 2 of the regular questions he asked were about hair loss and poor teeth. They all seemed familiar with problems with both, whether they experienced it directly or not. So again, I assumed there was some truth to it. I am new to all of this. I am learning a lot through reading, workshops, and talking to others. Anyone can write a book and have it published, then follow it up with a workshop. I try to weed through and find what makes sense to me. When I hear things like the above, I worry that is not as sound as in my heart I think it is. Maybe the doubt are a result of growing up in our society. Everything you said makes sense and the fact that you have lived it for so long is encouraging. Thank you for the website and book advice. I already have the RAW KIDS book and have read through it a few times. I have been a vegetarian for 15 years. I married a carnivore J .. We are so opposite end of the spectrum when it comes to diet and nutrition. He light heartedly thinks I’m brainwashing her. Your advice will help me to feel more confident while trying to move her to more and more raw. When my daughter decides to eat vegetarian, vegan or raw she will have less to clean out of her body than most J. I am trying to omit eggs, cheese, wheat and she only drinks soy milk on the rare occasion she has milk, but I definitely agree with you, if the whole family is eating the same thing it would be easier. Like I said before, if I had 100% confidence I would do it without hesitation. But right now I am practicing on myself, learning and reading, and when I feel confident, I would have no problems with baby #2 being all raw and converting my first as well. Were you raw throughout your pregnancy? I really wish I had a doctor like you. I hope you can find someone to answer your request to help you with your raw baby. You have helped me tremendously. Beverly J Dr. Sunyatta Amen [dr.sunyatta] Monday, October 27, 2003 1:00 PM RE: greetings! Greetings Beverly! Thanks for your note. I would like to share a few things with you. I have been a vegan for about 15 years. My father has been a vegan for about 35 years. I grew up only eating no flesh in dad’s house and only fish (as our meat) in my mom’s house. I have a 17 year old whom I raised as a vegan (with 50-70% live/raw foods) already so I am looking forward to stepping it up with this baby. You are right that breast milk is all that babies need for the first year or even longer. I plan to feed her until she wants to come off the breast (maybe 3 years?). I fed my teenager until I had to return to my regular college schedule (about 1 year). I remember raising my 17 y.o. as a vegan there were a lot of naysayers. Being raised as a vegetarian myself there were a lot of naysayers to my dad –and even my mom with the fish only thing. I have never been hospitalized (except to have my first baby 18 years ago but I wouldn’t do again with what I know now!). I don’t have fibroids, heavy cycles, water weight gain, chronic acne, diabetes, dry scalp or anything else diet related. Never had to go to the doctor’s office either. What do I say to family/friends who are curious about our lifestyle? My daughter never had an ear infection, or any of the other things listed in her 18 years. Never a day at the doctor’s office with any mystery illnesses and even when chicken pox was going around her school she never got a full case of it. Just a one day fever and that was all- no sores or itching. She also never had a cavity and had PERFECT tooth development. I attribute all these things to her dairy and flesh free diet – and her breastfeeding for a year. I have found in my medical practice that fish, chicken, cheese, eggs and wheat are the main dietary factors contributing to asthma, eczema, bronchitis, sinus & ear infection and parasites in children. With this new baby I know even more about live foods now. I never hear of bulimia and the other problems you mentioned from live foodists or from vegetarians who are eating balanced flesh and dairy free diets. The more raw foods we have eaten the better my family’s skin, hair and nails have been. And I certainly don’t know of any raw bingers/bulimia folks. Organic produce costs too much to spit it out. J There are 2 books that you may want to add to your library. Raw Kids by Cheryl Stoycoff and Transitioning to Health: A Step-by-Step Guide to Raw for You and Your Children by Beth Montgomery. My husband bought these books when we found out we were pregnant last year. Perhaps the info contained will help you to transition to a vegetarian/vegan household and eventually to raw. I hear your concern about your child’s development but the most important thing to know about growing children is that there is NO nutrient (PROTEIN, CALCIUM & IRON INCLUDED) that you can get from meat/milk/eggs/wheat, etc. that you can’t obtain from vegetables, fruits, sea greens, etc. So why feed them the toxic stuff? If baby gorillas can grow to 400 lbs of well-developed muscle on raw veggies then why would our babies need meat or even cooked food for that matter? Especially when we know that the enzymes, vitamins and minerals are totally destroyed by cooking (even lightly steaming). That means that the “foods” we giving them that are cooked are useless. May as well wet a piece of paper and put it on a dinner plate. J That is SERIOUS cause for concern when thinking of the developing bodies of babies and children. You wrote… “I plan to educate her on eating healthy and let her make her choices about all raw or vegan when she is old enough. She gets very little processed food, sugar and meat. She has not yet had red meat, chocolate or more than one lollipop in her life. She will tell me “water is good for your body” and “my body doesn’t like chocolate”, “my tounge likes sugar but my teeth and body don’t”. And she eats a healthy diet. I let her have fish and chicken occasionally, but mostly her meals are vegetarian. She does eat eggs, cheese and milk and some whole wheat bread. “ I have found in my experience raising my daughter that we teach by daily example. You are educating her about food every time you feed her or allow her certain foods. I found that everyone in the household need to be eating the same foods or it confused the child. “Why is this good for mommy but not for me? Why is this bad for mommy but I can eat it?” When we feed kids flesh, dairy, flour, candy, processed foods (even a little) we are making a pattern. We are saying that these foods acceptable. The truth is that these things are not even food ---not for humans. J Then when we want our kids to eat better later on it is almost impossible because we have already made a clear statement about what food is. For example, it’s hard for me to get my 17 year old to stop eating tofu or other meat substitutes (like veggie sandwich meats and TVP products). They were a staple lunch food for her for 15 years ago. I haven’t served it in our house for more than 5 years but she acquired a taste for it after having it for so long. Perhaps this will info be of help to you with your daughter. If I may ask, why did you give her meat at 1 ½? BTW… a great site to visit about why dairy is VERY VERY dangerous for children is www.notmilk.com. Great research and info located there including a book called milk from A-Z. Great to share with a child at bedtime/reading time. Below is an EXCELLENT book that we bought a few weeks ago when visiting a raw food restaurant outside of Philly (Arnold’s Way). We bought it to read to our daughter as she grows. We have already started reading it to her even though she is only 12 weeks old. The author will be on WPFW with me this Thursday from 3-4pm. The book is FANTASTIC as a gift for kids. Even babies (our baby loves the book!). I wanted to have him in time for Halloween and the “food” madness that comes with it. Speaking of that, my daughter never participated in Halloween and people thought I was nuts. I don’t worry about what they think because as I said, she never got sick. Not even the runny noses and colds that all the other kids were getting. This is why communities like what we have online here are important. The social support aspect is essential. If there is anything else I can share with you about my experiences please let me know. We can all be brave forward-thinking parents together. J Be well, ~Sunyatta Beverly Coose [mermaidcharter] Monday, October 27, 2003 11:07 AM RE: greetings! Sunyatta, I think you are very brave and I hope you research well before you put your baby on all raw. I have a two year old and people are amazed at how well she eats. She LOVES salads, broccoli, fresh fruit, nuts, veggies and the like. However, going exclusively raw with her is too scary for me because their bodies are growing and developing so rapidly. I would hate to make a critical mistake in her development. Their nutritional needs must be met and I would feel horrible and sick if I depleted some key nutrient from her growing body though I had all the best intentions at heart. I believe in the raw foods way of life, but there are so many different variations and information, to know what is correct is impossible. Though I am confident enough to follow it for me, there is an area of doubt that makes me too fearful to make that choice for my child. I can listen to my body and recognize signs of trouble and research to make changes. I cannot expect my baby/toddler to be as conscious with her body. I would hate to deplete her body of something she needs without knowing it and have her suffer the consequences later. I plan to educate her on eating healthy and let her make her choices about all raw or vegan when she is old enough. She gets very little processed food, sugar and meat. She has not yet had red meat, chocolate or more than one lollipop in her life. She will tell me “water is good for your body” and “my body doesn’t like chocolate”, “my tounge likes sugar but my teeth and body don’t”. And she eats a healthy diet. I let her have fish and chicken occasionally, but mostly her meals are vegetarian. She does eat eggs, cheese and milk and some whole wheat bread. It is extremely hard for me to give her these things believing in the raw food diet, as I do. However, my fear of messing up her body out weighs my belief that raw is the best for a growing child. I wish there was more research, I would do it in a heartbeat. But when I hear about teeth problems, hair loss, eating disorders (binging and bulimia) it makes me question how balanced and sound the raw food movement is. It makes me wonder if these are short term problems, what is going on deeper that we will find out later. I imagine one day she will make the same choices I have. But for me to make those for her without the confidence, I can’t do with a clear conscious. Aside from the heart wrenching guilt I would feel if something went developmentally wrong as a result of her diet, I would never hear the end of it from family and friends who think I am a bit extreme, to say the least. I think while he/she is a baby, you don’t have any worries. Breast milk is all your baby needs. I think, from looking into it with my baby, until the age of 2 they can get all the nutrients they need from mother’s milk (no matter what your doctor tells you). I would breast feed as long as your baby allows. I would love to hear of other raw families having success with nursing and feeding their toddlers only raw foods with no health complications down the road, but I haven’t and good luck to you for being a pioneer in our society. I’m sure you can find good, healthy information by researching tribes who only have access to nature’s food. I think if you introduce the fruits and veggies exclusively when you introduce foods your baby will do great. My daughter was over 1 & 1/2 before her first bite of meat. It was all fruits, veggies, beans. I also gave her yogurt and cheese, but you don’t have to if your baby is still nursing. I would honestly tell you to pursue it, and let me know what research you find, because I could very easly turn my daughter to raw if I had the confidence it was nutritionally balanced. Good health to you and your family Beverly J To from this group, send an email to: - Your use of is subject to the Terms of Service. 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Guest guest Posted October 27, 2003 Report Share Posted October 27, 2003 I have one more question for you. This is also where some confusion comes for me. There are so many different people saying drastically different things about the raw way of life. Some say no nuts, some say limited and some are combining lots of nuts with other foods. Some say you can’t combine certain foods with others because your body won’t digest them well. Then others make recipe books combining these very foods. What is the raw diet that has worked for you? Victoria Boutenko has lots of nuts in her recipes and mixes lots of foods. She uses spices and salts, honey and other things that other authors ban. If combining food incorrectly leads to putrification (sp) and fermentation then is it still good for you? How have you found a balance with the raw diet? Do you worry about food combinations? Thanks again, Beverly J Dr. Sunyatta Amen [dr.sunyatta] Monday, October 27, 2003 1:00 PM RE: greetings! Greetings Beverly! Thanks for your note. I would like to share a few things with you. I have been a vegan for about 15 years. My father has been a vegan for about 35 years. I grew up only eating no flesh in dad’s house and only fish (as our meat) in my mom’s house. I have a 17 year old whom I raised as a vegan (with 50-70% live/raw foods) already so I am looking forward to stepping it up with this baby. You are right that breast milk is all that babies need for the first year or even longer. I plan to feed her until she wants to come off the breast (maybe 3 years?). I fed my teenager until I had to return to my regular college schedule (about 1 year). I remember raising my 17 y.o. as a vegan there were a lot of naysayers. Being raised as a vegetarian myself there were a lot of naysayers to my dad –and even my mom with the fish only thing. I have never been hospitalized (except to have my first baby 18 years ago but I wouldn’t do again with what I know now!). I don’t have fibroids, heavy cycles, water weight gain, chronic acne, diabetes, dry scalp or anything else diet related. Never had to go to the doctor’s office either. What do I say to family/friends who are curious about our lifestyle? My daughter never had an ear infection, or any of the other things listed in her 18 years. Never a day at the doctor’s office with any mystery illnesses and even when chicken pox was going around her school she never got a full case of it. Just a one day fever and that was all- no sores or itching. She also never had a cavity and had PERFECT tooth development. I attribute all these things to her dairy and flesh free diet – and her breastfeeding for a year. I have found in my medical practice that fish, chicken, cheese, eggs and wheat are the main dietary factors contributing to asthma, eczema, bronchitis, sinus & ear infection and parasites in children. With this new baby I know even more about live foods now. I never hear of bulimia and the other problems you mentioned from live foodists or from vegetarians who are eating balanced flesh and dairy free diets. The more raw foods we have eaten the better my family’s skin, hair and nails have been. And I certainly don’t know of any raw bingers/bulimia folks. Organic produce costs too much to spit it out. J There are 2 books that you may want to add to your library. Raw Kids by Cheryl Stoycoff and Transitioning to Health: A Step-by-Step Guide to Raw for You and Your Children by Beth Montgomery. My husband bought these books when we found out we were pregnant last year. Perhaps the info contained will help you to transition to a vegetarian/vegan household and eventually to raw. I hear your concern about your child’s development but the most important thing to know about growing children is that there is NO nutrient (PROTEIN, CALCIUM & IRON INCLUDED) that you can get from meat/milk/eggs/wheat, etc. that you can’t obtain from vegetables, fruits, sea greens, etc. So why feed them the toxic stuff? If baby gorillas can grow to 400 lbs of well-developed muscle on raw veggies then why would our babies need meat or even cooked food for that matter? Especially when we know that the enzymes, vitamins and minerals are totally destroyed by cooking (even lightly steaming). That means that the “foods” we giving them that are cooked are useless. May as well wet a piece of paper and put it on a dinner plate. J That is SERIOUS cause for concern when thinking of the developing bodies of babies and children. You wrote… “I plan to educate her on eating healthy and let her make her choices about all raw or vegan when she is old enough. She gets very little processed food, sugar and meat. She has not yet had red meat, chocolate or more than one lollipop in her life. She will tell me “water is good for your body” and “my body doesn’t like chocolate”, “my tounge likes sugar but my teeth and body don’t”. And she eats a healthy diet. I let her have fish and chicken occasionally, but mostly her meals are vegetarian. She does eat eggs, cheese and milk and some whole wheat bread. “ I have found in my experience raising my daughter that we teach by daily example. You are educating her about food every time you feed her or allow her certain foods. I found that everyone in the household need to be eating the same foods or it confused the child. “Why is this good for mommy but not for me? Why is this bad for mommy but I can eat it?” When we feed kids flesh, dairy, flour, candy, processed foods (even a little) we are making a pattern. We are saying that these foods acceptable. The truth is that these things are not even food ---not for humans. J Then when we want our kids to eat better later on it is almost impossible because we have already made a clear statement about what food is. For example, it’s hard for me to get my 17 year old to stop eating tofu or other meat substitutes (like veggie sandwich meats and TVP products). They were a staple lunch food for her for 15 years ago. I haven’t served it in our house for more than 5 years but she acquired a taste for it after having it for so long. Perhaps this will info be of help to you with your daughter. If I may ask, why did you give her meat at 1 ½? BTW… a great site to visit about why dairy is VERY VERY dangerous for children is www.notmilk.com. Great research and info located there including a book called milk from A-Z. Great to share with a child at bedtime/reading time. Below is an EXCELLENT book that we bought a few weeks ago when visiting a raw food restaurant outside of Philly (Arnold’s Way). We bought it to read to our daughter as she grows. We have already started reading it to her even though she is only 12 weeks old. The author will be on WPFW with me this Thursday from 3-4pm. The book is FANTASTIC as a gift for kids. Even babies (our baby loves the book!). I wanted to have him in time for Halloween and the “food” madness that comes with it. Speaking of that, my daughter never participated in Halloween and people thought I was nuts. I don’t worry about what they think because as I said, she never got sick. Not even the runny noses and colds that all the other kids were getting. This is why communities like what we have online here are important. The social support aspect is essential. If there is anything else I can share with you about my experiences please let me know. We can all be brave forward-thinking parents together. J Be well, ~Sunyatta Beverly Coose [mermaidcharter] Monday, October 27, 2003 11:07 AM RE: greetings! Sunyatta, I think you are very brave and I hope you research well before you put your baby on all raw. I have a two year old and people are amazed at how well she eats. She LOVES salads, broccoli, fresh fruit, nuts, veggies and the like. However, going exclusively raw with her is too scary for me because their bodies are growing and developing so rapidly. I would hate to make a critical mistake in her development. Their nutritional needs must be met and I would feel horrible and sick if I depleted some key nutrient from her growing body though I had all the best intentions at heart. I believe in the raw foods way of life, but there are so many different variations and information, to know what is correct is impossible. Though I am confident enough to follow it for me, there is an area of doubt that makes me too fearful to make that choice for my child. I can listen to my body and recognize signs of trouble and research to make changes. I cannot expect my baby/toddler to be as conscious with her body. I would hate to deplete her body of something she needs without knowing it and have her suffer the consequences later. I plan to educate her on eating healthy and let her make her choices about all raw or vegan when she is old enough. She gets very little processed food, sugar and meat. She has not yet had red meat, chocolate or more than one lollipop in her life. She will tell me “water is good for your body” and “my body doesn’t like chocolate”, “my tounge likes sugar but my teeth and body don’t”. And she eats a healthy diet. I let her have fish and chicken occasionally, but mostly her meals are vegetarian. She does eat eggs, cheese and milk and some whole wheat bread. It is extremely hard for me to give her these things believing in the raw food diet, as I do. However, my fear of messing up her body out weighs my belief that raw is the best for a growing child. I wish there was more research, I would do it in a heartbeat. But when I hear about teeth problems, hair loss, eating disorders (binging and bulimia) it makes me question how balanced and sound the raw food movement is. It makes me wonder if these are short term problems, what is going on deeper that we will find out later. I imagine one day she will make the same choices I have. But for me to make those for her without the confidence, I can’t do with a clear conscious. Aside from the heart wrenching guilt I would feel if something went developmentally wrong as a result of her diet, I would never hear the end of it from family and friends who think I am a bit extreme, to say the least. I think while he/she is a baby, you don’t have any worries. Breast milk is all your baby needs. I think, from looking into it with my baby, until the age of 2 they can get all the nutrients they need from mother’s milk (no matter what your doctor tells you). I would breast feed as long as your baby allows. I would love to hear of other raw families having success with nursing and feeding their toddlers only raw foods with no health complications down the road, but I haven’t and good luck to you for being a pioneer in our society. I’m sure you can find good, healthy information by researching tribes who only have access to nature’s food. I think if you introduce the fruits and veggies exclusively when you introduce foods your baby will do great. My daughter was over 1 & 1/2 before her first bite of meat. It was all fruits, veggies, beans. I also gave her yogurt and cheese, but you don’t have to if your baby is still nursing. I would honestly tell you to pursue it, and let me know what research you find, because I could very easly turn my daughter to raw if I had the confidence it was nutritionally balanced. Good health to you and your family Beverly J To from this group, send an email to: - Your use of is subject to the Terms of Service. 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Guest guest Posted October 27, 2003 Report Share Posted October 27, 2003 Greetings! I would like to interject some diet information into the discussion if I may. About 36 years ago, a group of African Americans left the U.S., went to Liberia for 2 years and went to Israel where they currently reside as permanent citizens. For the past 36 years, they have delivered over 1,000 babies without drugs in their own birthing centers, their diet has been 100% vegan and they follow what is called the Sacred Diet. Now they are hailed as having the healthiest diet of any African-American community. As the diet and lifestyle constantly evolves, here is the following report at this stage of development: One case of diabetes, two strokes, the virtual eradication of high blood pressure, one heart seizure, one cancer, no prostate cancer, no STDs, no HIV, and no teen or young adult obesity. In the U.S., we know too well, that the Black community ranks number one in all of these illnesses. Diet is one of the main contributors these problems. There are articles and studies on the health status of the community conducted by various health officials and sociologists. (Visit: www.kingdomofyah.com and select "Our Health" and "Our Diet") The diet of this community consists of no meat (no fish, no chicken), no animal by-products (no dairy, no eggs). Only fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, grains, legumes, and seeds. This diet is balanced with food supplements taken each and every day which include kelp (sea vegetable), fenugreek, molasses, brewer's yeast, soybeans (at least once a week), sesame seeds, wheat germ and parsley. The book The Sacred Diet by Rofah Karaliah E. Nasik Gavriel ($7.00 Communicators Press 202-291-0050) outlines how the diet should be followed for babies, children, expectant and nursing mothers, and adults. There are many in the community who have stepped out there and gone all the way live (80% to 100% raw foods) and have received many positive benefits, but it is not currently advocated to place the children on 100% raw. We understand that throughout human history, people have been raw for thousands of years and the current cooked, denatured and dead SAD diet has only been around for a short period of time by comparison. In our current efforts to realign ourselves with the original diet laid out in Genesis 1:29, we have to research, study, and actually do it just as was done with the vegan diet. We, however, must do it with wisdom, knowledge and understanding. We know that after being placed in this horrible captivity for the past 400-plus years, we have consumed everything from hogs guts, pigs feet, chicken gizzards, spam, alcohol, tabacco and all manner of unspeakable atrocities on a regular basis. We must remember that these poisons are still in our cell make up and are transferred on to our children who are made from our cells. As our diets get higher and higher, toxins from the beef that grandma ate are release into and then out of our systems in the form of various diseases. The purer the diet, the more toxins are released. We must keep in mind that this is a wholistic process: spiritual, mental, and physical. The diet is only one aspect because I know too many vegetarians who are overweight and/or drink and/or smoke and/or depressed and/or lonely. Changing one's diet takes time, patience, consistency, and faith. But we can do it and we must not be afraid. We have been deceived for too long by too much information that is designed to confuse the consumer so they will go for what commercial advertisers prefer. We have to use our God-intellect and power of discernment to understand that life comes from life (living foods) and death comes from death (nicely-seasoned dead animal carcasses and overly-processed vegetables). It is my prayer that this group may serve as cohesive research, information-sharing, and "actively-doing-it" body of souls that is a light unto others that they may see the end result of an elevated diet...which is just the beginning. In Divine Love, Peace and Blessings, Zakhah Beverly Coose <mermaidcharter wrote: I have one more question for you. This is also where some confusion comes for me. There are so many different people saying drastically different things about the raw way of life. Some say no nuts, some say limited and some are combining lots of nuts with other foods. Some say you can’t combine certain foods with others because your body won’t digest them well. Then others make recipe books combining these very foods. What is the raw diet that has worked for you? Victoria Boutenko has lots of nuts in her recipes and mixes lots of foods. She uses spices and salts, honey and other things that other authors ban. If combining food incorrectly leads to putrification (sp) and fermentation then is it still good for you? How have you found a balance with the raw diet? Do you worry about food combinations? Thanks again, Beverly J Dr. Sunyatta Amen [dr.sunyatta] Monday, October 27, 2003 1:00 PM Subject: RE: greetings! Greetings Beverly! Thanks for your note. I would like to share a few things with you. I have been a vegan for about 15 years. My father has been a vegan for about 35 years. I grew up only eating no flesh in dad’s house and only fish (as our meat) in my mom’s house. I have a 17 year old whom I raised as a vegan (with 50-70% live/raw foods) already so I am looking forward to stepping it up with this baby. You are right that breast milk is all that babies need for the first year or even longer. I plan to feed her until she wants to come off the breast (maybe 3 years?). I fed my teenager until I had to return to my regular college schedule (about 1 year). I remember raising my 17 y.o. as a vegan there were a lot of naysayers. Being raised as a vegetarian myself there were a lot of naysayers to my dad –and even my mom with the fish only thing. I have never been hospitalized (except to have my first baby 18 years ago but I wouldn’t do again with what I know now!). I don’t have fibroids, heavy cycles, water weight gain, chronic acne, diabetes, dry scalp or anything else diet related. Never had to go to the doctor’s office either. What do I say to family/friends who are curious about our lifestyle? My daughter never had an ear infection, or any of the other things listed in her 18 years. Never a day at the doctor’s office with any mystery illnesses and even when chicken pox was going around her school she never got a full case of it. Just a one day fever and that was all- no sores or itching. She also never had a cavity and had PERFECT tooth development. I attribute all these things to her dairy and flesh free diet – and her breastfeeding for a year. I have found in my medical practice that fish, chicken, cheese, eggs and wheat are the main dietary factors contributing to asthma, eczema, bronchitis, sinus & ear infection and parasites in children. With this new baby I know even more about live foods now. I never hear of bulimia and the other problems you mentioned from live foodists or from vegetarians who are eating balanced flesh and dairy free diets. The more raw foods we have eaten the better my family’s skin, hair and nails have been. And I certainly don’t know of any raw bingers/bulimia folks. Organic produce costs too much to spit it out. J There are 2 books that you may want to add to your library. Raw Kids by Cheryl Stoycoff and Transitioning to Health: A Step-by-Step Guide to Raw for You and Your Children by Beth Montgomery. My husband bought these books when we found out we were pregnant last year. Perhaps the info contained will help you to transition to a vegetarian/vegan household and eventually to raw. I hear your concern about your child’s development but the most important thing to know about growing children is that there is NO nutrient (PROTEIN, CALCIUM & IRON INCLUDED) that you can get from meat/milk/eggs/wheat, etc. that you can’t obtain from vegetables, fruits, sea greens, etc. So why feed them the toxic stuff? If baby gorillas can grow to 400 lbs of well-developed muscle on raw veggies then why would our babies need meat or even cooked food for that matter? Especially when we know that the enzymes, vitamins and minerals are totally destroyed by cooking (even lightly steaming). That means that the “foods” we giving them that are cooked are useless. May as well wet a piece of paper and put it on a dinner plate. J That is SERIOUS cause for concern when thinking of the developing bodies of babies and children. You wrote… “I plan to educate her on eating healthy and let her make her choices about all raw or vegan when she is old enough. She gets very little processed food, sugar and meat. She has not yet had red meat, chocolate or more than one lollipop in her life. She will tell me “water is good for your body” and “my body doesn’t like chocolate”, “my tounge likes sugar but my teeth and body don’t”. And she eats a healthy diet. I let her have fish and chicken occasionally, but mostly her meals are vegetarian. She does eat eggs, cheese and milk and some whole wheat bread. “ I have found in my experience raising my daughter that we teach by daily example. You are educating her about food every time you feed her or allow her certain foods. I found that everyone in the household need to be eating the same foods or it confused the child. “Why is this good for mommy but not for me? Why is this bad for mommy but I can eat it?” When we feed kids flesh, dairy, flour, candy, processed foods (even a little) we are making a pattern. We are saying that these foods acceptable. The truth is that these things are not even food ---not for humans. J Then when we want our kids to eat better later on it is almost impossible because we have already made a clear statement about what food is. For example, it’s hard for me to get my 17 year old to stop eating tofu or other meat substitutes (like veggie sandwich meats and TVP products). They were a staple lunch food for her for 15 years ago. I haven’t served it in our house for more than 5 years but she acquired a taste for it after having it for so long. Perhaps this will info be of help to you with your daughter. If I may ask, why did you give her meat at 1 ½? BTW… a great site to visit about why dairy is VERY VERY dangerous for children is www.notmilk.com. Great research and info located there including a book called milk from A-Z. Great to share with a child at bedtime/reading time. Below is an EXCELLENT book that we bought a few weeks ago when visiting a raw food restaurant outside of Philly (Arnold’s Way). We bought it to read to our daughter as she grows. We have already started reading it to her even though she is only 12 weeks old. The author will be on WPFW with me this Thursday from 3-4pm. The book is FANTASTIC as a gift for kids. Even babies (our baby loves the book!). I wanted to have him in time for Halloween and the “food” madness that comes with it. Speaking of that, my daughter never participated in Halloween and people thought I was nuts. I don’t worry about what they think because as I said, she never got sick. Not even the runny noses and colds that all the other kids were getting. This is why communities like what we have online here are important. The social support aspect is essential. If there is anything else I can share with you about my experiences please let me know. We can all be brave forward-thinking parents together. J Be well, ~Sunyatta Beverly Coose [mermaidcharter] Monday, October 27, 2003 11:07 AM Subject: RE: greetings! Sunyatta, I think you are very brave and I hope you research well before you put your baby on all raw. I have a two year old and people are amazed at how well she eats. She LOVES salads, broccoli, fresh fruit, nuts, veggies and the like. However, going exclusively raw with her is too scary for me because their bodies are growing and developing so rapidly. I would hate to make a critical mistake in her development. Their nutritional needs must be met and I would feel horrible and sick if I depleted some key nutrient from her growing body though I had all the best intentions at heart. I believe in the raw foods way of life, but there are so many different variations and information, to know what is correct is impossible. Though I am confident enough to follow it for me, there is an area of doubt that makes me too fearful to make that choice for my child. I can listen to my body and recognize signs of trouble and research to make changes. I cannot expect my baby/toddler to be as conscious with her body. I would hate to deplete her body of something she needs without knowing it and have her suffer the consequences later. I plan to educate her on eating healthy and let her make her choices about all raw or vegan when she is old enough. She gets very little processed food, sugar and meat. She has not yet had red meat, chocolate or more than one lollipop in her life. She will tell me “water is good for your body” and “my body doesn’t like chocolate”, “my tounge likes sugar but my teeth and body don’t”. And she eats a healthy diet. I let her have fish and chicken occasionally, but mostly her meals are vegetarian. She does eat eggs, cheese and milk and some whole wheat bread. It is extremely hard for me to give her these things believing in the raw food diet, as I do. However, my fear of messing up her body out weighs my belief that raw is the best for a growing child. I wish there was more research, I would do it in a heartbeat. But when I hear about teeth problems, hair loss, eating disorders (binging and bulimia) it makes me question how balanced and sound the raw food movement is. It makes me wonder if these are short term problems, what is going on deeper that we will find out later. I imagine one day she will make the same choices I have. But for me to make those for her without the confidence, I can’t do with a clear conscious. Aside from the heart wrenching guilt I would feel if something went developmentally wrong as a result of her diet, I would never hear the end of it from family and friends who think I am a bit extreme, to say the least. I think while he/she is a baby, you don’t have any worries. Breast milk is all your baby needs. I think, from looking into it with my baby, until the age of 2 they can get all the nutrients they need from mother’s milk (no matter what your doctor tells you). I would breast feed as long as your baby allows. I would love to hear of other raw families having success with nursing and feeding their toddlers only raw foods with no health complications down the road, but I haven’t and good luck to you for being a pioneer in our society. I’m sure you can find good, healthy information by researching tribes who only have access to nature’s food. I think if you introduce the fruits and veggies exclusively when you introduce foods your baby will do great. My daughter was over 1 & 1/2 before her first bite of meat. It was all fruits, veggies, beans. I also gave her yogurt and cheese, but you don’t have to if your baby is still nursing. I would honestly tell you to pursue it, and let me know what research you find, because I could very easly turn my daughter to raw if I had the confidence it was nutritionally balanced. Good health to you and your family Beverly J Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 14, 2003 Report Share Posted December 14, 2003 Greetings, On the invite of Tarikh (dua king!) I've recently joined thid group & am excited that I did. I am mostly vegan & am very interested in raw/live foods. Fortunately, living in NY with its dozens of options makes it a bit easier. The harder part is my own discipline & will power! I just bought the 2004 Vegan Guide to New York City & it lists quite a few raw/live restaurants, juice bars, etc. Beverly, I'm not sure if you followed a case that was tried here in NY recently where a couple was charged with child endangerment becuase their (raw foods only) baby was found to be severely malnourished. This case was extreme however & the parents seemed sadly misinformed, apparently they were only feeding their baby nuts, seeds & some plants or something like that. I don't have children but if I ever do I think I'd have some of the same concerns. Right now, with my limited info, I feel that a *more* live foods diet is healthier but am not so sure about 100% but that's why I'm here, to learn! Thanks Sunyatta & Elaine! Shakti , " Beverly Coose " <mermaidcharter@c...> wrote: > Sunyatta, > > I think you are very brave and I hope you research well before you put > your baby on all raw. I have a two year old and people are amazed at > how well she eats. She LOVES salads, broccoli, fresh fruit, nuts, > veggies and the like. However, going exclusively raw with her is too > scary for me because their bodies are growing and developing so rapidly. > I would hate to make a critical mistake in her development. Their > nutritional needs must be met and I would feel horrible and sick if I > depleted some key nutrient from her growing body though I had all the > best intentions at heart. I believe in the raw foods way of life, but > there are so many different variations and information, to know what is > correct is impossible. Though I am confident enough to follow it for > me, there is an area of doubt that makes me too fearful to make that > choice for my child. I can listen to my body and recognize signs of > trouble and research to make changes. I cannot expect my baby/toddler > to be as conscious with her body. I would hate to deplete her body of > something she needs without knowing it and have her suffer the > consequences later. > > I plan to educate her on eating healthy and let her make her choices > about all raw or vegan when she is old enough. She gets very little > processed food, sugar and meat. She has not yet had red meat, chocolate > or more than one lollipop in her life. She will tell me " water is good > for your body " and " my body doesn't like chocolate " , " my tounge likes > sugar but my teeth and body don't " . And she eats a healthy diet. I let > her have fish and chicken occasionally, but mostly her meals are > vegetarian. She does eat eggs, cheese and milk and some whole wheat > bread. It is extremely hard for me to give her these things believing > in the raw food diet, as I do. However, my fear of messing up her body > out weighs my belief that raw is the best for a growing child. I wish > there was more research, I would do it in a heartbeat. But when I hear > about teeth problems, hair loss, eating disorders (binging and bulimia) > it makes me question how balanced and sound the raw food movement is. > It makes me wonder if these are short term problems, what is going on > deeper that we will find out later. I imagine one day she will make the > same choices I have. But for me to make those for her without the > confidence, I can't do with a clear conscious. Aside from the heart > wrenching guilt I would feel if something went developmentally wrong as > a result of her diet, I would never hear the end of it from family and > friends who think I am a bit extreme, to say the least. > > I think while he/she is a baby, you don't have any worries. Breast milk > is all your baby needs. I think, from looking into it with my baby, > until the age of 2 they can get all the nutrients they need from > mother's milk (no matter what your doctor tells you). I would breast > feed as long as your baby allows. I would love to hear of other raw > families having success with nursing and feeding their toddlers only raw > foods with no health complications down the road, but I haven't and good > luck to you for being a pioneer in our society. I'm sure you can find > good, healthy information by researching tribes who only have access to > nature's food. > > I think if you introduce the fruits and veggies exclusively when you > introduce foods your baby will do great. My daughter was over 1 & 1/2 > before her first bite of meat. It was all fruits, veggies, beans. I > also gave her yogurt and cheese, but you don't have to if your baby is > still nursing. I would honestly tell you to pursue it, and let me know > what research you find, because I could very easly turn my daughter to > raw if I had the confidence it was nutritionally balanced. > > Good health to you and your family > > Beverly :-) > > > > > > > Dr. Sunyatta Amen [dr.sunyatta@v...] > Sunday, October 26, 2003 7:22 PM > > greetings! > > Greetings! > > I'm so glad Elaine and I were chatting and found we were on the same > page with starting a support group for vegetarians/vegans interested in > Live Foods. We figured we'd team up. I mean, why re-invent the wheel, > right? > > The social aspect of maintaining a healthy lifestyle is perhaps the > hardest part. Finding friends and family that can sit down and break > (raw) bread with us is not easy. :-) We are blessed to be able to > commune with everyone here (and those yet to join up). > > When my husband, Matt, suggested the name it really struck a > chord. Not just that we are people of color but also that what you eat > is very closely connected to how you function spiritually. Just take a > look at the meat and potatoes folk in control of the government. Whew! > > Also, Matt and I have a new baby whom we plan on raising on live/raw > foods only. Any other ers feeding their babies or children live > foods? > > Once again, welcome and we are so glad you're here to share. > > > Be well, > > ~Sunyatta > Co-moderator, > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 20, 2008 Report Share Posted March 20, 2008 Hi there! I'm Angela and I used to be a member a while back, and now I'm back again! I've been a vegetarian in various incarnations off- and-on since I was about 13 (I'm now 32). I live in the St. Louis area with my perfect and pampered kitty Jackie. I'm trying to be a veggie again, and I may even try veganism again (although I don't know if I can give up honey or not). Anyway, it's good to be back! AKM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 21, 2008 Report Share Posted March 21, 2008 > Hi there! I'm Angela and I used to be a member > a while back, and now > I'm back again! Welcome back, Angela It's so nice when old members remember us and return!!!! You'll be able to catch up now - and also to catch us up on what you've been doing too, eh? > I'm trying to be a veggie again, and I may even > try veganism again > (although I don't know if I can give up honey > or not). Baby steps, baby steps! But you know, if you find you can't give up honey straight away (presuming that's the only thing that stops you from being vegan when you get near it), there are a couple of paths open to you: Substituting things like pure maple syrup or agave nectar for honey (that's what I do) OR finding a product that is called something like 'better than honey' or something like that LOL I forget its name since I could never find it here. OR you could simply decide to be an almost-vegan who still occasionally consumes honey. The world won't come to an end and, in time, you might find that you can do without that too. But - baby steps, eh? Lovely to have you here again! Write in again soonest, okay???? Love and hugs, Pat ---- BeanVegan Food Blog: http://beanvegan.blogspot.com Raw Vegan: http://www.care2.com/c2crAw_vEgAn Vegetarian Spice: Vegan World Cuisine: http://www.care2.com/c2cvegworld Vegetarian Slimming: vegetarianslimming Vegetarians In Canada: vegetariansincanada How Far Would You Go For . . .: http://www.care2.comlocallife Fruitarian: http://www.care2.comfruitarian Antispeciesism: http://www.care2.comantispecisism " Atrocities are not less atrocities when they occur in laboratories and are called medical research. " (George Bernard Shaw) ______________________________\ ____ Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Mobile. Try it now. http://mobile./;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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