Reuters: Babies' Mental Delay Tied to Moms'Vegan Diet Jan 30

[Guest guest]

Reuters article

Babies' Mental Delay Tied to Moms'Vegan Diet

Thu Jan 30, 4:40 PM ET

By Alison McCook

 

http://story.news./news?tmpl=story & u=/nm/20030130/hl_nm/infan

ts_diet_dc_1

 

(TYPE ABOVE ALL IN ONE LINE)

 

DISCLAIMER NOTE: BTW: B4 people gets into a tizzy or ban this/censor

this or whatever...just a request- dont kill the messenger ;-( and

good idea to use this info to respond appropriately.

 

 

Sam

[Guest guest]

Note: forwarded message attached.

 

 

 

 

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Reuters article

Babies' Mental Delay Tied to Moms'Vegan Diet

Thu Jan 30, 4:40 PM ET

By Alison McCook

 

http://story.news./news?tmpl=story & u=/nm/20030130/hl_nm/infan

ts_diet_dc_1

 

(TYPE ABOVE ALL IN ONE LINE)

 

DISCLAIMER NOTE: BTW: B4 people gets into a tizzy or ban this/censor

this or whatever...just a request- dont kill the messenger ;-( and

good idea to use this info to respond appropriately.

 

 

Sam

 

 

 

 

*Visit SFBAVeg at VegFair, Sat 2/1, www.vegfair.org!

*Got Questions? We got answers! See the SFBAVeg FAQ at www.generationv.org/faq.htm

*SFBAVeg Charter: www.generationv.org/charter.htm

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

By the way, the research about babies' mental delay due to B12

deficiency is about vegans needing to suppliment with B12, not about

nursing women needing to eat meat, dairy products and eggs.

 

Of course, the article's title implies that vegan mothers are harming

their children by breastfeeding. Arg!

 

This is a great reminder to vegans that we need to educate ourselves as

much as possible about nutrition. It's nice when people ask vegans the

Protein Question and the vegan is able to respond with information about

protein *plus* B12, omegas (including DHA info), iron, vitamin D, etc.

etc.

 

Sam, thanks for posting this article.

 

~Caity

 

" raosam2001 " wrote:

 

> Reuters article

> Babies' Mental Delay Tied to Moms'Vegan Diet

> Thu Jan 30, 4:40 PM ET

> By Alison McCook

>

> http://story.news./news?tmpl=story & u=/nm/20030130/hl_nm/infan

>

> ts_diet_dc_1

>

> (TYPE ABOVE ALL IN ONE LINE)

>

> DISCLAIMER NOTE: BTW: B4 people gets into a tizzy or ban this/censor

> this or whatever...just a request- dont kill the messenger ;-( and

> good idea to use this info to respond appropriately.

>

>

> Sam

>

>

> *Visit SFBAVeg at VegFair, Sat 2/1, www.vegfair.org!

> *Got Questions? We got answers! See the SFBAVeg FAQ at

> www.generationv.org/faq.htm

> *SFBAVeg Charter: www.generationv.org/charter.htm

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

My goodness I wish someone would use my daughter as an example of a robust,

healthy, knock-your-socks-off vegan baby/toddler/and now almost five-year

old!

 

Unlike these negative, misleading, sensationalist *health* stories about

rare cases of B-12 deficiency, the media could spotlight my 110th percentile

super baby who nursed like a champ, and now eats a plethora of green leafy

vegetables, calcium prepared tofu, beans, rice, raw fruits and veggies,

nutritional yeast (loaded with B-12), enriched rice milk (loaded with B-12)

and enriched soy milk (loaded with B-12).

 

Like her breastfed peers, she's alert, bright, and happy. Like her vegan

peers, she's never experienced colic, constipation, intestinal bleeding, ear

infections, or a constant runny nose. When my non-vegan friends ask for

help when their babies and toddlers continue to battle with the

aforementioned ailments, I suggest they first try eliminating dairy

products, and viola, the kids get better.

 

Like Caity said, vegans should be educated about how to meet their

nutritional needs. And securing a reliable source of Vitamin B-12, calcium,

Vitamin D and omega fatty acids is crucial. But, I'd like to add that both

animal-eaters and vegetarians who consume eggs and dairy ALSO need to be

educated about meeting their nutritional needs. A diet consisting of fast

food and processed foods, or a diet that is based around animal products can

also lead to vitamin deficiency, illness and early death.

 

When I was a vegetarian (for 24 years) I ate way too much dairy, white

sugar, eggs and processed foods. I was often sick and at times anemic.

When I became vegan, I learned about the goodness of whole foods and the

importance of eating a wide variety of raw foods. My illnesses went away,

my anemia vanished and I was amazed at the energy and happiness that ran

through my body.

 

My vegan pregnancy was my gift to my daughter and myself. Each day I am

amazed at her zest for life, her abhorrence of animal products, and her

compassion for all things living. She can read ABC and 123 books without

feeling guilt or confusion - as she doesn't eat the flesh or offspring of

the very animals she loves learning about, and she doesn't steal milk from

baby cows or goats.

 

When she was three-years old and still nursing she would stare at me with

these intense eyes and say, " I would never want someone to take mama's milk

away from me. " She adores watching cows with their calves and tears come

quickly when she thinks about the existence of veal. She is truly shocked

and amazed that humans nurse on the milk of cows and goats.

 

She loves eating a variety of healthy foods, and she loves sharing her vegan

pasta salads, chocolate chip cookies and tofu burritos with her friends.

Most of her omnivorous friends look to her with awe, because she eats great

tasting foods and she doesn't hurt animals in the process.

 

All this to say, we ALL can educate ourselves about how to eat more whole

grains, fruits, vegetables and legumes. Vegans are not the only ones who

need to make sensible choices.

 

- Simone

[Guest guest]

Simone:

Hopefully, you composed a shorter version of your post here and sent

it off to and couple other news agencies.

 

Or Else you are preaching to the choir.

 

Sam

 

 

SFBAVeg , simone spearman <pohevol@m...> wrote:

> My goodness I wish someone would use my daughter as an example of a

robust,

> healthy, knock-your-socks-off vegan baby/toddler/and now almost

five-year

> old!

>

> Unlike these negative, misleading, sensationalist *health* stories

about

> rare cases of B-12 deficiency, the media could spotlight my 110th

percentile

> super baby who nursed like a champ, and now eats a plethora of green

leafy

> vegetables, calcium prepared tofu, beans, rice, raw fruits and

veggies,

> nutritional yeast (loaded with B-12), enriched rice milk (loaded

with B-12)

> and enriched soy milk (loaded with B-12).

>

> Like her breastfed peers, she's alert, bright, and happy. Like her

vegan

> peers, she's never experienced colic, constipation, intestinal

bleeding, ear

> infections, or a constant runny nose. When my non-vegan friends ask

for

> help when their babies and toddlers continue to battle with the

> aforementioned ailments, I suggest they first try eliminating dairy

> products, and viola, the kids get better.

>

> Like Caity said, vegans should be educated about how to meet their

> nutritional needs. And securing a reliable source of Vitamin B-12,

calcium,

> Vitamin D and omega fatty acids is crucial. But, I'd like to add

that both

> animal-eaters and vegetarians who consume eggs and dairy ALSO need

to be

> educated about meeting their nutritional needs. A diet consisting

of fast

> food and processed foods, or a diet that is based around animal

products can

> also lead to vitamin deficiency, illness and early death.

>

> When I was a vegetarian (for 24 years) I ate way too much dairy,

white

> sugar, eggs and processed foods. I was often sick and at times

anemic.

> When I became vegan, I learned about the goodness of whole foods and

the

> importance of eating a wide variety of raw foods. My illnesses went

away,

> my anemia vanished and I was amazed at the energy and happiness that

ran

> through my body.

>

> My vegan pregnancy was my gift to my daughter and myself. Each day

I am

> amazed at her zest for life, her abhorrence of animal products, and

her

> compassion for all things living. She can read ABC and 123 books

without

> feeling guilt or confusion - as she doesn't eat the flesh or

offspring of

> the very animals she loves learning about, and she doesn't steal

milk from

> baby cows or goats.

>

> When she was three-years old and still nursing she would stare at me

with

> these intense eyes and say, " I would never want someone to take

mama's milk

> away from me. " She adores watching cows with their calves and tears

come

> quickly when she thinks about the existence of veal. She is truly

shocked

> and amazed that humans nurse on the milk of cows and goats.

>

> She loves eating a variety of healthy foods, and she loves sharing

her vegan

> pasta salads, chocolate chip cookies and tofu burritos with her

friends.

> Most of her omnivorous friends look to her with awe, because she

eats great

> tasting foods and she doesn't hurt animals in the process.

>

> All this to say, we ALL can educate ourselves about how to eat more

whole

> grains, fruits, vegetables and legumes. Vegans are not the only

ones who

> need to make sensible choices.

>

> - Simone

[Guest guest]

FYI, there's nothing remotely " sensationalistic " about this article.

It's accurate and even-handed. Look at what it says:

 

" Jefferds added that these cases serve as a reminder to parents and

pediatricians to ensure that both pregnant women and mothers who

breast-feed their infants consume enough B12, either through diet or

B12-containing supplements.

 

" 'You have to make sure you're getting it,' she said, in reference to

vitamin B12. "

 

It doesn't say vegans IN GENERAL are hurting their babies. Compare

this to " my 110th percentile super baby " --now that's

sensationalistic. People, it's wonderful to believe in a vegan or

vegetarian diet, but it does pose risks as well as advantages. If we

could be intelligent and even-handed about it, we can win people over

and not alienate anyone.

 

Jon

 

 

> Unlike these negative, misleading, sensationalist *health* stories

about

> rare cases of B-12 deficiency, the media could spotlight my 110th

percentile

> super baby who nursed like a champ, and now eats a plethora of

green leafy

> vegetables, calcium prepared tofu, beans, rice, raw fruits and

veggies,

> nutritional yeast (loaded with B-12), enriched rice milk (loaded

with B-12)

> and enriched soy milk (loaded with B-12).