Guest guest Posted March 2, 2006 Report Share Posted March 2, 2006 Hi My vegan 4 year old has had 5 colds since Christmas and the doctor has advised giving her a multivitamin but I don't know if there are any out there for vegan children, and if, in fact she really needs one. Can anyone advise. Thanks Michelle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 2, 2006 Report Share Posted March 2, 2006 On 2 Mar 2006, at 12:08, Michelle D'Arcy wrote: > Hi > > My vegan 4 year old has had 5 colds since Christmas and the doctor has > advised giving her a multivitamin but I don't know if there are any > out there for vegan children, and if, in fact she really needs one. > Can anyone advise. > You can definitely get vegan children's multivitamins but you may have to shop around. I usually stock up when I'm in the USA on business, so I'm not too sure what the options are in the UK. Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 2, 2006 Report Share Posted March 2, 2006 There are definitely vegan children's multivits out there - the one mentioned from the Vegan Society sounds like the best one, but check local health food shops too. Even if they don't stock them, it's likely they can order some in for you. Although you're probably right - she probably doesn't need them. If you've been a vegan for 12 years, chances are you know your nutrition! But it might be worth giving her some multivitamins anyway, just as a trial to see if it makes a difference. The other thing you can try is echinacea (pronounced 'ekinaysha') - a herb which basically increases the immune system's efficiency. Great for preventing colds etc as well as helping get rid of them if you have one already. Bioforce (which seem to be changing their name to A. Vogel) do a children's one in both tablets and drops. But the fact that your daughter's caught lots of colds might be more to do with lots of children at school/playgroup/etc having colds and passing them to her rather than lack of nutrients! Basically, if you think there's a problem with the fact that she keeps getting colds, try a multivitamin or echinacea (or both). If she's not getting colds any more and you think she's just been catching them from other children, and you don't like the idea of giving her multivits, then don't. If she's good at eating her greens (oranges, yellows, purples etc ) then hopefully there won't be a problem Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 3, 2006 Report Share Posted March 3, 2006 I found that Fresh N Wild has a nice selection of vegitarian/vegan vitamins. I suggest a vitamin c of 45 mg everyday - to help boost immune system - however too much vitamin c can lower a child's copper. Unlike as an adult i take 1,000 mg of vitamin a day! milk also builds mucous for kids, try to not to serve milk when kids are sick - adults too. virus can remain in mucous which is why your child may keep getting sick. antibacterial gel hand cleaner - kids love to touch stuff - it way not be that your kid has a weak immune system, but just keeps touching germs check this out: vitamins and kids - http://www.whatreallyworks.co.uk/start/kidszone.asp?article_ID=648 vitamins for kids - uk company http://www.1stvitality.com/acatalog/children_animal_parade.html bubmle bee in camden call them and ask them about their vitamin store if you are in north london http://www.bumblebee.co.uk great zine with listings of vegitarian/vegan stores http://www.theecologist.org i always look here if i am lloking for anything vegan http://www.vegweb.com take care good luck - xjen vegan/ will be vegan mom one day that is why i am researching for the best ways to care for vegan children Paul Russell <prussell wrote: On 2 Mar 2006, at 12:08, Michelle D'Arcy wrote:> Hi>> My vegan 4 year old has had 5 colds since Christmas and the doctor has> advised giving her a multivitamin but I don't know if there are any> out there for vegan children, and if, in fact she really needs one.> Can anyone advise.>You can definitely get vegan children's multivitamins but you may have to shop around. I usually stock up when I'm in the USA on business, so I'm not too sure what the options are in the UK.Paul Relax. Mail virus scanning helps detect nasty viruses! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 3, 2006 Report Share Posted March 3, 2006 I would suggest a good hard look at the diet before reaching for a chemistry set, and only resort to suppliments as a last resort. Vitamin C comes in cheap easy sources - Oranges, just try and up the fruit & veg ( or juice ) intake if possible. Nature also provides a good immune system booster ( short term ) in the form of Echinaccea - take at the first sign of a cold for a maximum of 2 weeks. The Valley Vegan...........painter jen <outsiderust wrote: I found that Fresh N Wild has a nice selection of vegitarian/vegan vitamins. I suggest a vitamin c of 45 mg everyday - to help boost immune system - however too much vitamin c can lower a child's copper. Unlike as an adult i take 1,000 mg of vitamin a day! milk also builds mucous for kids, try to not to serve milk when kids are sick - adults too. virus can remain in mucous which is why your child may keep getting sick. antibacterial gel hand cleaner - kids love to touch stuff - it way not be that your kid has a weak immune system, but just keeps touching germs check this out: vitamins and kids - http://www.whatreallyworks.co.uk/start/kidszone.asp?article_ID=648 vitamins for kids - uk company http://www.1stvitality.com/acatalog/children_animal_parade.html bubmle bee in camden call them and ask them about their vitamin store if you are in north london http://www.bumblebee.co.uk great zine with listings of vegitarian/vegan stores http://www.theecologist.org i always look here if i am lloking for anything vegan http://www.vegweb.com take care good luck - xjen vegan/ will be vegan mom one day that is why i am researching for the best ways to care for vegan children Paul Russell <prussell wrote: On 2 Mar 2006, at 12:08, Michelle D'Arcy wrote:> Hi>> My vegan 4 year old has had 5 colds since Christmas and the doctor has> advised giving her a multivitamin but I don't know if there are any> out there for vegan children, and if, in fact she really needs one.> Can anyone advise.>You can definitely get vegan children's multivitamins but you may have to shop around. I usually stock up when I'm in the USA on business, so I'm not too sure what the options are in the UK.Paul Relax. Mail virus scanning helps detect nasty viruses! Peter H Photos – NEW, now offering a quality print service from just 8p a photo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 4, 2006 Report Share Posted March 4, 2006 mmmm.... now that i think about it peter is definitely right. i think processed vitamins are harder to digest. fresh is the way to go. --- peter hurd <swpgh01 wrote: > I would suggest a good hard look at the diet before > reaching for a chemistry set, and only resort to > suppliments as a last resort. Vitamin C comes in > cheap easy sources - Oranges, just try and up the > fruit & veg ( or juice ) intake if possible. Nature > also provides a good immune system booster ( short > term ) in the form of Echinaccea - take at the first > sign of a cold for a maximum of 2 weeks. > > The Valley Vegan........... > > painter jen <outsiderust wrote: > I found that Fresh N Wild has a nice selection > of vegitarian/vegan vitamins. > > I suggest a vitamin c of 45 mg everyday - to help > boost immune system - > however too much vitamin c can lower a child's > copper. Unlike as an adult i take 1,000 mg of > vitamin a day! > > milk also builds mucous for kids, try to not to > serve > milk when kids are sick - adults too. virus can > remain in > mucous which is why your child may keep getting > sick. > > antibacterial gel hand cleaner - kids love to > touch stuff - > it way not be that your kid has a weak immune > system, > but just keeps touching germs > > check this out: > vitamins and kids - > > http://www.whatreallyworks.co.uk/start/kidszone.asp?article_ID=648 > > vitamins for kids - uk company > > http://www.1stvitality.com/acatalog/children_animal_parade.html > > bubmle bee in camden call them and ask them about > their vitamin store if you are in north london > http://www.bumblebee.co.uk > > great zine with listings of vegitarian/vegan > stores > http://www.theecologist.org > > i always look here if i am lloking for anything > vegan > http://www.vegweb.com > > take care good luck - xjen > vegan/ will be vegan mom one day that is why > i am researching for the best ways to care for > vegan children > > Paul Russell <prussell wrote: > > On 2 Mar 2006, at 12:08, Michelle D'Arcy wrote: > > > Hi > > > > My vegan 4 year old has had 5 colds since > Christmas and the doctor has > > advised giving her a multivitamin but I don't know > if there are any > > out there for vegan children, and if, in fact she > really needs one. > > Can anyone advise. > > > > You can definitely get vegan children's > multivitamins but you may > have to shop around. I usually stock up when I'm in > the USA on > business, so I'm not too sure what the options are > in the UK. > > Paul > > > > > Relax. Mail virus scanning helps detect > nasty viruses! > > ~~ info > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > Please remember that the above is only the opinion > of the author, > there may be another side to the story you have not > heard. > --------------------------- > Was this message Off Topic? Did you know? Was it > snipped? > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > > Guidelines: visit <site temporarily offline> > Un: send a blank message to > - > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 4, 2006 Report Share Posted March 4, 2006 peter hurd wrote: > I would suggest a good hard look at the diet before reaching for a > chemistry set, and only resort to suppliments as a last resort. > Vitamin C comes in cheap easy sources - Oranges, just try and up the > fruit & veg ( or juice ) intake if possible. Very true for vitamin C. Less true of Iodine (which everyone, omnivores & vegans alike, gets through fortified food or supplements) & Selenium, and not true at all of B12. > Nature also provides a good immune system booster ( short term ) in > the form of Echinaccea - take at the first sign of a cold for a > maximum of 2 weeks. > I think someone did a controlled study of Echinaccea, and found it had no effect on the duration of colds. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3256026.stm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 4, 2006 Report Share Posted March 4, 2006 Seaweed is a good source of iodine and can also be found in small amounts in green vegetables My children eat a lot of sea veggies , Nori rolls,- arame mixed into rice etc. They also drink a lot of fresh juices carrot/spinach, carrot/kale/apple etc. It isn't a problem getting enough iodine for us. Selenium might be aproblem but my children drink a lotof fresh juice and eat brazil nuts. We also take a multi vitamin/mineral pill just to make sure, Jo > >Ian McDonald <ian >Sat, 04 Mar 2006 02:06:33 +0000 >Re: Vegan Children > > > >peter hurd wrote: > >> I would suggest a good hard look at the diet before reaching for a >> chemistry set, and only resort to suppliments as a last resort. >> Vitamin C comes in cheap easy sources - Oranges, just try and up the >> fruit & veg ( or juice ) intake if possible. > >Very true for vitamin C. Less true of Iodine (which everyone, omnivores > & vegans alike, gets through fortified food or supplements) & Selenium, >and not true at all of B12. > >> Nature also provides a good immune system booster ( short term ) in >> the form of Echinaccea - take at the first sign of a cold for a >> maximum of 2 weeks. >> > >I think someone did a controlled study of Echinaccea, and found it had >no effect on the duration of colds. >http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3256026.stm > > >~~ info ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >Please remember that the above is only the opinion of the author, >there may be another side to the story you have not heard. >--------------------------- >Was this message Off Topic? Did you know? Was it snipped? >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ >Guidelines: visit <site temporarily offline> >Un: send a blank message to - > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 4, 2006 Report Share Posted March 4, 2006 On 4 Mar 2006, at 02:06, Ian McDonald wrote: > > I think someone did a controlled study of Echinaccea, and found it had > no effect on the duration of colds. > http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3256026.stm > I was also skeptical about the effect of Echinacea on colds and Googled up a few studies - it seems that it doesn't help at all once you have a cold, but it can help a little if taken when the first symptoms occur, and it also has shown small but statistically significant benefits for general respiratory ailments (i.e. not just colds). So, not a miracle cure or anything, but not total quackery either. Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 4, 2006 Report Share Posted March 4, 2006 Jo Kimberley wrote: >Seaweed is a good source of iodine and can also be found in small amounts >in green vegetables >My children eat a lot of sea veggies , Nori rolls,- arame mixed into rice >etc. They also drink a lot of fresh juices >carrot/spinach, carrot/kale/apple etc. It isn't a problem getting enough >iodine for us. Selenium might be aproblem but my children drink a lotof fresh >juice and eat brazil nuts. We also take a multi vitamin/mineral pill just >to make sure, > >Jo > > Yup, I didn't mean you can't get Iodine & Selenium from food, just that you have to plan quite closely. (I'm sorry I said " everybody gets their Iodine " from foritification or supplements - that's not true, because if you plan very well you can get it from food. I was more referring to that omnivores get it from it being added to their milk. In the US it's added to water.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 4, 2006 Report Share Posted March 4, 2006 I agree, as as I said at the first sign of a cold it should be taken.It boosts the imune system, so once you have a cold and a weakened immune system it has no effect. I take it occaisionally, and it appears to help. Various native American tribes used it . The Valley Vegan.............Paul Russell <prussell wrote: On 4 Mar 2006, at 02:06, Ian McDonald wrote:>> I think someone did a controlled study of Echinaccea, and found it had> no effect on the duration of colds.> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3256026.stm>I was also skeptical about the effect of Echinacea on colds and Googled up a few studies - it seems that it doesn't help at all once you have a cold, but it can help a little if taken when the first symptoms occur, and it also has shown small but statistically significant benefits for general respiratory ailments (i.e. not just colds). So, not a miracle cure or anything, but not total quackery either.Paul~~ info ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Please remember that the above is only the opinion of the author, there may be another side to the story you have not heard.---------------------------Was this message Off Topic? Did you know? Was it snipped?~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Guidelines: visit Un: send a blank message to - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 4, 2006 Report Share Posted March 4, 2006 Not neccessarily true, Iodine does come via nature in sea vegetables/seaweed, sea salt etc. An iodine intake of less than 20 micro grams (µg) per day is considered severe deficiency, 20 -50 µg/day is considered moderate deficiency and 50-100 µg/day is considered mild deficiency. Iodine is typically undesirably low (about 50 micrograms/day compared to a recommended level of about 150 micrograms per day) in UK vegan diets unless supplements, iodine rich seaweeds or foods containing such seaweeds (e.g. Vecon) are consumed. The low iodine levcls in many plant foods reflects the low iodine levels in the UK soil, due in part to the recent ice-age. About half the iodine consumption in the UK comes from dairy products. In the US iodised salt is widely used and some other foods are fortified with iodine. In Canada all table salt is iodized. The UK has no iodine fortification strategy for plant foods or salt. Low zinc intakes exacerbate the effect of low iodine intake. Some otherwise healthful foods contain goitrogens - substances which can interfere with iodine uptake or hormone release from the thyroid gland. These foods are generally only a concern if iodine intake is low. Consumption of brassicas, such as cabbage, Brussels sprouts, broccoli and cauliflower, increase the requirements for iodine, especially if consumed raw. Soy beans, raw flaxseed, cassava (used in tapioca), sweet potatoes, lima beans, maize and millet also increase the requirements for iodine. It is important not to over-consume iodine as it has a relatively narrow range of intakes that reliably support good thyroid function (about 100 to 300 micrograms per day). Someone consuming large amounts of iodised salt or seaweeds could readily overdo it. Excessive iodine has a complex disruptive effect on the thyroid and may cause either hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism, in susceptible individuals, as well as increasing the risk of thyroid cancer. Hyperthyroidism may also occur, particularly in elderly people, due to long term slight iodine deficiency as this may result in additional nodules on the thyroid. And as for the controlled study against that particular herb, well I take studies like that with a pinch of salt, a lot are backed by the pharmacutical industry. I have heard of studies that do prove its effectiveness in the past, and after all, I would rather take something natural ( with a long history of use ) than something created by man in a laboratory. The Valley Vegan............Ian McDonald <ian wrote: peter hurd wrote:> I would suggest a good hard look at the diet before reaching for a > chemistry set, and only resort to suppliments as a last resort. > Vitamin C comes in cheap easy sources - Oranges, just try and up the > fruit & veg ( or juice ) intake if possible.Very true for vitamin C. Less true of Iodine (which everyone, omnivores & vegans alike, gets through fortified food or supplements) & Selenium, and not true at all of B12.> Nature also provides a good immune system booster ( short term ) in > the form of Echinaccea - take at the first sign of a cold for a > maximum of 2 weeks.> I think someone did a controlled study of Echinaccea, and found it had no effect on the duration of colds.http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3256026.stm~~ info ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Please remember that the above is only the opinion of the author, there may be another side to the story you have not heard.---------------------------Was this message Off Topic? Did you know? Was it snipped?~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Guidelines: visit Un: send a blank message to - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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