Guest guest Posted November 24, 2008 Report Share Posted November 24, 2008 I have a list of lunches that I put together with suggestions from this group and others. Please let me know if you would like me to forward it offlist (it is a fairly lengthy list). Robin --- On Sat, 11/22/08, Sarah Fraley <fraley_sarah wrote: Sarah Fraley <fraley_sarah Unfermented soy products--Thank you Saturday, November 22, 2008, 6:58 PM Hi everyone, Thanks to all who responded to my question about soy products for my little boy. I feel much better after having read more about it--and don't have any doubt that I am doing the best thing for my son. I hate feeling like I have to have " ammunition " for people who might question my decisions about what I feed my son, but it sounds like this is not uncommon among us in the group . Anyway, I guess my continuing quest is to find things that are easy to prepare (and pack for his daycare lunch when I'm dead tired the night before) and that he will deign to eat. Of course the prepackaged stuff (e.g., Morningstar) is infinitely easier, but loaded with preservatives. Any ideas on quick low-cost healthy meals would be greatly appreciated! Cheers, Sarah --- On Tue, 11/18/08, chandelle <earthmother213@ gmail.com> wrote: chandelle <earthmother213@ gmail.com> Re: Unfermented soy products--should I worry? @gro ups.com Tuesday, November 18, 2008, 7:55 PM Sarah, Much like dairy and many other foods, fermented soy products can be much easier to digest. In our family, we focus on tempeh, miso and yogurt when we eat soy foods. I would recommend this if you're concerned about the nutrient viability in soy. There's a lot of scare-mongering right now about soy, much of it courtesy of the Western A. Price Foundation. There are reasons to be concerned about soy but the risks have been greatly exaggerated. It's important to eat a varied diet, to avoid focusing your entire diet around soy, and to refrain from processed foods containing soy, like packaged fake analogues. It's common for these foods to take a center stage during the transitional period into a veg*n diet, but ultimately they should be largely phased out in favor of whole foods - whole grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, other beans and so on. Surely it's fine to take in some processed foods in small amounts, including those based on isolated soy protein, but in my opinion, they should be thought of as a treat and not as a real food or a normal part of an everyday diet. When it comes to soy, processed soy is the biggest risk. Soybean oil is a common ingredient in processed, packaged foods. Isolated soy protein is a common component of meat analogues and it's also a filler in many processed, packaged foods. Soy lecithin, soy protein shakes/powders/ capsules/ supplements, etc., and other extracts of soy are also problematic. The best way to have soy is in a form as close to its original source as possible. Edamame, tempeh, miso and yogurt are the best options for good health and digestibility, but again, these should only be one part of a varied diet. Barring allergies, sensitivity or overuse, including soy in the diet should be neutral to beneficial rather than harmful. As for what you feed your son right now, the tofu should be fine but maybe you could try breading and baking seitan for nuggets instead of buying something as heavily processed as a Morningstar Farms product. I would be wary of " he-said she-said " when it comes to family members or friends who may be well-intentioned but also have limited information about the way you live in your daily life. A concerned family member mentioning * your* vegetarianism to *his or her* nutritionist is very suspect. I understand that this family member is just trying to be helpful and may be trying to allay their own fears, but quite frankly, it simply is not their business, and it's very presumptuous for them to pass on second-hand information from a provider who does not know you and is in no position to be making recommendations for your family. I will be very honest with you about the issue of dealing with family members' concern. My family has been vegan (except for honey, which is a recent addition) since my son was 3 weeks old. This has been our family diet for almost four years. My children have always been normal-sized (actually, tall for their age), very healthy and advanced in their development. They crave healthy foods and they're so smart and lovely and simply delicious. And I let that speak for itself. I spent a lot of time, when my son was a baby, researching everything to death and trying to convince everyone around me that it was okay to raise a child vegan. I would share articles and statistics and books and letters. And none of it had the slightest effect on anyone. Everyone started out completely convinced that my children would probably die or at least be very depressed and tiny and sickly, and my grandmother was also of the opinion that without the joy of McDonald's, my kids would probably blow up their schools. (I am not exaggerating. ) Talking about it to death, constantly trying to convince other people, just made me look insecure and desperate for validation - and I was. As my kids have grown and demonstrated every day of their lives that they are normal and healthy, doing better than most of their peers, I've quieted down - and so has everyone else. I let my healthy kids speak for themselves. I don't try to convince anyone anymore. I just smile. If people try to make recommendations or pick my kids apart for evidence of deficiency, I repeat my mantra: " We're always evaluating our diet and doing the best we can. The kids are healthy but there's always room for improvement. I appreciate your concern for our kids' health and I know they do, too. " Then I change the subject. If the person continues to press, I say, kindly but firmly, " Again, I appreciate your concern, but this is my family and we will do what we feel is best after we've researched as best we can and experimented to find our own needs. Please respect my family's autonomy in this issue, just as I respect yours. " And then I do not allow more discussion on the issue. Of course, this conversation would be very different if the person showed an honest desire to learn and understand, but this is rare when it comes to our families. Hope this helps! Chandelle Whole Food Whole Family <http://www.wholefoo dwholefamily. blogspot. com> On Tue, Nov 18, 2008 at 2:18 PM, Sarah Fraley <fraley_sarah@ >wrote: > Hi everyone, > > My name is Sarah and I'm new to the group. My son Mark is 2 and has been > vegetarian since birth--for various reasons, but not because of any food > allergies. We eat eggs, dairy products, and occasional fish, but no red > meat, pork, chicken. A concerned family member recently told me that her > nutritionist raised concerns about my feeding my son unfermented soy > products (vs. fermented) and this possibly leading to developmental > problems, specifically with his developing hormone system and muscle > growth. I did a brief on-line search and found a couple of fear-based > websites that I didn't find too reputable about the " dangers of soy " . > > Has anyone out there heard about this? Anyone know of a reputable source > that I can point her to? (And reassure myself?) I don't feed him a ton of > soy, but probably once a week (or once every 2 weeks) he has sauteed tofu or > Morningstar " chicken " nuggets. > > On a side note, my step-son has been raised completely vegan due to severe > animal product allergies and has had no problems with hormal development > that I'm aware of (just beginning his teenage years and his voice is > changing just fine... ) and my vegetarian step-daughter has also consumed > her fair share of soy and seems to be develping normally as well (menses > began at a normal age, etc.). > > On another side note, how do others cope with family members who express > their concern about children not getting enough nutrients from non-meat > sources?? I don't want to feel judged, but want to thank them for their > concern. > > Thank you!! > > Sarah > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 24, 2008 Report Share Posted November 24, 2008 Robin-- Thanks for the offer--I would love the list! Maybe others would too... Sarah --- On Sun, 11/23/08, robin koloms <rkoloms wrote: robin koloms <rkoloms Re: lunches - Sarah Sunday, November 23, 2008, 5:26 PM I have a list of lunches that I put together with suggestions from this group and others. Please let me know if you would like me to forward it offlist (it is a fairly lengthy list). Robin --- On Sat, 11/22/08, Sarah Fraley <fraley_sarah@ > wrote: Sarah Fraley <fraley_sarah@ > Unfermented soy products--Thank you @gro ups.com Saturday, November 22, 2008, 6:58 PM Hi everyone, Thanks to all who responded to my question about soy products for my little boy. I feel much better after having read more about it--and don't have any doubt that I am doing the best thing for my son. I hate feeling like I have to have " ammunition " for people who might question my decisions about what I feed my son, but it sounds like this is not uncommon among us in the group . Anyway, I guess my continuing quest is to find things that are easy to prepare (and pack for his daycare lunch when I'm dead tired the night before) and that he will deign to eat. Of course the prepackaged stuff (e.g., Morningstar) is infinitely easier, but loaded with preservatives. Any ideas on quick low-cost healthy meals would be greatly appreciated! Cheers, Sarah --- On Tue, 11/18/08, chandelle <earthmother213@ gmail.com> wrote: chandelle <earthmother213@ gmail.com> Re: Unfermented soy products--should I worry? @gro ups.com Tuesday, November 18, 2008, 7:55 PM Sarah, Much like dairy and many other foods, fermented soy products can be much easier to digest. In our family, we focus on tempeh, miso and yogurt when we eat soy foods. I would recommend this if you're concerned about the nutrient viability in soy. There's a lot of scare-mongering right now about soy, much of it courtesy of the Western A. Price Foundation. There are reasons to be concerned about soy but the risks have been greatly exaggerated. It's important to eat a varied diet, to avoid focusing your entire diet around soy, and to refrain from processed foods containing soy, like packaged fake analogues. It's common for these foods to take a center stage during the transitional period into a veg*n diet, but ultimately they should be largely phased out in favor of whole foods - whole grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, other beans and so on. Surely it's fine to take in some processed foods in small amounts, including those based on isolated soy protein, but in my opinion, they should be thought of as a treat and not as a real food or a normal part of an everyday diet. When it comes to soy, processed soy is the biggest risk. Soybean oil is a common ingredient in processed, packaged foods. Isolated soy protein is a common component of meat analogues and it's also a filler in many processed, packaged foods. Soy lecithin, soy protein shakes/powders/ capsules/ supplements, etc., and other extracts of soy are also problematic. The best way to have soy is in a form as close to its original source as possible. Edamame, tempeh, miso and yogurt are the best options for good health and digestibility, but again, these should only be one part of a varied diet. Barring allergies, sensitivity or overuse, including soy in the diet should be neutral to beneficial rather than harmful. As for what you feed your son right now, the tofu should be fine but maybe you could try breading and baking seitan for nuggets instead of buying something as heavily processed as a Morningstar Farms product. I would be wary of " he-said she-said " when it comes to family members or friends who may be well-intentioned but also have limited information about the way you live in your daily life. A concerned family member mentioning * your* vegetarianism to *his or her* nutritionist is very suspect. I understand that this family member is just trying to be helpful and may be trying to allay their own fears, but quite frankly, it simply is not their business, and it's very presumptuous for them to pass on second-hand information from a provider who does not know you and is in no position to be making recommendations for your family. I will be very honest with you about the issue of dealing with family members' concern. My family has been vegan (except for honey, which is a recent addition) since my son was 3 weeks old. This has been our family diet for almost four years. My children have always been normal-sized (actually, tall for their age), very healthy and advanced in their development. They crave healthy foods and they're so smart and lovely and simply delicious. And I let that speak for itself. I spent a lot of time, when my son was a baby, researching everything to death and trying to convince everyone around me that it was okay to raise a child vegan. I would share articles and statistics and books and letters. And none of it had the slightest effect on anyone. Everyone started out completely convinced that my children would probably die or at least be very depressed and tiny and sickly, and my grandmother was also of the opinion that without the joy of McDonald's, my kids would probably blow up their schools. (I am not exaggerating. ) Talking about it to death, constantly trying to convince other people, just made me look insecure and desperate for validation - and I was. As my kids have grown and demonstrated every day of their lives that they are normal and healthy, doing better than most of their peers, I've quieted down - and so has everyone else. I let my healthy kids speak for themselves. I don't try to convince anyone anymore. I just smile. If people try to make recommendations or pick my kids apart for evidence of deficiency, I repeat my mantra: " We're always evaluating our diet and doing the best we can. The kids are healthy but there's always room for improvement. I appreciate your concern for our kids' health and I know they do, too. " Then I change the subject. If the person continues to press, I say, kindly but firmly, " Again, I appreciate your concern, but this is my family and we will do what we feel is best after we've researched as best we can and experimented to find our own needs. Please respect my family's autonomy in this issue, just as I respect yours. " And then I do not allow more discussion on the issue. Of course, this conversation would be very different if the person showed an honest desire to learn and understand, but this is rare when it comes to our families. Hope this helps! Chandelle Whole Food Whole Family <http://www.wholefoo dwholefamily. blogspot. com> On Tue, Nov 18, 2008 at 2:18 PM, Sarah Fraley <fraley_sarah@ >wrote: > Hi everyone, > > My name is Sarah and I'm new to the group. My son Mark is 2 and has been > vegetarian since birth--for various reasons, but not because of any food > allergies. We eat eggs, dairy products, and occasional fish, but no red > meat, pork, chicken. A concerned family member recently told me that her > nutritionist raised concerns about my feeding my son unfermented soy > products (vs. fermented) and this possibly leading to developmental > problems, specifically with his developing hormone system and muscle > growth. I did a brief on-line search and found a couple of fear-based > websites that I didn't find too reputable about the " dangers of soy " . > > Has anyone out there heard about this? Anyone know of a reputable source > that I can point her to? (And reassure myself?) I don't feed him a ton of > soy, but probably once a week (or once every 2 weeks) he has sauteed tofu or > Morningstar " chicken " nuggets. > > On a side note, my step-son has been raised completely vegan due to severe > animal product allergies and has had no problems with hormal development > that I'm aware of (just beginning his teenage years and his voice is > changing just fine... ) and my vegetarian step-daughter has also consumed > her fair share of soy and seems to be develping normally as well (menses > began at a normal age, etc.). > > On another side note, how do others cope with family members who express > their concern about children not getting enough nutrients from non-meat > sources?? I don't want to feel judged, but want to thank them for their > concern. > > Thank you!! > > Sarah > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 24, 2008 Report Share Posted November 24, 2008 That list sounds great! , robin koloms <rkoloms wrote: > > I have a list of lunches that I put together with suggestions from this group and others. Please let me know if you would like me to forward it offlist (it is a fairly lengthy list). > > Robin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 30, 2008 Report Share Posted November 30, 2008 Robin, can you send it to me? gosstucker Thanks much, Paige _____ On Behalf Of robin koloms Sunday, November 23, 2008 5:26 PM Re: lunches - Sarah I have a list of lunches that I put together with suggestions from this group and others. Please let me know if you would like me to forward it offlist (it is a fairly lengthy list). Robin --- On Sat, 11/22/08, Sarah Fraley <fraley_sarah@ <fraley_sarah%40> > wrote: Sarah Fraley <fraley_sarah@ <fraley_sarah%40> > Unfermented soy products--Thank you @gro <%40> ups.com Saturday, November 22, 2008, 6:58 PM Hi everyone, Thanks to all who responded to my question about soy products for my little boy. I feel much better after having read more about it--and don't have any doubt that I am doing the best thing for my son. I hate feeling like I have to have " ammunition " for people who might question my decisions about what I feed my son, but it sounds like this is not uncommon among us in the group . Anyway, I guess my continuing quest is to find things that are easy to prepare (and pack for his daycare lunch when I'm dead tired the night before) and that he will deign to eat. Of course the prepackaged stuff (e.g., Morningstar) is infinitely easier, but loaded with preservatives. Any ideas on quick low-cost healthy meals would be greatly appreciated! Cheers, Sarah --- On Tue, 11/18/08, chandelle <earthmother213@ gmail.com> wrote: chandelle <earthmother213@ gmail.com> Re: Unfermented soy products--should I worry? @gro ups.com Tuesday, November 18, 2008, 7:55 PM Sarah, Much like dairy and many other foods, fermented soy products can be much easier to digest. In our family, we focus on tempeh, miso and yogurt when we eat soy foods. I would recommend this if you're concerned about the nutrient viability in soy. There's a lot of scare-mongering right now about soy, much of it courtesy of the Western A. Price Foundation. There are reasons to be concerned about soy but the risks have been greatly exaggerated. It's important to eat a varied diet, to avoid focusing your entire diet around soy, and to refrain from processed foods containing soy, like packaged fake analogues. It's common for these foods to take a center stage during the transitional period into a veg*n diet, but ultimately they should be largely phased out in favor of whole foods - whole grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, other beans and so on. Surely it's fine to take in some processed foods in small amounts, including those based on isolated soy protein, but in my opinion, they should be thought of as a treat and not as a real food or a normal part of an everyday diet. When it comes to soy, processed soy is the biggest risk. Soybean oil is a common ingredient in processed, packaged foods. Isolated soy protein is a common component of meat analogues and it's also a filler in many processed, packaged foods. Soy lecithin, soy protein shakes/powders/ capsules/ supplements, etc., and other extracts of soy are also problematic. The best way to have soy is in a form as close to its original source as possible. Edamame, tempeh, miso and yogurt are the best options for good health and digestibility, but again, these should only be one part of a varied diet. Barring allergies, sensitivity or overuse, including soy in the diet should be neutral to beneficial rather than harmful. As for what you feed your son right now, the tofu should be fine but maybe you could try breading and baking seitan for nuggets instead of buying something as heavily processed as a Morningstar Farms product. I would be wary of " he-said she-said " when it comes to family members or friends who may be well-intentioned but also have limited information about the way you live in your daily life. A concerned family member mentioning * your* vegetarianism to *his or her* nutritionist is very suspect. I understand that this family member is just trying to be helpful and may be trying to allay their own fears, but quite frankly, it simply is not their business, and it's very presumptuous for them to pass on second-hand information from a provider who does not know you and is in no position to be making recommendations for your family. I will be very honest with you about the issue of dealing with family members' concern. My family has been vegan (except for honey, which is a recent addition) since my son was 3 weeks old. This has been our family diet for almost four years. My children have always been normal-sized (actually, tall for their age), very healthy and advanced in their development. They crave healthy foods and they're so smart and lovely and simply delicious. And I let that speak for itself. I spent a lot of time, when my son was a baby, researching everything to death and trying to convince everyone around me that it was okay to raise a child vegan. I would share articles and statistics and books and letters. And none of it had the slightest effect on anyone. Everyone started out completely convinced that my children would probably die or at least be very depressed and tiny and sickly, and my grandmother was also of the opinion that without the joy of McDonald's, my kids would probably blow up their schools. (I am not exaggerating. ) Talking about it to death, constantly trying to convince other people, just made me look insecure and desperate for validation - and I was. As my kids have grown and demonstrated every day of their lives that they are normal and healthy, doing better than most of their peers, I've quieted down - and so has everyone else. I let my healthy kids speak for themselves. I don't try to convince anyone anymore. I just smile. If people try to make recommendations or pick my kids apart for evidence of deficiency, I repeat my mantra: " We're always evaluating our diet and doing the best we can. The kids are healthy but there's always room for improvement. I appreciate your concern for our kids' health and I know they do, too. " Then I change the subject. If the person continues to press, I say, kindly but firmly, " Again, I appreciate your concern, but this is my family and we will do what we feel is best after we've researched as best we can and experimented to find our own needs. Please respect my family's autonomy in this issue, just as I respect yours. " And then I do not allow more discussion on the issue. Of course, this conversation would be very different if the person showed an honest desire to learn and understand, but this is rare when it comes to our families. Hope this helps! Chandelle Whole Food Whole Family <http://www.wholefoo dwholefamily. blogspot. com> On Tue, Nov 18, 2008 at 2:18 PM, Sarah Fraley <fraley_sarah@ >wrote: > Hi everyone, > > My name is Sarah and I'm new to the group. My son Mark is 2 and has been > vegetarian since birth--for various reasons, but not because of any food > allergies. We eat eggs, dairy products, and occasional fish, but no red > meat, pork, chicken. A concerned family member recently told me that her > nutritionist raised concerns about my feeding my son unfermented soy > products (vs. fermented) and this possibly leading to developmental > problems, specifically with his developing hormone system and muscle > growth. I did a brief on-line search and found a couple of fear-based > websites that I didn't find too reputable about the " dangers of soy " . > > Has anyone out there heard about this? Anyone know of a reputable source > that I can point her to? (And reassure myself?) I don't feed him a ton of > soy, but probably once a week (or once every 2 weeks) he has sauteed tofu or > Morningstar " chicken " nuggets. > > On a side note, my step-son has been raised completely vegan due to severe > animal product allergies and has had no problems with hormal development > that I'm aware of (just beginning his teenage years and his voice is > changing just fine... ) and my vegetarian step-daughter has also consumed > her fair share of soy and seems to be develping normally as well (menses > began at a normal age, etc.). > > On another side note, how do others cope with family members who express > their concern about children not getting enough nutrients from non-meat > sources?? I don't want to feel judged, but want to thank them for their > concern. > > Thank you!! > > Sarah > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 1, 2008 Report Share Posted December 1, 2008 Could you please send it to me too? I have a 3-year old and 1-year old twins who I am raising vegetarian. Thanks so much! Robin MeaslesAnimalHaven , " Paige " <gosstucker wrote: > > Robin, can you send it to me? > > > > gosstucker > > > > Thanks much, > > Paige > > > > > > _____ > > On > Behalf Of robin koloms > Sunday, November 23, 2008 5:26 PM > > Re: lunches - Sarah > > > > I have a list of lunches that I put together with suggestions from this > group and others. Please let me know if you would like me to forward it > offlist (it is a fairly lengthy list). > > Robin > > --- On Sat, 11/22/08, Sarah Fraley <fraley_sarah@ > <fraley_sarah%40> > wrote: > > Sarah Fraley <fraley_sarah@ <fraley_sarah%40> > > > Unfermented soy products--Thank you > @gro <%40> ups.com > Saturday, November 22, 2008, 6:58 PM > > Hi everyone, > > Thanks to all who responded to my question about soy products for my little > boy. I feel much better after having read more about it--and don't have any > doubt that I am doing the best thing for my son. I hate feeling like I have > to have " ammunition " for people who might question my decisions about what I > feed my son, but it sounds like this is not uncommon among us in the group > . Anyway, I guess my continuing quest is to find things that are easy to > prepare (and pack for his daycare lunch when I'm dead tired the night > before) and that he will deign to eat. Of course the prepackaged stuff > (e.g., Morningstar) is infinitely easier, but loaded with preservatives. > Any ideas on quick low-cost healthy meals would be greatly appreciated! > > Cheers, > Sarah > > --- On Tue, 11/18/08, chandelle <earthmother213@ gmail.com> wrote: > > chandelle <earthmother213@ gmail.com> > Re: Unfermented soy products--should I worry? > @gro ups.com > Tuesday, November 18, 2008, 7:55 PM > > Sarah, > > Much like dairy and many other foods, fermented soy products can be much > easier to digest. In our family, we focus on tempeh, miso and yogurt when > we eat soy foods. I would recommend this if you're concerned about the > nutrient viability in soy. > > There's a lot of scare-mongering right now about soy, much of it courtesy of > the Western A. Price Foundation. There are reasons to be concerned about > soy but the risks have been greatly exaggerated. It's important to eat a > varied diet, to avoid focusing your entire diet around soy, and to refrain > from processed foods containing soy, like packaged fake analogues. It's > common for these foods to take a center stage during the transitional period > into a veg*n diet, but ultimately they should be largely phased out in favor > of whole foods - whole grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, other beans > and so on. Surely it's fine to take in some processed foods in small > amounts, including those based on isolated soy protein, but in my opinion, > they should be thought of as a treat and not as a real food or a normal part > of an everyday diet. > > When it comes to soy, processed soy is the biggest risk. Soybean oil is a > common ingredient in processed, packaged foods. Isolated soy protein is a > common component of meat analogues and it's also a filler in many processed, > packaged foods. Soy lecithin, soy protein > shakes/powders/ capsules/ supplements, etc., and other extracts of soy are > also problematic. The best way to have soy is in a form as close to its > original source as possible. Edamame, tempeh, miso and yogurt are the best > options for good health and digestibility, but again, these should only be > one part of a varied diet. Barring allergies, sensitivity or overuse, > including soy in the diet should be neutral to beneficial rather than > harmful. As for what you feed your son right now, the tofu should be fine > but maybe you could try breading and baking seitan for nuggets instead of > buying something as heavily processed as a Morningstar Farms product. > > I would be wary of " he-said she-said " when it comes to family members or > friends who may be well-intentioned but also have limited information about > the way you live in your daily life. A concerned family member mentioning * > your* vegetarianism to *his or her* nutritionist is very suspect. I > understand that this family member is just trying to be helpful and may be > trying to allay their own fears, but quite frankly, it simply is not their > business, and it's very presumptuous for them to pass on second-hand > information from a provider who does not know you and is in no position to > be making recommendations for your family. > > I will be very honest with you about the issue of dealing with family > members' concern. My family has been vegan (except for honey, which is a > recent addition) since my son was 3 weeks old. This has been our family > diet for almost four years. My children have always been normal- sized > (actually, tall for their age), very healthy and advanced in their > development. They crave healthy foods and they're so smart and lovely and > simply delicious. And I let that speak for itself. I spent a lot of time, > when my son was a baby, researching everything to death and trying to > convince everyone around me that it was okay to raise a child vegan. I > would share articles and statistics and books and letters. And none of it > had the slightest effect on anyone. Everyone started out completely > convinced that my children would probably die or at least be very depressed > and tiny and sickly, and my grandmother was also of the opinion that without > the joy of McDonald's, my kids would probably blow up their schools. (I am > not exaggerating. ) Talking about it to death, constantly trying to convince > other people, just made me look insecure and desperate for validation - and > I was. As my kids have grown and demonstrated every day of their lives that > they are normal and healthy, doing better than most of their peers, I've > quieted down - and so has everyone else. I let my healthy kids speak for > themselves. I don't try to convince anyone anymore. I just smile. If > people try to make recommendations or pick my kids apart for evidence of > deficiency, I repeat my mantra: " We're always evaluating our diet and doing > the best we can. The kids are healthy but there's always room for > improvement. I appreciate your concern for our kids' health and I know they > do, too. " Then I change the subject. If the person continues to press, I > say, kindly but firmly, " Again, I appreciate your concern, but this is my > family and we will do what we feel is best after we've researched as best we > can and experimented to find our own needs. Please respect my family's > autonomy in this issue, just as I respect yours. " And then I do not allow > more discussion on the issue. Of course, this conversation would be very > different if the person showed an honest desire to learn and understand, but > this is rare when it comes to our families. > > Hope this helps! > > Chandelle > Whole Food Whole Family <http://www.wholefoo dwholefamily. blogspot. com> > > On Tue, Nov 18, 2008 at 2:18 PM, Sarah Fraley <fraley_sarah@ > >wrote: > > > Hi everyone, > > > > My name is Sarah and I'm new to the group. My son Mark is 2 and has been > > vegetarian since birth--for various reasons, but not because of any food > > allergies. We eat eggs, dairy products, and occasional fish, but no red > > meat, pork, chicken. A concerned family member recently told me that her > > nutritionist raised concerns about my feeding my son unfermented soy > > products (vs. fermented) and this possibly leading to developmental > > problems, specifically with his developing hormone system and muscle > > growth. I did a brief on-line search and found a couple of fear- based > > websites that I didn't find too reputable about the " dangers of soy " . > > > > Has anyone out there heard about this? Anyone know of a reputable source > > that I can point her to? (And reassure myself?) I don't feed him a ton of > > soy, but probably once a week (or once every 2 weeks) he has sauteed tofu > or > > Morningstar " chicken " nuggets. > > > > On a side note, my step-son has been raised completely vegan due to severe > > animal product allergies and has had no problems with hormal development > > that I'm aware of (just beginning his teenage years and his voice is > > changing just fine... ) and my vegetarian step-daughter has also consumed > > her fair share of soy and seems to be develping normally as well (menses > > began at a normal age, etc.). > > > > On another side note, how do others cope with family members who express > > their concern about children not getting enough nutrients from non-meat > > sources?? I don't want to feel judged, but want to thank them for their > > concern. > > > > Thank you!! > > > > Sarah > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 2, 2008 Report Share Posted December 2, 2008 I, too would love a copy. TIA , " Measle's Animal Haven " <measlesanimalhaven wrote: > > Could you please send it to me too? I have a 3-year old and 1-year > old twins who I am raising vegetarian. > > Thanks so much! > > Robin > MeaslesAnimalHaven > > > , " Paige " <gosstucker@> wrote: > > > > Robin, can you send it to me? > > > > > > > > gosstucker@ > > > > > > > > Thanks much, > > > > Paige > > > > > > > > > > > > _____ > > > > > On > > Behalf Of robin koloms > > Sunday, November 23, 2008 5:26 PM > > > > Re: lunches - Sarah > > > > > > > > I have a list of lunches that I put together with suggestions from > this > > group and others. Please let me know if you would like me to > forward it > > offlist (it is a fairly lengthy list). > > > > Robin > > > > --- On Sat, 11/22/08, Sarah Fraley <fraley_sarah@ > > <fraley_sarah%40> > wrote: > > > > Sarah Fraley <fraley_sarah@ <fraley_sarah%40> > > > > > Unfermented soy products--Thank you > > @gro <%40> > ups.com > > Saturday, November 22, 2008, 6:58 PM > > > > Hi everyone, > > > > Thanks to all who responded to my question about soy products for > my little > > boy. I feel much better after having read more about it--and don't > have any > > doubt that I am doing the best thing for my son. I hate feeling > like I have > > to have " ammunition " for people who might question my decisions > about what I > > feed my son, but it sounds like this is not uncommon among us in > the group > > . Anyway, I guess my continuing quest is to find things that are > easy to > > prepare (and pack for his daycare lunch when I'm dead tired the > night > > before) and that he will deign to eat. Of course the prepackaged > stuff > > (e.g., Morningstar) is infinitely easier, but loaded with > preservatives. > > Any ideas on quick low-cost healthy meals would be greatly > appreciated! > > > > Cheers, > > Sarah > > > > --- On Tue, 11/18/08, chandelle <earthmother213@ gmail.com> wrote: > > > > chandelle <earthmother213@ gmail.com> > > Re: Unfermented soy products--should I worry? > > @gro ups.com > > Tuesday, November 18, 2008, 7:55 PM > > > > Sarah, > > > > Much like dairy and many other foods, fermented soy products can be > much > > easier to digest. In our family, we focus on tempeh, miso and > yogurt when > > we eat soy foods. I would recommend this if you're concerned about > the > > nutrient viability in soy. > > > > There's a lot of scare-mongering right now about soy, much of it > courtesy of > > the Western A. Price Foundation. There are reasons to be concerned > about > > soy but the risks have been greatly exaggerated. It's important to > eat a > > varied diet, to avoid focusing your entire diet around soy, and to > refrain > > from processed foods containing soy, like packaged fake analogues. > It's > > common for these foods to take a center stage during the > transitional period > > into a veg*n diet, but ultimately they should be largely phased out > in favor > > of whole foods - whole grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, > other beans > > and so on. Surely it's fine to take in some processed foods in small > > amounts, including those based on isolated soy protein, but in my > opinion, > > they should be thought of as a treat and not as a real food or a > normal part > > of an everyday diet. > > > > When it comes to soy, processed soy is the biggest risk. Soybean > oil is a > > common ingredient in processed, packaged foods. Isolated soy > protein is a > > common component of meat analogues and it's also a filler in many > processed, > > packaged foods. Soy lecithin, soy protein > > shakes/powders/ capsules/ supplements, etc., and other extracts of > soy are > > also problematic. The best way to have soy is in a form as close to > its > > original source as possible. Edamame, tempeh, miso and yogurt are > the best > > options for good health and digestibility, but again, these should > only be > > one part of a varied diet. Barring allergies, sensitivity or > overuse, > > including soy in the diet should be neutral to beneficial rather > than > > harmful. As for what you feed your son right now, the tofu should > be fine > > but maybe you could try breading and baking seitan for nuggets > instead of > > buying something as heavily processed as a Morningstar Farms > product. > > > > I would be wary of " he-said she-said " when it comes to family > members or > > friends who may be well-intentioned but also have limited > information about > > the way you live in your daily life. A concerned family member > mentioning * > > your* vegetarianism to *his or her* nutritionist is very suspect. I > > understand that this family member is just trying to be helpful and > may be > > trying to allay their own fears, but quite frankly, it simply is > not their > > business, and it's very presumptuous for them to pass on second-hand > > information from a provider who does not know you and is in no > position to > > be making recommendations for your family. > > > > I will be very honest with you about the issue of dealing with > family > > members' concern. My family has been vegan (except for honey, which > is a > > recent addition) since my son was 3 weeks old. This has been our > family > > diet for almost four years. My children have always been normal- > sized > > (actually, tall for their age), very healthy and advanced in their > > development. They crave healthy foods and they're so smart and > lovely and > > simply delicious. And I let that speak for itself. I spent a lot of > time, > > when my son was a baby, researching everything to death and trying > to > > convince everyone around me that it was okay to raise a child > vegan. I > > would share articles and statistics and books and letters. And none > of it > > had the slightest effect on anyone. Everyone started out completely > > convinced that my children would probably die or at least be very > depressed > > and tiny and sickly, and my grandmother was also of the opinion > that without > > the joy of McDonald's, my kids would probably blow up their > schools. (I am > > not exaggerating. ) Talking about it to death, constantly trying to > convince > > other people, just made me look insecure and desperate for > validation - and > > I was. As my kids have grown and demonstrated every day of their > lives that > > they are normal and healthy, doing better than most of their peers, > I've > > quieted down - and so has everyone else. I let my healthy kids > speak for > > themselves. I don't try to convince anyone anymore. I just smile. If > > people try to make recommendations or pick my kids apart for > evidence of > > deficiency, I repeat my mantra: " We're always evaluating our diet > and doing > > the best we can. The kids are healthy but there's always room for > > improvement. I appreciate your concern for our kids' health and I > know they > > do, too. " Then I change the subject. If the person continues to > press, I > > say, kindly but firmly, " Again, I appreciate your concern, but this > is my > > family and we will do what we feel is best after we've researched > as best we > > can and experimented to find our own needs. Please respect my > family's > > autonomy in this issue, just as I respect yours. " And then I do not > allow > > more discussion on the issue. Of course, this conversation would be > very > > different if the person showed an honest desire to learn and > understand, but > > this is rare when it comes to our families. > > > > Hope this helps! > > > > Chandelle > > Whole Food Whole Family <http://www.wholefoo dwholefamily. > blogspot. com> > > > > On Tue, Nov 18, 2008 at 2:18 PM, Sarah Fraley <fraley_sarah@ > > >wrote: > > > > > Hi everyone, > > > > > > My name is Sarah and I'm new to the group. My son Mark is 2 and > has been > > > vegetarian since birth--for various reasons, but not because of > any food > > > allergies. We eat eggs, dairy products, and occasional fish, but > no red > > > meat, pork, chicken. A concerned family member recently told me > that her > > > nutritionist raised concerns about my feeding my son unfermented > soy > > > products (vs. fermented) and this possibly leading to > developmental > > > problems, specifically with his developing hormone system and > muscle > > > growth. I did a brief on-line search and found a couple of fear- > based > > > websites that I didn't find too reputable about the " dangers of > soy " . > > > > > > Has anyone out there heard about this? Anyone know of a reputable > source > > > that I can point her to? (And reassure myself?) I don't feed him > a ton of > > > soy, but probably once a week (or once every 2 weeks) he has > sauteed tofu > > or > > > Morningstar " chicken " nuggets. > > > > > > On a side note, my step-son has been raised completely vegan due > to severe > > > animal product allergies and has had no problems with hormal > development > > > that I'm aware of (just beginning his teenage years and his voice > is > > > changing just fine... ) and my vegetarian step-daughter has also > consumed > > > her fair share of soy and seems to be develping normally as well > (menses > > > began at a normal age, etc.). > > > > > > On another side note, how do others cope with family members who > express > > > their concern about children not getting enough nutrients from > non-meat > > > sources?? I don't want to feel judged, but want to thank them for > their > > > concern. > > > > > > Thank you!! > > > > > > Sarah > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.