Vegan Pregnancy- My Own True Story Hita Bambhania-Modha Website: http://www.hita.life In the summer of 1996, after six months of meditating over John Robbin’s book `Diet for the New America’, my husband and I became vegan. The true tales of loving and intelligent animals, shocking details of cruel, wasteful, and unhealthy factory farming, and the heart-piercing argument–“we become what we eat” all touched us deeply and influenced our decision. Already vegetarians since birth, we decided to exclude dairy products as well from our diet. A vegan diet essentially consists of plant-based foods and excludes all animal products such as chicken, fish, beef, pork, eggs, honey, and dairy products. Upon hearing of our seemingly abrupt decision to become vegan, concerned friends and family asked, “What will you do when you become pregnant?” “Wouldn’t you need extra supplements from animal products?” Honestly, I didn’t have any answers–either for them or for myself. Fortunately, I stumbled upon Dr. Michael Klaper’s book `Pregnancy, Children, and a Vegan Diet’ which gives a thorough analysis of nutrition in a vegan diet. After reading this book from cover to cover, I was convinced that I would not give up vegan diet even in pregnancy. Well, in 1998, I did become pregnant. Although I had great moral support from my husband, parents, and midwife, I felt quite alone in my quest of going through a vegan pregnancy. I felt that I needed to talk to someone who had done this before successfully. All the mainstream books that I read on pregnancy stressed that vegetarians have to be extra cautious. The message I derived was “Vegans Beware”. Everybody that I met was concerned that somehow my vegan diet will not be sufficient for the nutritional needs of my growing baby. Their argument was seemingly sound “lack of good nutrition can cause birth defects in a child”. Furthermore, if something goes wrong in formative days, it will be impossible to correct later on. I felt encircled in fears and apprehensions of people around me, and, perhaps, sadly, adopted their fears as well. My most haunting nightmare became “What if I had an abnormal baby, say, with a missing ear or a missing finger or weak bones?” However, instead of sinking in the whirlpool of fears, I decided to take charge. Re-reading the `Pregnancy, Children, and a Vegan Diet’ assured me that if I ate a wide variety of foods from the vegetable kingdom, plus some vegan supplements I will have a perfectly healthy and normal pregnancy. While mistakenly a vegan diet is thought of as a diet that lacks nutrients in fact exactly the opposite is true. A good vegan diet has an abundance of all nutrients that our body needs. I ate a variety of colorful, seasonal fruits and vegetables that gave me plenty of vitamins and minerals. I ate different legumes and beans with grains and rice, which fulfilled my needs for protein, carbohydrates, and fibers. I snacked on nuts, seeds, sprouts, and dry fruits. I drank plenty of water, fruit juices, and soymilk (fortified with B12). I also took vegan multivitamins with folic acid. Toward the end of my pregnancy, I took vegan iron–Floradix. To be more precise, my usual diet included foods from India. My typical meal was dal (split toor soup), rice, vegetable curry, chapatis (a flat tortilla-like wheat bread), and salad. In place of dal, I sometimes ate other variety of legumes and beans. Often, I made khichadi with split mung/toor and rice/cracked wheat. I ate vegetable sandwiches with whole wheat or sprouted grain bread, taco/burrito, falafel, pita bread with hummus and tabouli–to name just a few. I made vegan deserts using egg-replacement powder, soymilk, and vegan margarine. My list here could go on and on. Driven first by fear, and then by determination, I left no vegan shore untouched. I truly discovered that delicious and yet nourishing vegan dishes are only limited by one’s imagination. Two things I had to be careful about were: (a) to avoid foods with empty calories such as fried foods and certain desserts and (b) to plan a good protein dish in every meal–especially toward the latter part of my pregnancy. This is probably true for a non-vegan diet as well. In addition to a healthful diet, I nourished the baby and myself by reading good books, by listening to good music, by walking, and by doing yoga. After a healthy full term pregnancy and a normal labor at our home, in 1999, I gave birth to a perfectly normal baby girl. At birth, my daughter weighed 6 lb. 6 oz. She is now 2 and a half. She began teething at 8 months, and reached a full set of teeth well before she was 2. Skeptics chanting “vegans suffer from Calcium deficiency” were — once and for all — silenced. My daughter is truly a vegan child. Perhaps surprisingly and quite reassuringly, in her entire time on planet Earth, we have never had to visit a doctor even once! I went through a very similar second pregnancy, only this time I took no additional supplements. My second child, a boy, was born in 2001. My son was also born at our family home. At birth, he weighed 7 lb. 5 oz., and was very healthy as well. He is now 6 months old and is exclusively on my breast milk, which I have an abundant supply of. As of today, even my son has not visited a doctor even once…

from Editorial by Merritt Clifton, Animal People, October 2001

It was no radical animal rights activist or militant vegan whose recently disclosed words linked the events of September 11 to the phrase “Meat is Murder!”

Rather, the fate of the thousand of people who were murdered aboard four hijacked airliners, at the World Trade Center, and at the Pentagon appears to have been inseparably linked to meat by Osama vin Laden himself, the mastermind and financier of the attacks, in his handwritten final orders to the 19 hijackers.

Copies of the four-page letter were found in the misdirected luggage, the wreckage of United Airlines flight 93, and a car parked at Dulles International Airport in Washington D.C.

“You must make your knife sharp, and you must not discomfort your animal during the slaughter,” bin Laden commanded, depicting slashing the throats of flight attendants, passengers, and pilots like killing sheep and goats at Ramadan. “If you slaughter,” bin Laden emphasized later in the letter, reinforcing “do not cause discomfort of those you are killing.”

That terrorists might slash the throats of some jet riders to intimidate others, without causing them discomfort, en route to murder thousands, is self-evidently preposterous. Yet bin Laden obviously did manage to convince the hijackers that their deeds would have no more negative moral consequence than killing animals for meat.

Many and perhaps most of the nine billion animals sent to slaughter in the U.S. each year, as well as the billions killed abroad, have at least as long to sense doom as did the September 11 victims. Neither are the animals’ cries as unlike the cell phone calls made by some September 11 victims as the typical meat-eater would like to believe.

Equally disturbing to meat-eaters might be awareness that doomed animals, too, often put up frantic resistance, like the passengers who tried to retake United Airlines flight 93, saving countless lives by causing the hijackers to crash the plane far from any target.

It is much easier to see the link between violence against animals and the violence against people in the behavior of psychopaths than in the much denied and disguised behavior of ordinary people doing ordinary things in daily life.

The violence countenanced by normal people for normal reasons too often differs from the mayhem of psychopaths chiefly in the degrees of disassociation and denial that are involved.

Our deepest denial involves human consumption of animals. The horror of September 11 was a reflection of human attitudes toward meat.

You don’t have to take our word for it.

Take the words of Osama bin Laden

S. Reneè Wheeler — Vegetarian Journal — Sep/Oct 1997

My husband and I have three vegan children who have had the benefit of being vegan their entire lives. Sheehan began talking at a year, and by 18 months was selecting snacks on our weekly trips to the natural foods store. I cannot remember exactly when we first talked about being vegan, but in his weekly selections he would choose things that weren’t vegan and I would say to him, “That has animals in it and we don’t eat animals, so choose something else.” He never had a tantrum or got upset; he would just choose something else.

I decided it was best to hell him that certain foods contained animals and not go into specifics unless he asked. My husband I also thought it best to make friends with vegetarian families so Sheehan would have a base of friends. As he gets older, it helps his self esteem to know mostly vegetarian children. It seems very important for children to know other children who share their values. My husband and I also did a lot of tabling for vegetarianism and selling veggie food when he was young, and he was exposed to a lot of other adult vegetarians. To this day, he remembers a lot of these people and will seek them out when we attend certain events.

Our children are great eaters. My advice for getting children to eat veggies is to eat them frequently yourself. Also, cook them until they are just soft and do not have a strong flavor.

To improve self identity and to help our children avoid animal-based foods when they are older, we give foods that have a non-vegetarian counterpart a distinctly vegetarian name. Soy milk has always been “soy milk” and margarine has always been “margarine,” but those are easy. I wanted to avoid foods with animal names; so vegan cheese became “slice,” substitute meat slices became “deli slices,” soy ice cream became “Rice Dream” or “Tofutti,” veggie wieners became “tofu dogs,” and soy burgers became “veggie burgers.” When my children are older and go to non-vegetarian houses or places without me, I don’t want them to assume that our milk (soy milk) is the same as cow’s milk. A separate vocabulary gives children a sense of their own identity and the importance of their choices. It also legitimizes our choices with the rest of the world. Every time those words are used, others have to stop and think about their behavior.

Since Sheehan was a baby, we have known vegans who keep rescued farm animals and we visit them often. Sheehan and Caislin have gotten to know “farm” animals and we talk about them and their families and how they might feel. We also have vegan cats and dogs at home, and so they have intimate relationships with companion animals. As my children get older, they want to know where animal-based foods come from. My son first thought chicken was a tofu, a pleasant thought. I told him it was a dead chicken, and we went on to talk about the chicken’s feelings and the fact that it did not give its life, but rather had it been taken away. Ham, beef, hamburgers and other dead animal foods are described as dead pig or dead cow. I feel strongly about telling my children the truth with as much detail as is appropriate for their age or as they desire. But it’s very important to let them know that these animals had lives, feelings, were children and, in some cases, parents.

Giving our children the ability to speak freely to others about vegetarianism is also important in helping them to grow up believing their lifestyle is a valid choice. Many times I have felt uncomfortable as my son probed people about their eating habits. As adults, we do not approach strangers about such personal choices, but if we let go of our discomfort, our children can help others come to new awareness.

My son once questioned a cashier as to why the store sold dead animals. After her answer, he went on to say he would love it if the next time he came in they didn’t have dead animals. I don’t think we should ever quiet our children as they speak to others about vegetarianism as long as they are not abusive. Even relatives are subject to my children’s questions. I work hard to let my children love their relatives and others who are not vegetarian, but at the same time make it clear that we don’t agree with their decision to eat animals. There is nothing to be gained by labeling others as “bad,” but we must let our children know that we do not condone or accept hurting animals for food when the world is full of cruelty-free options. Non-vegetarians frequently say that it is natural for animals to eat other animals. My children know this, but I point out that non-human animals do not have a choice.

Finding books with vegetarian themes is also vital in helping our children feel legitimate in being vegetarian. Children identify with book characters, and those who are vegetarian help reinforce vegetarianism in the “real world.” I think it is equally important to screen books before I read them to my children and not read stories where animals are used as food. It is important for our children to know animals are killed to be eaten, but story time should be positive. On the occasions I have not screened a book well enough, I just change the words in the story as I read.

By helping our children to understand that vegetarianism means eating no animals and discussing with them animal lives and feelings, we make our vegetarianism a choice based on reverence for all life and not just another rule for them to follow. I know my children will probably want to experiment with eating animals when they are older, but that base of care for our fellow animals will always be there. They will be making an informed choice to harm or not harm others while most non-vegetarian children never realize that a feeling being is the source of their dinner. Our eating patterns are more social than anything, and giving our children a healthy, cruelty-free start is one of the most important things we can offer as parents. It can be done gently and without coercion if the child understands that animals have the desire to live their lives without being victims to the taste buds of humans. I consider one of my jobs as a parent a success when my two-year-old daughter says, “Mom, is this begetarian?”

Reneè Wheeler is a vegan activist in Maryland.
Vegetarian Resource Group P.O. Box 1463 Baltimore, MD 21203Veggie-Friendly Cookbooks for Kids

Rachel Himmelheber

There are dozens of children’s cookbooks on the market today — however, it is difficult to distinguish which will meet your needs. It is especially difficult for vegetarian parents who want the books they buy to reflect their values and eating habits. Add in a concern for healthy recipes and a desire for the cookbook to have an educational slant, and the task of choosing a children’s cookbook can be daunting.

When I began looking at children’s cookbooks, I encountered all these problems and more. I also wanted them to appeal to children. I tried to pick books with colorful illustrations and those that would be appropriate for a variety of age levels.

The following books include all these elements. Be flexible when making the recipes found in these books. Many vegetarian dishes can easily be converted to vegan ones. Explore the different options with your child; be creative. Most of all — have fun!

Many Friends Cooking: An International Cookbook for Boys and Girls by Terry Touff Cooper and Marilyn Ratner — Published by Philomel Books in cooperation with the U.S. Committee for UNICEF. ISBN# 0-399-20755-4

Pretend Soup and Other Real Recipes: A Cookbook for Preschoolers and Up by Mollie Katzen and Ann Henderson — Published by Tricycle Press. ISBN# 1-883672-06-6

A Native American Feast by Lucille Recht Penner — Published by MacMillan Publishing Company. ISBN# 0-02-770902-7

The Anne of Green Gables Cookbook by Kate MacDonald — Oxford University Press. ISBN# 0-19-540496-3

American Heart Association Kids’ Cookbook by Mary Winston — Random House. ISBN# 0-8129-1930-0

Simple Substitutions

Whenever a recipe calls for an ingredient that is not vegetarian or vegan, try following to fit your needs:

• Try oil or soy margarine for butter

• Try soy milk or rice milk for cow’s milk

• Try soy yogurt for yogurt or sour cream

• Try rice syrup or sugar for honey

• Try vegetable broth for beef or chicken broth.

from 35th Anniversary Issue of “Ahimsa,” by American Vegan Society — P.O. Box H, Malaga, NJ 08328-0908

Questions from two readers: 1) Is there any religion that advocates or teaches Ahimsa? 2) I am a conservative Southern Baptist who loves animals. Have you known others of fundamentalist background who became vegetarian? My friends tell me not to be vegetarian because you have to be very “liberal“ for that. Can you help?

For a religion that teaches Ahimsa in some form, you could practically take your pick. As for its adherents actually living up to it to a great degree, that is another matter. There is an active vegetarian group within the Friends (Quakers), and many Quakers opt for pacifism. About half the Seventh-Day Adventists (including more than a few vegie nutrition researchers and M.D.’s, some naturally-oriented) are vegetarians, many total-veg (most of the rest eat meat sparingly); but this is for human health rather than Reverence for Life.

Dr. Vaclavik’s book on The Vegetarianism of Jesus Christ links this Master to the Essenes, a dissident Jewish sect that practiced pacifism, communal sharing, and vegetarianism. They opposed alcohol use, slavery, the swearing of oaths, animal sacrifice, and the wearing of wool.

Some of Jesus’ advanced teachings on pacifism, marital fidelity, and oath-taking, can still be found in The Sermon on The Mount, though not necessarily in universal practice today.

The worldwide Jewish Vegetarian movement includes societies in several U.S.A. cities.

Hinduism contains Ahimsa, and many are lacto-vegetarians, though not necessarily pacifists. Jains profess Ahimsa in diet and behavior, and nearly all are at least lacto-veg. In the U.S.A. many are realizing the dairy-slaughter connection and developing further into veganism.Many Buddhists follow a vegetarian diet and pacifism, notably in Asia, relatively fewer among those in the USA. There are teachings of the Buddha that even stress veganism for at least true and sincere disciples or monks, forbidding not only meat but also specifically silk, leather, milk and cheese.

In living by Ahimsan principles, one can be an adherent of any faith one wishes, for they are all enriched by Ahimsa. If one is shopping around, one can find a faith where the theology, cosmology, and rituals, seem harmonious with one’s own traditions or inner promptings. But to the extent that one puts the Golden Rule and Reverence for Life into one’s everyday deeds, to that extent Ahimsa (Dynamic Harmlessness) is being practiced.

AVS does not dismiss out of hands the benefits, serenity and comfort that many people derive from complex theological beliefs, liturgical and ritual practices. But if one does not wish to indulge in endless speculation and disputation on prior existence and potential future life, or metaphysical aspects of the universe, etc., Ahimsa can provide all the religion one needs; then whatever (if anything) comes after this life will not find that person very far off the mark. It is of no importance to us whether one considers oneself a “former” such-and-such religion adherent now practicing Ahimsa, or a present adherent whose Judaism (or Buddhism or Catholicism or Shintoism or whatever) has come into better focus with the understanding of Ahimsa. If one puts Ahimsa (doing the most good and the least harm one can) into practice, one will surely be following in the highest and best traditions of one’s own religion and master (or teacher or prophet or guru). This you can do, as a Christian or Buddhist or Jew, a Muslim or Hindu; as a theist, atheist or agnostic (Jainism and Buddhism, for example, do not even require a personal God), or simply as an Ahimsan, or under any other label, or no label at all.

We are by no means ignorant of the world’s great religions and their tenets; many are fine and positive powers for good, if followed properly. But much of the priestly speculation and arrogance has served only to divide, to sow hatred and mistrust, theological jealously, intolerance and violence, as in the Middle East, Northern Ireland, India, and practically everywhere else on Earth to some degree. That which causes injustice or suffering to humans or fellow creatures, would not be a religion that leads one to the Ultimate. (Ahimsa is always an integral part of a religion — Ed.

We undertook an interesting project. We thought of printing a bumper sticker that best represents our mission, with a slogan. We invited suggestions via the Internet which resulted in a whopping bunch of them!! We published all of them, asking for a vote to elect one. Obviously, the votes were scattered, and many people voted for more than one slogan. Below is the most popular one that received 30% of votes, and four runner-ups that received 10-15% votes.

“JIV DAYA = Compassion to ALL Living Beings”

“Happiness is Being a VEGETARIAN” “Save Environment — Go Vegetarian!” “Vegetarian by Choice — Not by Chance”

“Live and Let Live”
Following second runner-ups received 5-10% votes.
“There is NO Sport in Hunting or Fishing”

“JIV DAYA = Mercy to ALL Living Beings” “Animals Have Souls Too!” “VolksVegan” “Have You Hugged a Vegan Today?” “Veganism Does a Body Good” “Vegetarian — Peace for All Who Live!”

“Are You a Living Grave?”

The rest received less than 5% votes.

“VEGANISM — Time has come for it!” “Dominion does not mean Domination” “Let’s Take Good Care of our Earth” “Learn from the mistakes of others. Go Vegetarian!” “I Am a Vege!!! And Proud of It” “The Night of the Living Vegan” “The Vegan Army” “Veganette” “Vegan Stomping Ground” “USS Vegan” “Blazing Vegans” (Or “Flaming Vegans”) “The Veganator” (After “The Terminator”) “Darth Vegan” “Goldilocks and the Three Vegans” “FrankenVegan (Frankenstein)” “The Vegan Patient” “The Vegan Sutra” “Smile, say Tofu!” “Vegetables are our friends” “Tofu and You” “Don’t be a meathead!” “May Ahimsa Be With You” “Are you a herbivore too?” “Make it a love and joy filled day”

“Meat is Murder”

“The Presumed Consent Law”
Tina Nelson — Executive Director, American Anti-Vivisection Society

Xenotransplantation, or the transplantation of organs from animals to humans, is on the rise. Due to the chronic shortage of human organs, many transplant centers are considering the use of substitute organs from baboons, chimpanzees, pigs and sheep.

Approximately 12,000 organ transplants are performed in the United States each year. The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) is a nonprofit organization in Richmond, Virginia that, under federal contract, allocates organs nationally. Patients can register and be placed on a waiting list; however, this does not guarantee that an organ will be available by the time the patient’s own organ fails. For instance, in 1993, 50,169 patients registered with UNOS, but 2,887 died while waiting for donor organs. The primary cause for these mortality rate is the shortage of organs due to the failure of people to donate. Only 1 out 5 people has consented to donate his or her organs at death. At least 100,000 people die each year of accidents or strokes, and approximately 20,000 of these are potential organ donors. However, the number of donors remains low, at about 4,000 per year.

In a 1993 AV Magazine article, John McArdle, Ph.D., our Scientific Advisor, wrote an article which discussed the alternatives to xenotransplantation. Among those alternatives is the Presumed Consent Law. This law was originally recommended by the Council of Europe in 1978 and subsequently passed in most European countries. The basis of this law is the legal presumption that anyone is a potential organ donor, unless he or she has stated an opposite wish, which can be done making a written statement of dissent in any form. At death, family members are not required to extend permission to “harvest” the deceased’s organs. This law is the exact opposite of the current United States organ donation law which requires that the person grant prior permission for the use of his or her organs at death.

The United States law has been extremely ineffective and unable to meet the high demand for organs despite evidence that the majority of people support the concept of donating. The European law, however, has been overwhelmingly effective, especially in Austria where organ availability quadrupled after the Presumed Consent Law was implemented. In Belgium, the experience was similar, proving that the results of presumed consent are very successful.

Several animal protection organizations are presently working on building a coalition, and expect to have legislation drafted and introduced regarding a Presumed Consent Law in the United States. By establishing this law, we will be saving many lives that otherwise would have been wasted and will have provided a smart alternative to xenotransplantation.

I encourage AAVS members to support the implementation of such a law, but offer an additional suggestion in the interim. Please call or write the AAVS and request The Humane Research Donor Card. Millions of animals would be saved if medical researchers used human tissue in their work instead of killing healthy animals. By carrying this card, you ensure promoting ethical research which benefits people and animals. Also available in The AAVS catalog is our publication, Health and Humane Research, which provides factual information on animal experiments and alternatives, and contains The Humane Research Donor Card.

The American Anti-Vivisection Society promotes compassion in classroom, laboratories, and dinner plate. This 100+ years old organization also issues grants to scientists for using and/or developing non-animal tests. For more information, please write: 801 Old York Road, Suite 204, Jenkintown, PA 19046-1685. Phone: 215-887-0816.

By Andrew Nicholson, M. D. — PCRM’s “Good Medicine” — Winter, 1997

Diabetes is not necessarily a one-way street. Early studies suggest that persons with diabetes can improve and, in some cases, even cure themselves of the disease by switching to an unrefined, vegan diet. Unfortunately, none of these studies included a comparison group. So the Diabetes Action and Research Education Foundation provided a grant to PCRM to perform a carefully controlled test.

Working with Georgetown University, we compared two different diets: a high-fiber, low-fat, vegan diet and the more commonly used American Diabetes Association (ADA) diet. We invited persons with non-insulin-dependent diabetes and their spouses or partners to follow one of the two diets for three months. Caterers prepared take-home lunches and dinners so participants could simply heat up the food at home.

The vegan meals were made from unrefined vegetables, grains, beans, and fruits, with no refined ingredients, such as vegetable oil, white flour, or white pasta. These meals averaged just 10 percent fat (as a percentage of calories) and 80 percent complex carbohydrate. They also offered 60-70 grams of fiber per day and had no cholesterol at all.

The comparison (ADA) diet contained somewhat more plant-based ingredients than the average American diet, but still relied on the conventional chicken and fish recipes. That diet was 30 percent fat and 50 percent carbohydrate. It provided about 30 grams of fiber and 200 milligrams of cholesterol per day.

Participants in both groups came to the University two evenings per week for group sessions covering nutrition, cooking, and support.

There were several challenges in planning the study. Would persons with diabetes — and their partners — volunteer for the study? Would they change their eating habits and maintain the study program for the full three months? Could we find caterers who would dependably prepare and deliver attractive vegan and ADA meals?

The first of these worries was quickly dispelled. On the very first day that our advertisement appeared in the newspaper, more than 100 people responded. The participants who were accepted for the study threw themselves into it with enthusiasm. One said, “I was amazed at how powerful the vegan diet was right from the beginning. The blood sugars and weight just started falling off.”

Some subjects were pleasantly surprised at how well they adapted to the experimental diet. One said, “If anyone had told me 12 weeks ago that I would be satisfied with a totally vegetarian diet, I would not have believed it.” Another participant needed more time to adjust: “In the beginning, it’s not an easy diet. But I managed to lose, at last count, 17 pounds. I am no longer on medication for diabetes, and I am no longer on medication for blood pressure. So, actually, it’s been a very, very positive result for me.”

Some found unexpected benefits: “My asthma has really improved. I’m not taking as much asthma medicine because I can breathe better. The overall mental outlook on how I feel about myself as a diabetic is much more hopeful now, as I am self-sufficient with a diet that makes sense for me.”

Both groups did an overall great job in adhering to their prescribed diets. However, the vegan group clearly had the edge in many of the results. Fasting blood sugars decreased 59 percent more in the vegan group than in the ADA group. And, while the vegans needed less medication to control their blood sugars, the ADA group needed just as much medicine as before. The vegans were taking less medicine, but were in better control.

While the ADA group lost an impressive 8 pounds, on average, the vegans lost nearly 16 pounds. Cholesterol levels also dropped more substantially in the vegan group compared to the ADA group.

Diabetes can cause serious damage to the kidneys, resulting in protein loss in the urine. Several of our subjects already had significant protein loss at the beginning of the study, and the ADA group did not improve in this respect. In fact, their protein losses actually worsened somewhat over the 12 weeks of the study. The vegan group, on the other hand, had a large reduction in protein losses.

Encouraged by the strong results of this pilot study, we are planning a much larger study for next year. We also owe a great debt to these volunteers who generously gave their time to help us learn how to improve our treatments for diabetes.

THE LATEST IN DIABETES
More Evidence Against Milk

A new research report adds more evidence linking cow’s milk to diabetes in children. A milk protein causes an immune reaction in diabetic children, according to a study in The Lancet. It is believed that this reaction can result in the destruction of the body’s insulin-producing cells.

The protein culprit, beta-casein, also exists in human milk, but in a different molecular configuration and in much lower amounts than that in cow’s milk. Breast-fed infants have a measure of protection against diabetes.

In 1993, PCRM held a press conference to alert parents to potential risks to their children from milk consumption. Benjamin Spock, M.D.; Frank Oski, M.D., of Johns Hopkins University; and others pointed to evidence that cow’s milk could increase the risk of diabetes, iron deficiency anemia, and other serious problems.

While the dairy industry dismissed these concerns, the American Academy of Pediatrics concluded that exposure to cow’s milk protein may indeed be an important factor in the development of diabetes. Based on the more than 90 studies that have addressed the issue, an Academy panel reported that avoiding cow’s milk exposure may delay or prevent the disease in susceptible individuals.

An editorial in The Lancet stated that the new findings were particularly telling because they involved T-cells, “the key players” in the cause of diabetes.

Carol M. Coughlin, R.D. — Vegetarian Journal — May/June 1997

We are vegetarians. It is not just our diet, but a way of life for us. How can we share our enthusiasm without turning people off? Let everyone know you are a vegetarian. Be specific. Simply state: “We do not eat meat, fish, chicken, milk, eggs, gelatin, gravy, broth.” Then tell them what you do eat. This eliminates embarrassing situations.

Have you ever been invited to dinner only to be served fish? Has someone brought a dish of Rice Krispie treats as a snack for your child’s playgroup and then not understood why you will not eat any? Most people do not realize that gelatin, chicken broth, and other foods are animal derived.

Focus on what you have in common. Everyone should strive to eat a plant-based diet. Look at the food pyramid. The base of it is grains. The next largest portion is vegetables and fruits. Animal products are supposed to play a minimal role. This is the best place to start. I always do a fruit and vegetable themed talk for pre-school and lower elementary kids. If someone says their child likes macaroni and cheese or pizza, share that you eat those foods too only slightly different. Then invite them over to try some cheeseless pizza or nutritional yeast macaroni and “cheese.”

Whenever the neighborhood children come over, feed them vegetarian foods such as soyamilk, tofu hot dogs, veggie burgers, and pasta with veggie sauce, etc. You may find that other parents will purchase these items because their kids started asking for them.

Talk About What You Eat

When you bring a lunch to work, offer to share some. Or put a dish of vegan cookies next to the coffee pot with a stack of recipe cards. If parents enjoy vegetarian dishes, they’re more likely to serve them to their own children.

Consider giving gift subscriptions of vegetarian publications to your school’s or town’s library. Donating vegetarian books helps too. Most libraries have limited budgets. Imagine if every vegetarian family donated one book or journal to their library!

Keep in mind that if someone is on the defensive, his or her mind is closed and he/she will not hear you or learn a thing. Look for the teachable moment. The day after a news story on an E coli outbreak from eating burgers might be a good day for a veggie burger BBQ. But it might not be a good day to approach the subject if a family member was affected by the outbreak. The middle of Thanksgiving dinner is probably not the best time to discuss turkey production, unless you are specifically asked why you do not eat turkey. Use your best judgement.

Some people become vegetarian all at once. Others move toward the goal one recipe at a time. And we have to admit that some will never change their way of eating. I lived in a cooperative housing situation at college with a guy whose philosophy was “If it is warm and not moving, I will eat it.” Move on. Use your positive energy where it will do some good.

Be active. Take the scout troop to a health food store, tofu factory, or other veggie food maker for a field trip. Do cooking classes at your child’s school.

If you read a review of a restaurant that has some veggie dishes on the menu, write a letter to the editor stating that the review was right on target because the vegetarian chili there is first rate!

Becky Turner edits her family cookbook. She includes vegan versions of some of the meat dishes. It can be as easy as changing a written recipe to “1 cup soy or skim milk.” Many people always use the first choice, or would not have thought to try a non-dairy alternative.

Nothing succeeds like success. People will see that you thrive on a vegetarian diet and that you do not have to scrub your kitchen with antibacterial soap to kill the bacteria in the “juice” from the meat thawing on the counter. They will see that you do not have to wash out greasy pans. They may just notice that you are not on a first name basis with the pharmacist. Your healthy and happy family is a living testament to the vegetarian way of living. You share the vegetarian lifestyle just by being an example.

Francine Stephens and Betsy Lydon — Mothers & Others for a Livable Planet

Even if you’re not obsessed with healthy eating, it makes sense to avoid foods treated with pesticides and chemical fertilizers. The National Academy of Sciences reported in 1993 that federal pesticide standards provide too little health protection for children and infants. Citing this report, the EPA’s 1997 agenda sought to establish new child-specific standards. “Certified Organic” already applies the strictest standards, producing food without synthetic pesticides and fertilizers. There is also “Integrated Pest Management (IPM),” which restricts pesticide use, and local, in-season food, which is less likely to have been treated with post-harvest pesticides. So, where to start? Here are the 10 most important foods to start buying organic:

1. BABY FOOD In 1995, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) tested eight baby foods made by industry leaders Gerber, Heinz and Beech-Nut. Some 16 pesticides were found in more than half of the samples. Organic baby foods include Earth’s Best, Well-Fed Baby, and Gerber’s Tender Harvest, and you can make your own by cooking and pureeing organic food.

2. RICE Because rice allergies are practically nonexistent, this cereal grass is a primary ingredient in baby foods. But pesticide use on rice fields in California’s Sacramento River Valley, one major growing region, has been so heavy that it has contaminated groundwater.

3. STRAWBERRIES Strawberries are the single most pesticide-contaminated fruit or vegetable in the U.S., according to a 1995 EWG study. No surprise, in a crop that receives a dose up to 500 pounds of pesticides per acre. Strawberries and other produce bought out-of-season are the most likely to have been imported, possibly from a country with less-stringent pesticide regulations.

4. CEREAL The USDA recommends six to 11 servings of grains a day. But, in 1994, the FDA found illegal pesticide residues in a year’s worth of General Mills’ Cheerios oat-based cereal. And in 1996, the FDA found residues from at least one pesticide in 91% of wheat samples tested. Try a healthy variety of organic offerings: oats, wheat, millet, quinoa, barley, couscous, amaranth and spelt.

5. MILK Milk comprises nearly a quarter of the non-nursing infant’s diet, but many dairies inject their cows with recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH), a genetically engineered hormone used to boost milk production. Organic milk dairies don’t use hormones or antibiotics.

6. CORN Processed foods made with corn — cornbread, chips and popcorn — were among the top 15 foods likely to expose children to an unsafe dose of organophosphate (OP) pesticide residues, according to a 1998 report of EWG. Organic versions can readily be found.

7. BANANAS Often the first fruit offered to babies, bananas are produced using benomyl (linked to birth defects) and chlorpyrifos (a neurotoxin). In Costa Rica, a major exporter, only 5 percent of farmland grows bananas, but they account for 35% of the country’s pesticide consumption.

8. GREEN BEANS In 1992-93, contamination with pesticides illegal in the U.S. was found in 7.4% of green beans imported from Mexico. EWG’s tests found three pesticides in conventional green bean baby food samples.

9. PEACHES A recent Food & Drug Administration study found that 5% of the peach crop was contaminated. Peaches lead the EWG’s list of foods likely to contain unsafe OP exposures.

10. APPLES Apples rank second on the EWG list for OP residues, and baby food apple juice also made the top 15. Organic and IPM alternatives can be found in some supermarkets. Mothers & Others introduced its “CORE Values Northeast” label in 1996, identifying apples grown regionally by growers practicing biointensive IPM. “CORE Values” was recognized by the USDA SARE Program as an “innovative, interesting and impactful” sustainable agriculture project.

You may also want to seek out organic nectarines, grapes and raisins, and kiwi fruit, all of which made EWG’s “least wanted” list. Contact EWG at 202-667-6982, or www.ewg.org.

Contact: Mothers & Others for a Livable Planet, 40 West 20th St., New York, NY 10011; 1-888-ECO-INFO; or www.mothers.org.

by Sweta Shah — Harvey, LA (11th Grade Study Paper)

As the people of the world become health-conscious, they are looking for newer, un-pharmaceutical ways of preserving and treating their health. Vegetarians, people whose diets exclude all meat products, eggs, poultry, and fish, have statistically proven that their diets are healthier than non-vegetarian diets. Vegetarian diets consist of fruits, vegetables, grains, beans, and nuts. In addition, research now shows that meat is not essential for health. Many people are switching to vegetarian diets. This paper examines vegetarian diets and proves that they are healthier than meat-inclusive diets.

We know that protein is necessary in a healthy diet; however, not everyone is aware about the multitude of vegetable protein sources. Protein is needed daily to grow and repair tissues and to maintain the body’s functions. Also, many people fear vegetarian diets make people protein deficient, and then weak, sick, and anemic. Although vegetarians eat less protein than do meat-eaters, they readily get as much as they need from non-flesh sources. Even vegans, who eat only plant foods, get more than the minimum recommended level. In fact, non-vegetarian diets provide too much protein. The National Research Council has established that the average male should consume nine percent of his calories in the form of protein everyday. Inspection of published food tables reveals that most grain products, legumes, nuts, seeds, and vegetables contain more than nine percent of their calories in the form of protein. Even the recommended nine percent is actually more than double the minimum requirement established by the World Health Organization and other experts.

In addition, many people believe that more protein will make them strong and is necessary for doing strenuous work; however, sports records show that vegetarian athletes surpass meat-eating athletes in events that require strength and endurance, such as running, swimming, and tennis. For instance, Pierreo Verot, a vegetarian, holds the world record for downhill endurance skiing. The world’s record for distance butterfly stroke swimming is held by vegetarians James and Jonathan deDonato. Furthermore, vegetarians are more readily able to attain physical balance, mental clarity, and spiritual harmony — factors that are critical in maintaining optimal health.

Formerly, vegetable proteins were classified as second-class, and regarded as inferior to first-class proteins of animal origin, but this distinction has now been generally discarded. It is now seen that the excessive amount of protein found in meat products is actually hazardous to health. Two diseases caused by the over-consumption of protein are osteoporosis and kidney stones.

Researchers at Michigan State University and other universities show that osteoporosis is caused by excessive protein. The more protein (especially from animal origin) a person consumes, the more calcium his or her body loses, resulting in osteoporosis. The high-protein diets cause a gradual decrease in bone density and eventually osteoporosis. The results of the study reported that by the age of 65 in the United States, vegetarian men have an average measurable bone loss of 3%; non-vegetarian men, 7%. Vegetarian women have an average measurable bone loss of 18%; non-vegetarian women, 35%. The study also shows that by the time a non-vegetarian woman reaches the age of 65, she has lost over one-third of her skeletal structure. On the contrary, older vegetarian women tend to remain active, maintain erect postures, and are less likely to fracture or break their bones.

Another problem caused by excessive protein is the production of kidney stones. Kidney stones are caused by the crystallization of the calcium that is lost from the bones in digesting the excess protein. The excessive protein consumption also results in the destruction of kidney tissue and the deterioration of the kidney itself. This is so because the kidney has to work harder to de-aminize and excrete the excess protein out of the body.

Besides proteins, saturated fats and cholesterol play an important role in a person’s health. Although some fats are necessary in a balanced diet for body maintenance, excess saturated fats are hazardous. Animal fats are heavier and stickier, and they agglutinate blood cells, thus increasing the viscosity of blood, restricting blood flow, and raising blood pressure. When the blood stops moving, it causes a clot in the artery. These clots result in many forms of heart diseases. Similarly, cholesterol, which is found only in animal foods, deposits in artery walls and causes the arteries to clog.

Approximately thirty-eight percent of all deaths are caused by heart attacks, in the United States. Recent medical research indicates that a high-fat, low-fiber diet centered on meat is a contributing factor in cardiovascular disease. According to the American Heart Association (AHA), the three major risk factors in heart disease are high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, and smoking. In 1985, the AHA said, “We have good evidence that most people…can reduce a major risk of having a heart attack by following a cholesterol lowering plan….Foods of plant origin, such as fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts and seeds, contain no cholesterol. These foods are highly recommended.”

Although absent in plant foods, cholesterol is present in meat, poultry, seafood, dairy products, and eggs. Cholesterol is the main component of the plaque that builds up in arteries, causing atherosclerosis.” All of these foods, with the exception of seafood, are also high in saturated fat. Diets high in saturated fats and cholesterol produce atherosclerosis, which leads directly to heart diseases and strokes. Diets low in saturated fats and cholesterol decrease atherosclerosis, and lower the probability of heart diseases and strokes. The AHA recommends cutting back in foods high in saturated fats and cholesterol, which are found mainly in animal products. The AHA recommends that people use beans, lentils, tofu, and other plant foods instead of meat in their main course.

In addition, nutritional studies show that vegetarians consume less cholesterol and saturated fats and have lower levels of cholesterol. Studies also show that meat- eaters have higher rates of atherosclerosis and fatal heart diseases. For example, the average non-vegetarian runs a fifty percent risk of having a heart attack; whereas, a vegetarian runs only fifteen percent risk of having a heart attack (Jainism 11).

Vegetarian diets with a lower saturated fat content are also a method for reversing disease. A California physician became renowned worldwide for prescribing vegetarian diets to people with heart disease. A significantly lowered fat content is the key ingredient in restoring health. Dr. Dean Ornish, MD, head of heart disease reversal studies says, “If everyone in the country was eating a low-fat vegetarian diet, heart disease could be as rare as malaria.”

Recently, Harvard University and Michio Kushi completed a study to discern the effects of macrobiotics on blood and cardiovascular strength and overall condition. People who normally lived their lives on vegetarian foods were asked to change to a more standard American diet, containing meats, heavy sauces, sweets, and processed foods. After a few weeks, the results showed that the people’s cardiovascular systems and blood conditions suffered from it.

In addition to heart diseases, colon and breast cancers are also directly related to the amount of fats and cholesterol consumed. The Association for the Advancement of Science states that “populations on high-meat, high-fat diets are more likely to develop colon cancer than individuals on vegetarian…diets.” Evidence from a study conducted in Stockholm, Sweden, reports that the greater the fat intake of a person, the higher the risk he or she has of contracting colon cancer. Similarly, the more fat a woman consumes in her lifetime, the more likely she is to obtain breast cancer. In a study conducted at the National Cancer Research Institute in Tokyo by Dr. Hirayama, the results show that women who consume meat daily face an almost four times greater risk of getting breast cancer than those who eat no meat.

Cutting out fatty meats and substituting lighter plant proteins have amazing effects on general health and well-being. Not only that, but vegetarian diets can, in many cases, actually reverse diseases. Many cases of miraculous cancer remission effected by adopting a vegetarian diet have been reported. An example of this is the story of Dr. Anthony Satlilaro. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1978. The cancer then spread to his lungs as he underwent traditional medical therapy. When he had only six months left to live, he tried a vegetarian diet. Eighteen months later, a CAT scan performed on him showed that he was completely rid of both cancers.

Most non-vegetarians think that vegetarians are weak, skinny, and anemic; however, it is seen that most vegetarians experience better than average health and typically live physically active and demanding lives. People who have adopted vegetarian diets say that they experience many benefits. They say that they sleep better and for fewer hours and still wake up feeling more refreshed and energetic than they did before. Many feel “they are now able to participate in life more than they thought possible.”

In addition to these physical benefits, a person can enjoy the meals because they can be prepared many different ways, to suit various tastes. People who have adopted vegetarian diets say that they are now able to eat more foods with fewer calories, fats, and cholesterol.

Vegetarian diets should avoid some pitfalls. For example, some foods are prepared with too much salt. They cause the water to be drawn out of blood cells, creating a dehydration of tissues and causing a water retention problem in the body. Excessive sodium overburdens the kidneys and forces the heart to work twice as fast in response. This leads to dehydration, hypertension, and increased blood pressure levels. Another precaution is that you must consume dark green and leafy vegetables, which are a major source of the essential vitamins A and E. Finally, a proper combination of all food groups (grains, vegetables, beans, and fruits) should be maintained in proportion.

The foods that were once believed to be the foundations of good health are actually found to be detrimental to one’s health and the causes of degenerative diseases such as osteoporosis, kidney stones, heart disease, cancer, etc. In addition, those foods that were once looked upon as nutritionally deficient are now proven to be healthy and even helpful in reversing all above illnesses. Therefore, a vegetarian diet is the healthiest choice one can make.

References

Amato, Paul R., Ph.D., and Sonia Partridge. The New Vegetarians: Promoting Health and Protecting Life. New York: Plenum P, 1989.

Iacobbo, Karen. “Diet Clearly Linked to Leading Killer.” Vegetarian Voice: Perspectives on Healthy, Ecological, and Compassionate Living. Oct. 1993.

Jainism and Animal Issues: Handbook for Compassionate Living. “Some Winner Arguments.” Oct. 1996.

Null, Gary. The Vegetarian Handbook: Eating Right For Total Health. New York: St. Martin’s P, 1987.

Ornish, Dr. Dean. Dr. Dean Ornish’s Program for Reversing Heart Disease. New York: Random House, 1990.

Robbins, John. Diet for a New America. New Hampshire: Stillpoint Publishing, 1987.

Vegetarianism: Answers to the Most Commonly Asked Questions. Pamphlet. New York: Natl. American Vegetarian Society, 1993.