| |
| |
|
Nutrition Information |
|
|
|
Can a Child Thrive on a Vegan Diet? YES!
Can a child thrive on a vegan diet? The answer is yes! Far more studies show that a typical 'Western Diet' has deleterious effects on health compared to the risks of a vegan diet. In fact, vegetarian diets are associated with disease resistance and even higher I.Q.'s in children. (1-5) With proper planning and a bit of self-education, parents should feel confident in giving their child a diet free of animal products. Healthy food choices include the following: Protein dense foods: beans, soy, whole grains, nuts, etc. Calcium sources: beans, leafy greens, figs, blackstrap molasses, fortified beverages, etc. Iron sources: grains, dried fruit, coconut milk, blackstrap molasses, soybeans, beans, etc. Zinc sources: nuts, seeds, grains, chickpeas, soybeans, etc. Avoid wheat and nuts until after one year of age, to avoid possible food sensitivities. Supplementation may be necessary for children who are picky eaters, but most nutritional needs can be met through diet. Vitamins D and B12 may be the exception, and parents should ensure an optimal supply through fortified foods or supplements. Finding community support can be very important in helping your child maintain healthy eating habits, as vegan diets are often misunderstood and even feared by well-meaning family members, neighbours, and teachers. Many excellent resources exist that can help educate those in your child's life who have concerns, and possibly alleviate any misconceptions they may have. Raising a child on a vegan diet can be challenging in today's world of hot-dogs and ice cream, but parents should be assured that research is on their side. The following sources are particularly supportive of vegan diets for children: The Vegetarian Society UK http://www.vegsoc.org The Vegetarian Resource Group http://www.vrg.org European Vegetarian Union http://www.ivu.org Physician's Committee For Responsible Medicine http://www.pcrm.org Becoming Vegan Brenda Davis, R.D., and Vesanto Melina, M.S., R.D. 1. O'Connell JM, Dibley MJ, Sierra J et al: Growth of vegetarian children: The Farm Study. Pediatrics 1989;84:475-481. 2. Fisher M, Levine PH, Weiner B, et al. The effects of vegetarian diets on plasma lipid and platelet levels. Arch Inter Med 1986;146:1193-1197. 3. Chang-Claude J, Frentzel-Beyme R, Eilber U. Mortality pattern of German vegetarians after 11 years of follow-up. Epidemiology 1992;3:395-401. 4. Thorogood M, Mann J, Appleby P, McPherson K. Risk of death from cancer and ischaemic heart disease in meat and non-meat eaters. Brit Med J 1994;308:1667-1670. 5. Dwyer JT, Miller LG, Arduino NL, et al. Mental age and I.Q. of predominately vegetarian children. J Am Dietetic Assoc 1980;76:142-147. Stacelynn Caughlan is a Clinical Nutritionist and Certified Herbalist who specializes in pregnancy, birth and childhood. She is currently the editor of http://www.motherandchildhealth.com an online resource for women looking for information on natural health and healing for themselves and their families.
MORE RESOURCES:
Nutrition - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Herbs that Heal Naturally The word herb is used to refer to any part of a plant used for flavoring or medicine. Herbs for relaxation so sleep will come, and relieving pain or water retention have the welcome plus of being void of the side effects that come with chemical medications. The New Food Pyramid: Another Attempt At Providing Easy Answers The Food Pyramid, first introduced to the US in 1992, just experienced a major overhaul. Why? Perhaps proper education about nutrition isn't as easy as picking out food from a colorful chart. Why are Free Form Essential Amino Acids Necessary and What to Look For! 1. Look for high quality, crystalline, free-form, amino acids (AAs) Most amino acid blends on the market are actually reduced milk or soy proteins. Sugar Lovers Beware It would be fair to assume that almost everyone on the planet loves sugar and sweet foods. Processed sugar is in many products and is a key ingredient for baking. Brown Sugar is Not Brown Rice Question from Jack:A question from Jack, one of the subscribers to the MericleDiet newsletter, "Reference your tip regarding diabetes. The only sugar I use is brown and is this a concern in my case?"Answer:The word "brown" has gotten a lot of play lately regarding "healthy eating. How to Have Great Sex - Nutrition and Foods That Create Passion Is the thrill gone? Has the thrill gone out of your love life and sex. Do you just spend boring evening after boring evening together watching the prime time TV lineups. Seven Habits of Highly Healthy Eaters "What exercises can I do to ?? As fitness professional I hear these words often. It doesn't matter if the sentence ends with, "get bigger muscles", "firm up my butt" or "flatten my stomach". Juicing - A Beginners Guide You can spot a juicer a mile off at the supermarket or greengrocer. Apart from the huge number of carrots and apples they are loading into their trolley, they also have that slightly smug, see-how-healthy-I-am look about them. Food for Potential Energy FOOD (Macro-nutrients)One of the most important aspects of hill walking or trekking and adventure holidays is to maintain your calorie intake to keep pace with the terrain & amount of equipment you are carrying.The best ratio for active people is:CARBOHYDRATES50-60% Simple carbs. Chew Your Food I am going to share with you possibly the most important piece of advice you will ever receive about nutrition. This piece of advice is not about supplementation. Seafood - the Healthy Alternative Most red and white meats are very fatty and are not a healthy way to eat. Seafood on the other hand offers you a great tasting alternative. Nutrition as Attention Deficit Disorder ADHD Alternative Treatment: Help is as Close as the Kitchen The quality of food we eat (or lack thereof) has a profound affect on Attention Deficit Disorder and ADHD. For many people, nutrition alone can effectively work as an ADHD alternative treatment. Food Sources That Boost Glutathione Naturally Copyright 2004 Priya Shah Glutathione, the body's master antioxidant and detoxifier, is one of the 14 "Superfoods" listed in SuperFoods Rx : Fourteen Foods That Will Change Your Life, co-authored by Dr Steven Pratt. Glutathione levels cannot be increased to a clinically beneficial extent by orally ingesting a single dose of glutathione. The coq10 Benefit Coq10 is also known as Coenzyme Q10.This co q10 is produced naturally in the human body, and is a source of various coq10 benefit. Lifestyle Wellness LIFESTYLE WELLNESS = An Adventure of Health + Vitality!Not a strong wind, nor a surge of pressure, nor a fit of passion, nor anything, can throw you off when your body, mind and spirit are in perfect balance. -Unknown'WELLNESS'. Enjoy The Holidays Healthfully How To Have A Healthy ThanksgivingEnd of the year holidays are a time when our eyes are often bigger than our stomach! Many of us wonder how we will get through them without gaining 5 or 10 pounds. So how can you feel great after parties and meals instead of overstuffed and uncomfortable?Your stomach cannot miraculously hold more food just because it's the holidays. Magnesium Deficiency Causes Personality Change and WLS Patients are at Risk Have you ever felt like you were completely losing your mind? Like the world was swallowing you up and little things were out of your control and unmanageable? Like you were confused, tired, out of sorts and simply wanted to collapse? Has everyday noise become intolerably loud in your head?That's how I was feeling a few months ago. I was confident I'd lost my mind and suffered a serious change of personality (for the worse, I may add). The Liquid Vitamin Mineral Approach Liquid vitamin mineralThe liquid vitamin mineral dietary supplement is a must have for maximum vitality and health. In today's fast food environment most of us do not get the proper balance of food for the necessary for optimal health Unfortunately the body only absorbs 10 to 20 percent of the nutrients found in traditional pills and capsules. Milk Soy Protein Intolerance: A Mothers Perspective I first learned of Milk Soy Protein Intolerance (MSPI) in the office of a pediatric gastroenterologist's office with my seven-week-old son, Max. After the first week of his life Max lost weight and was labeled "failure to thrive. Soytastic - The Health Benefits of Soy It is often taken as a given fact that soy is beneficial to our health, and that it is certainly a healthier alternative to dairy products and meat. However, it is rare that anyone actually either asks or informs us of what soy is or why we should consume it.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |