July 1989
Vegetarian Babies are Healthy!
Tandavan, Doctor
Dear Dr. Tandavan: I have a
grandson aged eight months. He is quite healthy and whenever I start arti
to Bhagwan he comes to me and loves to look at the Gods. The doctor told
his mother that the baby is underweight because she is not giving him
sufficient protein. The doctor advised my daughter-in-law to give eggs,
chicken and beef to the child so that he retains proper weight. I am
against eggs and meat, but my daughter-in-law does not believe me and says
that she will give the food which the doctor has recommended. I want to
know how I should impress that the child will be better if no meat is
given at all? Also, are there any substitutes to give proper proteins to
children of this age?
It is very difficult to solve your problem
because you have a non-vegetarian mother who has a non-vegetarian
physician. It is not an uncommon problem for the Indian Hindus that live
here in America. It is certain that the physician does not understand the
problem, and he probably does not have sufficient knowledge of
vegetarianism in order to know that it is not at all necessary for anyone
to eat animals.
It is a known fact that our bodies cannot tell
whether the protein we ingest comes from plant or animal sources, for the
amino acids are identical. It is also a known fact that the animal
products are highly contaminated with antibiotics, industrial chemicals
and other toxins that we absorb into our bodies when meat is eaten.
Although there is some contamination of fruits and vegetables, it is not
nearly as much as that in meat.
There have been numerous studies
that show that a strictly vegetarian diet is actually healthier for
infants and children. Three studies come to mind: Herbert, J.R.,
"Relationship of Vegetarianism to Child Growth in South India," American
Journal of Clinical Nutrition 42: 1246-54, 1985; Andrews, et al,
"Nutritional Status of Vegetarian Children," American Journal of Clinical
Nutrition 35: 204-16, 1982; and Sanders, "Anthropomorphic and Dietary
Assessment of Nutritional Status of Vegan Preschool Children," Human
Nutrition 35: 349-57, 1981. I am sure that your library could obtain these
for you if you desire.
I would recommend the following books to
your daughter-in-law to convince her of the advisability of a vegetarian
diet: Diet for a New America by John Robbins; Diet for a Small Planet by
F.M. Lappe; Transition to Vegetarianism, Ballantine Books; Vegetarian Baby
by S. Ynetma and Vegetarian Children also by S. Ynetma.
It is no
longer considered healthy to eat as much protein as most of the people in
the West do eat. In fact, it has been shown that the excess protein,
especially taken by meat eaters, is contributing to the marked increase in
osteoporosis of mature females, some evidence of a link with cancer and
certainly it does overload the kidneys.
I do not believe that there
is any need for "manufactured" protein supplements to be given to
children. Although there are a great many such products on the market,
they may be very hazardous to one's health, as many foolish dieters have
found out. The healthiest protein source for the infant is mother's milk
and, as the child is weaned, the protein sources should be fruit,
vegetables and dairy products. Animal proteins other than dairy products
are to be eliminated because of their great contamination. You imply that
you do not mind chicken; however you may not know that chicken is full of
hormones greatly detrimental to health, especially in
children.
Even if I were not a practicing Hindu, I would not eat
meat of any kind because of the bad effect that it would have on my
health. It is truly unwise for the immigrant Indian Hindus living here in
America to accept the worst that our culture has to offer. Even the
Surgeon General of the US is telling us that we eat too much meat, fat and
sugar.
I certainly wish you well in your problem, and if I can be
of any further assistance, please, contact the paper.
Article
copyright Himalayan Academy.
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