Vegan Diet Healthiest for Babies
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MARCO ISLAND, Fla., May 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Recent news headlines have suggested that a vegan diet was in some way responsible for the death of 6- week-old Crown Shakur in Atlanta, whose parents were convicted of malice murder, felony murder and first degree cruelty to children.
However, even according to the prosecution, baby Crown did not die from a vegan diet, rather from malnutrition. He weighed only 3.5 pounds at his death.
"Crown's death is a terrible tragedy, but why did the headlines emphasize that his parents were vegan? You never see a headline saying, 'Meat eater dies of massive heart attack or cancer,' yet meat is largely responsible for heart disease, cancer, diabetes and a whole host of other debilitating diseases," said author Jeff Popick, an expert on how diet affects health.
Although the lead prosecutor in the case, Chuck Boring, told the jury, "He just was not fed enough. They are not vegans. They are baby-killers," Popick fears these kinds of "scaremongering" headlines will frighten people away from adopting a vegan diet when, according to his latest book, "The Real Forbidden Fruit: How Meat Destroys Paradise And How Veganism Can Get It Back," it is by far the healthiest diet for both adults and children.
"Worried parents can easily research the topic if they wish to reassure themselves that a vegan diet is not only the safest, but healthiest diet for their children," added Popick.
Jeff Popick is a former Hollywood stunt man, radio host ("Vegetarian Lifestyles," KIEV 870 AM, Los Angeles), self-made millionaire and now passionate author and speaker on the subject of veganism. For more information visit JeffPopick.com.
JeffPopick.com
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Copyright © 2008
PR Newswire. All rights reserved.
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It's true that the baby was starved.
By:
Tim Stahl ,
Thu, 24 May 2007 20:28:09 GMT |
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And the type of diet may not have mattered. However, the headline here that says veganism is the healthiest for babies is just as biased as the headlines about this unnecessary death. Research does not exist to justify such a claim. It is irresponsible for anyone to make such a claim.
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Chronic disease prevention
By:
wordster ,
Thu, 10 May 2007 20:24:37 GMT |
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Of course, the child didn't die from a vegan diet. He died from malnutrition. Even meat-eaters will die if they try to live off of a few hundred calories of meat a day. It's just willful ignorance that plays on the vegan part of this child's tragic death.
And you don't need to cite Jeff Popick. There are plenty of scientists and doctors including the major medical associations who agree that vegan and/or vegetarian is healthier than meat-eating.
The diseases that cause most of the illnesses and death in the United States are chronic diseases like cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. And these diseases are most often due to lifestyle choices, which means they are largely preventable.
According to the American Cancer Society:
"Tobacco use, physical inactivity, obesity, and poor nutrition are major preventable causes of cancer and other diseases in the US. The American
Cancer Society estimates that in 2006, more than 170,000 cancer deaths will be caused by tobacco use alone. In addition, scientists estimate that
approximately one-third (188, 277) of the 564, 830 cancer deaths expected to occur in 2006 will be related to poor nutrition, physical inactivity, overweight, and obesity."
This means that roughly two-thirds of all cancer deaths are due to lifestyle choices and are preventable. And those estimates don't even include the less deadly afflictions like arthritis, ulcers, cataracts, or common ailments
like flus, colds, etc. -- many of which are also caused or exacerbated by diet and lifestyle.
The American Heart Association agrees that heart disease is "mostly preventable." The American Diabetic Association publishes similar estimates
and analysis. In other words, the major killer diseases are largely self-inflicted.
As a group, vegans and vegetarians are healthier than meat-eaters.
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