The Veggie Blog

When you tell people you’re pregnant, most react with joy. Two seconds later, they all invariably say “so you’ll have to at least start drinking milk then?” There’s something about pregnant vegans that scares people and usually that fear is completely unfounded. Most vegans, having made the conscious decision to stop eating meat, fish, dairy and eggs will have at least a rudimentary knowledge about where else you can get protein, calcium and all that jazz.

I’m not a nutritionist so I won’t venture into the realms of facts and figures but you will find all these and more at PCRM (Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, The Vegetarian Resource Group, Vegan Society and Vegfamily.

In the months leading up to my pregnancy I did a lot of reading to make sure I was confident with continuing my vegan diet through pregnancy and breastfeeding. I kept a food diary and went to a nutritionist, not so much for help, but really just to have a back-up. And it worked, my doctors had no problem with my diet once the magic phrase “my nutritionist is happy with it” was spoken!

There is an old saying that you lose a tooth for every baby, this comes from the fact that your body will sacrifice its own calcium and vitamins to feed your growing baby. This is certainly a reassurance when you are too ill to eat, but obviously your little bean would be happier if you could take in some nutrients and you’d probably be happier keeping your teeth. So here were some tricks I used when food was the last thing I wanted.

Every morning I would have cereal with vitamin & calcium-fortified soymilk, wholemeal toast, a banana and a glass of fortified juice.

With my queasy tummy at its worst at lunch time, I could only manage a bland soup. I used to drink a fruity soy smoothie with it. I carried a packet of mixed seeds (sesame, poppy & pumpkin) everywhere and dumped them into the soup. The zinc in pumpkin seeds is supposed to help with morning sickness. I always chose a wholemeal bread with grains. So straight off, my little pathetic bowl of soup for lunch was transformed into a nutritious lunch, with soymilk & fruit in the smoothie, seeds & veggies in the soup and wholegrains in the bread. With a little effort, eating well wasn’t too hard.

Throughout the day at work, I would snack on dried apricots (wonderful for iron), toast (good for queasy tummies) and nuts. Due to my mother having a peanut allergy, I abandoned peanuts, but ate at least a handful of nuts everyday, brazil nuts (just 2 a day for your RDA of selenium), almonds and walnuts (great oils). I would spread a mild homemade hummus or mushed avocado on my toast. And every evening my hubby would rustle me up a stirfry in soy sauce or chili sauce with basmati rice (I could not eat enough basmati rice!!).

So, you see there was a huge amount of good food feeding that little bean of mine, even though none of it was animal-based. As time went on the queasy feelings went, the food volumes increased and the little bean grew big and strong. It’s worth remembering that many women go through the first trimester surviving on dry crackers and water alone due to morning sickness, far from an ideal diet but you get the picture!

If you have a read of the above links, you’ll see that the biggies to watch out for are protein, calcium, vitamin D, iron, B12 and Folic Acid. Protein is easy enough to sort out (there are lots of suggestions on the links), calcium is also abundant, the easiest thing to do is make sure your juice is fortified, drink a fortified “milk”, soy, rice or oat can be good and plenty of greens! Always take vitamin C with your meals, this will help the plant (non-haem) iron to absorb in your body. I opted to get my levels checked every few months and only started to take an iron tonic in the last trimester. It’s very important for you as well as the baby, childbirth can really hit your iron levels and you will find it easier to recover if your iron is tip-top.

I also took prenatals and folic acid. Folic acid plays a crucial role in neural tube development and even though vegan diets are very high in it, I opted to take folic acid supplements both before and during my pregnancy as I wanted to be on the safe side. I also took prenatal vitamins, with a good supply of vitamin b12 in them, as with the nausea I again wanted to err on the side of caution. It is possible to find vegan prenatals, have a look at the prenatals in your pharmacy, you might be pleasantly surprised. Many prenatals have fish oil added to them so this is worth keeping an eye out for.

Vitamin D is very important for developing babies, but you may have to search to find prenatals which use the vegan vitamin D2. D3 comes from lanolin or fish. Get lots of sun to make your own vitamin D, but remember if you are in the Northern Hemisphere (above Birmingham in the UK) we don’t get the necessary sunlight wavelength for making vitamin D from November to March, those of you in sunnier climes should be fine! Make sure you take a specially formulated multivitamin, regular multivitamins are not usually suitable during pregnancy, as too much Vitamin A can be toxic to your baby.

Before I go, here are some books I found really helpful:

Feeding your vegan infant - with confidence by Sandra Hood, The Vegan Society’s Consultant Dietician,
Vegetarian and Vegan Mother and Baby Guide by Rose Elliot,
Pregnancy, Children & the Vegan Diet by Dr. Michael Klaper

by Half Pint Pixie, www.halfpintpixie.com

By Ann-Marie Rufolo

From: Friend

I 100% respect your choice of being Vegan, but I would die since I hate most veggies. I believe that people are built as hunters. Our eyes are in front, and we have teeth built for meat and plants. Lions, eagles, dolphins, cats, dogs, and people have eyes in front to judge depth to hunt. Rabbits, most birds, etc. have eyes on side to see more area, to avoid being hunted. I do think the conditions and treatment of animals raised for food are horrible, but I still believe we are built to eat everything. But these chop shops need to be more compassionate when raising animals for food, and they need to be more civilized in their practices.
—————– Original Message —————–
From: Ann-Marie

Your claims have been uttered by meat eaters for centuries. They are false reasons that allow consumers to live with their decision to kill and devour flesh. It remains your prerogative to live unfit and inhumanely, but you must accept that your testimonies are factually inaccurate.

The TRUTH about chimps is they only do what you say occasionally (like once every several years) and most primates do not at all.
As for the teeth thing… have you viewed the video yet? I doubt I could put the facts more clearly than the artist who created it has.

Thank you for supporting me but there is nothing to disagree with, other than my choice to be humane and empathetic towards all living things which bleed, suffer and endure pain, at the hands and mouths of injustice. In being honest, you cannot disagree with the facts that factory farming and slaughterhouses are unjust and inhumane. You cannot disagree that meat and dairy consumers aid that process to continue. In the end, you may not like the facts. You may even wish the facts weren’t true but it is what it is. Consuming animal products contributes to their pain, suffering and ultimate demise. No misguided fallacy can change that.

By Ann-Marie Rufolo April 17, 2008

A recent discussion with a fellow vegan about speaking up regarding our choices in restaurants has inspired me to write this post. If we do not speak up, as educated and passionate people who support animal, health, spiritual and/or environmental issues, the wrong messages will continue to spread.

Even college students are somehow receiving the wrong message.

The following beliefs were stated to me by a 22 year old environmental studies student. Subsequently, I debunk each myth, briefly- simply to give this student and other readers some valid facts in which to consider.

———————————————————————————————————

Her Comment: Only eating meat from an ecological standpoint is wrong. I know it takes 6660 gallons of water to produce 1 pound of meat…which is scary…but it’s all supply and demand anyway.

My Reply: Eating meat from any standpoint is just self indulgent. This decision pays no mind to the harm, suffering and eventual demise of other living beings. For humans’ sake, I sure hope some alien tribe doesn’t come along some day and decide our lives are just as meaningless.

Her Comment: Eating meat is not wrong. Factory Farming is. There is a big difference there.

My Reply: The fact is the world’s most serious environmental problems are actually due to factory farming. A report done by The United Nations proves that the meat industry causes almost 50 percent more greenhouse-gas emissions than all of the world’s transportation systems—that’s all the cars, trucks, SUVs, planes, and ships in the world COMBINED! Studies like this must be referenced when detailing this topic. Up to the minute facts, based on unbiased conclusions cannot be ignored.

Further, it takes roughly 12 pounds of edible grains to produce 1 pound of meat and arable land (land suitable for growing crops) is being destroyed through pollution and mismanagement. It takes several times the arable land to feed a meat eater as it does a vegan.

In addition, your research should have also shown you that the world population has gone up so much and is still going up, which makes factory farming necessary to give carnivores/omnivores, the world over, just a little bit of meat.

Do you realize that factory farming is also moving to Asia where it has been tied to the spread of the Avian Flu?

Then there is biofuel… A search of the recent news shows that the poorest people throughout the world may now starve because rice & corn prices are going up since land is being used to grow fuel.

Going vegetarian is one of the simplest, easiest, healthiest and best ways to speak up for animals AND the environment. These topics go hand in hand. They are not separate issues.

Her Comment: Although we can survive perfectly well on natural resources, let’s be logical…it won’t ever happen. I don’t disagree with eating meat. I just encourage people to make healthier, more sustainable choice

My Reply: There is nothing logical about eating meat. People live longer and healthier on food that is not hormone and antibiotic induced. Have you researched the medical studies proving meat to be a leading cause in heart disease, colon cancer and many other illnesses, which do not come from a plant based diet?

Her Comment: What about the couple who got charged with something ridiculous because they were vegan and had a baby…refused to give it milk…gave the baby soy milk, and it was malnourished…Do you think that’s right?

My Reply: These are not the facts surrounding the story about the baby and it’s family from over a year ago. This exact issue is a huge problem in the world. People make reference to stories they are unfamiliar with and draw conclusions just to make certain groups look bad. Truthfully, someone not in favor of the vegan lifestyle was responsible for that mistaken version of the story. This person was not allowed to comment for the New York Times or for the people involved in the court case at the time, because like me, they do their research before reporting on something they simply “heard” about. I promise you will be enlightened to read the rest of the facts behind the half a story you sort of recall.

Her Comment: Cave men had no choice…hunters, etc. It is historically proven that animals were hunted for survival.

My Reply: Vegans do not compare themselves to cave people. They consider themselves much more intelligent with many more viable and sustainable choices. Thus they act accordingly.

Have you considered that if people of today should eat meat, just like their ancestors, then they should hunt it down and fry it up on a stick over an open flame the way they did as well?

Her Comment: if we ban meat from our diet, why not petroleum? supply and demand…ya know? If people were educated about the source, processes, energy, and cost of their food (or any product), it’s undeniable that we would all think twice about ordering that steak or driving an escalade.

My Reply: ALL of the food grown in the US, except organic, uses artificial fertilizer which is made from petroleum.

Your point, about banning petroleum if we are to ban meat, is moot since petroleum usage is something that should be stopped for both environmental and health reasons. Ethical reasons may play a part as well because as petroleum runs low it will drive up the price of fertilizer and food for the poor. Further, what is undeniable is the fact that we live in a very vain, very sad, very violent and very selfish world and that even when one knows that his or her choices cause pain, suffering and death to other living, breathing beings it still isn’t enough to make them think twice about ordering a steak. Yes, that is what I encourage others to think about.

Thank you for reading.

Bourgeois Boheme opens London’s First Vegan Footwear and Accessory Shop

2008-04-17 17:49:50 - Bourgeois Boheme, a UK-based animal-friendly fashion company who have made a name for themselves retailing vegan footwear, accessories and cosmetics online, is now opening London’s first vegan fashion retail location.
Bourgeois Boheme, one of the UK’s most well-known online and animal-friendly fashion companies is opening London’s very first animal-friendly footwear and accessories retail outlet.

Based at their offices in Richmond, London the shop doors officially open on the 17th May 2008, just ahead of UK National Vegetarian Week.

On May 17th 2008, just a couple of days ahead of UK National Vegetarian Week, Bourgeois Boheme will celebrate the official opening with an open day at the shop in Richmond, London.

Known for its quality and stylish vegan footwear and accessories, Bourgeois Boheme is responding to customer requests for a physical retail location. Bourgeois Boheme founder and Director, Alicia Lai and has found that 90% of returns from online sales relate to shoe-fitting issues.

Alicia says, ‘Unless you shop online, vegetarian footwear is difficult to find: it’s a dismal choice of either low-quality, cheap and environmentally-challenging shoes or Stella McCartney - gorgeous fashion no doubt, but very much beyond the pocket of many a style-conscious vegetarian/vegan.’

Its an environment that has served online sales well and, having already built up a dedicated and growing following of online and mail order customers, Bourgeois Boheme is giving shoppers what New York and other fashion capitals around the world gave their consumers years ago - a stylish home for animal-friendly fashion.

Bruce Friedrich, Vice President at People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) says, ‘All of us at PETA welcome the news of a Bourgeois Boheme storefront. We enjoy ordering from BoBo online, but we’ll be even more delighted to have a place where we can try on the shoes, examine the bags, and have a compassionate shopping experience.’

Visitors will be able to buy Bourgeois-Boheme’s exclusive labelled styles as well as ethically sourced products from other companies; not only footwear, but also bags, wallets and belts for women and men, and cosmetics.

Alicia says, ‘Our shop is an extension within our office premises, it’s a humble start but it’s a first step towards our greater dream of having lush and exclusive Bourgeois Boheme boutiques in the world’s fashion capitals’

Now customers can find a perfect fit in every sense- true to their size, philosophy, style and ethics.

Shop open day: Saturday 17th May, 1pm - 4pm.
Refreshments and appetisers will be served.
Please RSVP by Friday May 2nd May, info@bboheme.com /0208 8788 388
Press discounts are available upon request at the shop open day.

Address: Hydrex House, Garden Road, Richmond TW9 4NR
Shop hours: Mon-Fri 9am - 5pm; Sat 10am - 2pm; by appointment.

http://www.pr-inside.com/bourgeois-boheme-opens-london-s-first-r543695.htm

EL SEGUNDO, Calif., April 15  /PRNewswire/ — The just-released “Vegetarianism in America” study, published by Vegetarian Times (vegetariantimes.com), shows that 3.2 percent of U.S. adults, or 7.3 million people, follow a vegetarian-based diet. Approximately 0.5 percent, or 1 million, of those are vegans, who consume no animal products at all. In addition, 10 percent of U.S., adults, or 22.8 million people, say they largely follow a vegetarian-inclined diet.

Data for this survey were collected by the Harris Interactive Service Bureau on behalf of Vegetarian Times. The poll surveyed 5,050 respondents, a statistically representative sample of the total U.S. population. Vegetarian Times commissioned RRC Associates, a research firm in Boulder, Colo., to perform the data analysis.

The 2008 study also indicates that of the non-vegetarians surveyed 5.2 percent, or 11.9 million people, are “definitely interested” in following a vegetarian-based diet in the future.

The study also collected data on age, gender and other demographic factors. Of the vegetarians surveyed:
  — 59 percent are female; 41 percent are male.

  — 42.0 percent are age 18 to 34 years old; 40.7 percent are 35 to 54; and
     17.4 percent are over 55.

  — 57.1 percent have followed a vegetarian diet for more than 10 years; 18
     percent for 5 to 10 years; 10.8 percent for 2 to 5 years, 14.1 percent
     for less than 2 years.

The 2008 study also indicated that over half (53 percent) of current vegetarians eat a vegetarian diet to improve their overall health. Environmental concerns were cited by 47 percent; 39 percent cited “natural approaches to wellness”; 31 percent cited food-safety concerns; 54 percent cited animal welfare; 25 percent cited weight loss; and 24 percent weight maintenance.

“The vegetarian sector is one of the fastest-growing categories in food publishing,” says Elizabeth Turner, Vegetarian Times’ editor in chief. “It’s a dedicated group of consumers that is growing daily.”

“A vast number of people are seeking to reduce their meat intake, creating a rapidly growing market for all things vegetarian,” says Bill Harper, vice president and publisher of Vegetarian Times. That trend is reflected in the growth of the magazine, which saw July through December 2007 newsstand sales increase 19.4 percent over the same period in 2006.