Vegans Sergine and Joel Le Moaligou fed their 11-month-old daughter Louise only mother’s milk, and she died suffering from a vitamin deficiency. The two are currently on trial in northern France, charged with neglect.

The pair called the emergency services in March 2008 after becoming worried about their baby’s listlessness. When the ambulance arrived, the baby was already dead.

According to Yahoo Health:

“An autopsy showed that Louise was suffering from a vitamin A and B12 deficiency which experts say increases a child’s sensitivity to infection and can be due to an unbalanced diet … The couple did not follow the doctor’s advice to hospitalize the baby who was suffering from bronchitis and was losing weight when they went for the nine-month check-up.”

Breast milk is the best food hands-down you can give to your baby. But, it does have one downfall: its nutritional value is influenced by the mother’s diet. If the mother is consuming a diet that tends to be deficient in nutrients, such as a vegan diet, nutrients will be missing in her breast milk.

In the tragic case reported above, it appears 11-month-old Louise lost her life because her mom’s vegan diet created vitamin deficiencies in the breast milk she was exclusively fed on. Sadly, there were warning signs that the milk was not providing proper nutrition months before her death, as the baby was sickly and losing weight, but they were ignored.

People following a strict vegan diet are often convinced that it is the healthiest way of eating possible, which was most likely the case with Louise’s parents. But this tragedy can serve as a powerful warning for those who choose to avoid all animal foods.

Mercola.com
Yahoo Health

In a December Q & A, there was a questioin about a comparison between a vegan diet and the American Diabetes Associations diet for controlling diabetes. The question was raised after a reader read about a particular study advocating a vegan diet for controlling blood sugar levels. The study claims a vegan diet works as well, if not better than the standard diet for diabetics.

I think you will find the response very interesting. A case is made against eating a vegan diet for any reason. The reader is informed about the anatomy of herbivores as compared to omnivores which is what humans are. The following is a sample from the Q & A column:

Myth: You can obtain vitamin B12 from plant sources.

Fact: One can only obtain B12 analogues (similar structure) from plant sources. The problem with these analogues is they are not bioavailable, which means our bodies cannot use them.

Myth: Vegetarians/Vegans live longer.

Fact: There is no scientific proof of this whatsoever. The few studies that have reported a longer life span among vegetarians have been shown to be “misinterpreted” to support a politically correct view.

It is important to note that not too long ago a vegan diet was not even an option. Without modern day supplements and food enrichment it was not possible for a human to survive on such a diet. Too many essential nutrients are lacking

To see the entire column go here.

In a past Q & A column I respond to some hilarious comments?made by a man defending vegetarians.? Here is one of his comments and my response.??

K:? And Vittoni!! for your obviously dumb comment on Asian looks see who all I found to be a vegans- Sir Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein, Leo Tolstoy, Madonna, Paul McCartney, Socrates, Pythagoras, Mahatma Ghandi, H.G. Wells, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Plato, Leonardo Da Vinci, William Shakespeare, Buddha, Voltaire, Charles Darwin to name but a few.

BE:? I would love to see the proof that these people are all vegans, or even vegetarians. Do you really think Buddha got to be such a fat ass from vegetables? Although, maybe he went against the grain of Asian culture and ate large quantities of soy. This would have ensured his obesity, because of the detrimental effects it has on the thyroid. And by the way, Madonna has eaten plenty of meat, and has had her share of protein…if you know what I mean.

Read the rest Here.