I work for a fairly large healthcare facility and yesterday everyone recieved
neat little booklets about various healthy living tips on quitting smoking, sun and heat safety etc. It was all great until I flipped to the page titled "Beware of Dangerous Diets" as I was browsing through the list of diets everyone must avoid I was actually pretty offended when I read through these categories:
1. Diets that focus on only a few foods or food groups, other examples were: strict vegan diet, cabbage soup diet, grape fruit diet and low-carb diets
2. Fasting and very low-calorie diets, other examples were: Hollywood diet, The "skinny" vegan diet
I'm considering writing a complaint to the department that puts these health newsletters together because they are obviously not really researching what they are putting in print. This was on a page that also icluding dangerous diets with diet pills, ear stapling (acupuncture) and hormone injections.
I guess I'm looking for opinions from you fellow vegans because I don't have any other vegan opinions in my life! Should I write the letter?
definitely - and back it up with lots of information that shows how healthy vegan diets can be. that's total bullshit.
do you think it could put your job at risk?
if so make it anonymous. ;)b
i have learned over the years that sometimes silence is golden. especially when it comes to keeping a job I really need!
maybe you can send out your own letter that doesn't really mention that one, but just tells all the benefits of a vegan diet. hang it in the lounge!
Write a letter that explains to them that their publication contradicts published guidelines and direct them to the following:
American Diebetic Association
http://www.eatright.org/ada/files/VegetarianPositionFINAL.pdf
It is the position of the American Dietetic Association that appropriately planned vegetarian diets, including total vegetarian or vegan diets, are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases. Well-planned vegetarian diets are appropriate for individuals during all stages of the life cycle, including pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, and adolescence, and for athletes.
USDA MyPyramid Website
http://www.mypyramid.gov/tips_resources/vegetarian_diets.html
Vegetarian diets can meet all the recommendations for nutrients.
Dietary Guidelines for Americans
http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2005/document/pdf/DGA2005.pdf
Vegetarians of all types can achieve recommended nutrient intakes through careful selection of foods.
Or what l2a said. Maybe make the letter anonymous.
PCRM.com
the china study
WRITE A LETTER. I think it is irresponsible of whoever wrote the newsletter since they obviously haven't done any research whatsoever.
Agree! That is total B.S.
ugh!! I have problems with this on two accounts.
One is the diet part.
Second is the acupuncture part.... I've had ear needles, even radish seeds taped into the holes the needles left for me to press....this act releases calming endorphins!! Remember when teachers would grab naughty students by the ears??? I suspect this practice started because someone realized when an ear was pinched in a certain area the person would be calm/incapacitated....If it weren't for acupuncture, I'd be a whole hell of a lot more bad off than not....I could continue this rant, but I'm not.