I do take a B-complex — it has plenty of B12.

Just so you all should know, eating animal products in no way guarantees that you will have enough B12. B12 is created by a specific microorganism and antibiotics, which are given routinely to animals raised for meat, eggs and dairy, both to fatten them up and to keep microorganism caused disease from running rampant in factory farms. So much of the animal products consumed in the US lacks sufficient B12.

BTW, Vitamin D is also very important, especially:

1) for the elderly
2) if you live in the North (north of a line that would connect Atlanta to Los Angeles)
3) in the winter

RDA’s for Vitamin D are way too low. It’s now recommended that people take AT LEAST 1000 IU (old RDA’s were about 400 IU).

Debbie

I’ll think about how to word a new health post; I greatly appreciate your input.

(and just a correction, it’s Christina, “a” at the end). But first I went searching on her site and got lost in her blog, you might enjoy that. She’s witty and has a lot of good things to say, note her entry on how some people just don’t like to cook!!!!

That I think is the crux of the matter – that and our super busy lives – or super filled, whichever way you want to look at it.

I remember reading somewhere that how we spend our time shows where our true interests lie (I spend way more time on the computer than the kitchen :>) ). There are some people so very ill, but tell them they can get cured if they just cook up some healthy foods, and it’s oh no, I can’t be bothered!!!

I wrote about it on my discussion group – not sure it can be read unless you’re a member (all are welcome if you’re interested in macrobiotics and Torah Judaism) for all its worth here’s the post:
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/MacroloversofJerusalem/message/4186. In one line basically I wrote in today’s society, we all just want it easy!!!!

so my suggestion for the next health post topic would be, “ok, so now that we know, how do we change our old food habits?” or something similar, just how do we change? Sometimes I speak on the phone for hours with a friend whom I try to encourage to post on my discussion group, and her response, oh no I don’t have time – funny no? We have time for that which we like. So how come cooking up a storm (or even just a small drizzle) (and cleaning up after!!!) doesn’t attract us?

Prevention is the one we have in our hands; I’m not giving up the doctors and nurses, but I’d like to see them less, if possible.

I too admire the doctors here in Israel, but just the experience of MADA (Mogen David Adom) can be weary – you come in – usually in the middle of the night – and end up waiting and waiting and waiting – and if they want to be on the side of caution, they send you to a hospital – where you wait and wait and wait – only to find out hours later you can go home, they found nothing (thank G-d) – it’s hard when your child is looking to you to make it go away, and you’re feeling helpless in the big medical bureaucratic world.

I totally agree with you Leora that prevention is absolutely what is needed. The problem is that there is such a flood of confusing information that it’s hard for people to sort out what is good for their body. (and that’s for the strong souls who can ignore the very pressurizing ads everywhere) Just look at all the confusion around milk just amongst this aware group of readers (smile). I also feel strongly regarding getting food from G-d’s pharmacy as Debbie put it, tho that too can be open to lots of different interpretations. But also as Debbie said, so clear G-d did a great job, and intended the mother cow’s milk for her baby calf, just as He intended the human mother’s milk for the human baby – aren’t we lucky no one’s come up with the idea of milking us for all we’re worth so they can give our milk to, I don’t know, elephants?? doesn’t it all seem so absurd??

Yes, the issue of B12 is crucial for vegans – Christina Pirello writes about this eye opening experience she had – I’m afraid to go off the page and lose this again, so if you can’t find it (google her – she wrote about it in her last newsletter – but also I believe in The Macrobiotic Guide) I’ll come back and post the link.

Our bodies are indeed wonderful – and for some reason can take alot of abuse and still do well. We’re so lucky!!

I agree with you about the B-12, it’s crucial to monitor in vegan children and adults through regular blood tests.

Regarding emergency rooms, in Israel we are advised to always take an ambulance (and if that would take longer than a private car, then to call an ambulance and have it meet you on the way to the hospital) because the ambulance staff begins the registration process on the way to the emergency room, saving the triage process once you arrive. I guess the U.S. equivalent could be the MD calling ahead.

Mammograms? Don’t know. I’ve already had several breast tissue ultrasounds and biopsies for different findings (all harmless, thank G-d) so if they tell me to get a mammogram, I go!

As for a general comment regarding the demeanor of medical practitioners, here in Israel, communication training is now a required part of the medical school curriculum, along with training specifically in the field of moral dilemmas. I don’t know how many of the physicians I work with have completed such training, but they all act as though they have, and it’s impressive.

But you are right, Mother in Israel, that many people that go on vegan diets do not have her knowledge and may skip important nutrients, the most common being Vitamin B12.

About going to the emergency room or not, I have a friend who is a nurse who didn’t want to go. She took care of it and found alternate health care, but the hesitancy about emergency rooms seems to be an issue. My best experience with an emergency room was when the doctor called ahead to say we were coming (when my daughter was a toddler). We got special treatment. Indeed, I think we inspired jealousy, but I learned to tell the doctor to call the hospital and say to expect us (I had to go later with my son, when he bumped his head in school).