letters

Vegetarian Journal, Sept, 2000

VRG's MEMORIAL AND HONORARY GIFT PROGRAM

How often have you wanted to make a gift in honor of a loved one or friend, but weren't sure which charities are vegetarian friendly, pro-environmental, or pro-animal rights? Please remember The Vegetarian Resource Group. You can make a gift in memory of a loved one or as a living tribute to honor someone you care about on a special occasion, such as a wedding or birth. We'll send an acknowledgement to you and the person or family you choose. Your gift will support educational outreach programs and help promote vegetarianism.

Memorials & Honorary Gifts

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Make checks payable to The Vegetarian Resource Group, PO Box 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203.

VRG DIETITIAN REVIEWS NEJM LETTER TO THE EDITOR ABOUT BLINDNESS IN VEGANS

French physicians recently contacted the New England Journal of Medicine to report a case of a 33-year-old male vegan who had become irreversibly blind because of damage to his optic nerves. Their report was published in the form of a letter to the editor entitled "Blindness in a Strict Vegan." They attributed the blindness to vitamin deficiencies due to the man's vegan diet, specifically to deficiencies of vitamin [B.sub.12] and thiamin. The man also had deficiencies of folate, vitamins A, C, D, and E, zinc, and selenium. Unfortunately, due to space requirements, more information about the man's diet was not provided in the letter. Apparently the man was not following a typical vegan diet. Vegan diets are generally quite high in folate, vitamin A, and vitamin C mainly from fruits and vegetables, and contain adequate amounts of thiamin and vitamin E, so deficiencies of these nutrients would not be expected.

Certainly, all vegans should choose reliable sources of all nutrients, including vitamin [B.sub.12]. We do not know if this vegan was choosing foods and supplements which are reliable sources of vitamin [B.sub.12]. Additional information about his dietary habits is critical to the research into the true cause of his blindness. It is inaccurate to simply attribute his blindness to a vegan diet.

Milea D, Cassoux N, LeHoang P. 2000. Blindness in a strict vegan. N Engl J Med 342:897-8

Reed Mangels, PhD, RD

HAPPY TO HAVE FOUND

As a 30-year-old vegetarian wife, and mother of two pre-teen vegetarian girls, I cannot tell you what a relief it was to have stumbled upon your website! I have been a "veggie-head" for only a year now, so my quest for health information, creative recipes, etc., is one of great importance to me. I absolutely love the fact that we are now part of the vegetarian population, but I really worry about several issues. Thank you so much for providing folks like me with free information to help make our choice to not eat meat even more enjoyable ... and educational!

Dawn Garcia via e-mail

Been "surfing" around the web trying to locate good vegetarian stuff--surprised to find the perfect one in a senior's location. I am a senior, was just checking this new site out, thanks so much, glad to have found you.

Kathy M via e-mail