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To Set the Record Straight - The "Vegan" Trial
by John Darmanin
John is the Chairperson for the Vegetarian Society of Malta.
Physicians’ Committee for Responsible medicine (PCRM) were called to comment in Queens Supreme Court, last March in the case of the Swinton parents who nearly starved their baby to death due to malnutrition. PCRM is troubled that news reports about the New York couple are confusing the public about the healthfulness of vegan diets. PCRM's nutrition director, Amy Lanou, Ph.D., author of Healthy Eating for Life for Children told the court:
“Unfortunately, the Swintons were misguided and did not breastfeed or provide formula for their infant daughter, the first step in good vegan nutrition," says Dr. Lanou. "With all the information now available about the long-term health benefits of plant-based diets, there is really no question that the vegan diet is safe - in fact, it offers the most disease-fighting protection of any dietary pattern."
"Studies show that a meat-free vegan diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes offers clear advantages to growing bodies. In fact, some research has even shown that vegan diets may offer advantages for developing minds as well," says Dr. Lanou. "The Swintons weren't even following a real vegan diet because they reportedly gave their child cod-liver oil, which is derived from fish!" continued Dr. Lanou.
When Silva Swinton gave birth to a daughter, Ice, in July 2000, instead of breast milk or baby formula, she gave her baby herbal tea, flax seed oil, fruit juices and a homemade soy drink. Doctors diagnosed her with severe malnutrition and rickets, and the Queens district attorney said it was one of the worst cases of neglect he'd seen.
The result, authorities say, was a health catastrophe that rises to the level of a crime. At 15 months, the girl weighed only 10 pounds and had no teeth. She could not sit up or talk and had a swollen abdomen.
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