Vegan couple cleared in baby's death following Vegan witch hunt

Floodgates open to prosecute parents for feeding children certain diets following landmark Florida case.

Baby Woyah Andressohn died from an infection caused by a congenital defect which weakened her immune system.

The Andressohns were still found guilty of neglect despite even Prosecutor Walker admitting there was very little evidence to prove neglect.

Even as Judge Stanford Blake denied a motion to drop the neglect charges Friday afternoon, he told the attorneys in open court that were it not for evidence of growth charts showing that the Andressohn children were smaller than 97 percent of other children their age, he would have considered dismissing them.

This "evidence" however is rediculed in the face of statistics which show the vast majority of children in the Florida are overweight and obesity levels that the governor of Florida's Department of Health has described as an epidemic.

"Obesity-related health problems affect African Americans at rates substantially higher than non-minorities," Florida Agriculture Commissioner Charles H. Bronson said. "These startling statistics clearly show the need for a campaign to increase awareness among this impacted population. We want everyone to know the facts and understand that they can take action to improve their health."

Obesity rates have doubled among children and tripled among teenagers since 1980, with unhealthy diet and lack of exercise contributing to this epidemic. Obesity could soon overtake smoking as the leading killer of Americans.

Cultural factors, including traditional diets and exercise habits, can increase obesity among some minority groups, particularly African Americans and Hispanics. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), only about one-fourth of U.S. adults eat the recommended five or more servings of fruits and vegetables each day. African Americans consume less than half the amount of vegetables that Caucasians consume.

According to the CDC:

More than half of African American and Hispanic women are obese.

One in four African American women over age 55 has diabetes.
2.7 million African Americans over age 20 have been diagnosed with diabetes. That accounts for 13 percent of all African Americans.

"The disturbing statistics about obesity-related illnesses in African Americans should serve as a wake-up call," said state Senator Anthony C. "Tony" Hill Sr., of Jacksonville. Hill, a member of the Florida Caucus of Black State Legislators and vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, helped initiate the public awareness campaign. Hill's Senate district includes Duval County, which has an African American population of more than 333,000.

If the Florida authorities are going to start prosecuting parents for not feeding their children their state recommended diet they have a big job ahead of them! The courts will be very busy.

more - Florida Governor's Task Force on the Obesity Epidemic

McDonalds get state protection.

Fast Food - Escape Fat Food Responsibility. Even if the fast food giants are found guilty and more evidence is provided that prove giant food companies knowingly encouraged customers to over eat (supersize me) cheap, unhealthy, sugar, fat and salt rich, highly calorofic, fat producing food, they are now protected by congress from being held responsible.

WASHINGTON -- The Republican-controlled House voted Wednesday to shield fast-food chains from lawsuits that blame them for making people fat.

Nicknamed the "cheeseburger bill," the measure stems from lawsuits accusing McDonald's of causing obesity in tens of thousands of children. The food industry has asked Congress and state legislatures to protect it from liability, and so far, 21 states have agreed.

The measure, which won approval on a 306-120 vote, would prevent class action lawsuits blaming restaurants and food companies for weight gain or obesity. The House passed a similar bill last year, but the Senate ran out of time to act.

Two-thirds of American adults are overweight, and nearly one-third are obese, while obesity among children and teenagers more than doubled in the past 30 years, according to government estimates.

Fast food giants and global food manufacturers are now free to take advantage of the nutritionally naive and let the health insurers and state health services pick up the tab for fast food irresponsibility and greed.

World Vegan Day Challenge for Editors of National Newspapers

A Vegan cookbook author and food writer has issued a World Vegan Day challenge to the editors of the national newspapers to find pictorial evidence of their vision of a typical Vegan.

Tony Bishop-Weston is giving them until the end of National Vegan Week ( Nov 5th ) to come up with evidence of who they think embodies a Typical Vegan.

more

World Vegan Day Lifetime Achievement Award for Vegan Chocolate Pioneer

The Vegan Society have named Arthur Ling, the founder of Plamil, as winner of the achievement category at the annual World Vegan Day Awards.

Adrian Ling, Arthur’s son and MD of Plamil said “It’s so sad that my father died before he received this award. He would have been so honoured that his achievements had been recognized by the organisation he’d helped to build. He’d won awards before but this one would have been very special to him”

More

Vegan Society AGM and Awards and Bristol Vegan Festival

Vegan Society AGM and Awards and Bristol Vegan Festival

On October 30th 2005, the day after the Bristol Vegan Fayre 2005, The Vegan Society will hold its Annual General Meeting in Bristol.

After the Bristol Vegan Fayre 2005 Yaoh hosts the Vegan Society Awards At the Rajpoot, Clifton, from 8pm till 1am.

Entertainment includes Classical North Indian Sitar and Tabla players upstairs, with intelligent drum and bass from SeFire downstairs. And legendary original award winning ClubYeyo DJ ChrisXCross will be dropping some classic late 80's and early 90's party tunes till the early hours.

Before that a gourmet Indian vegan buffet and the Vegan Society's 2005 Awards ceremony, compered by Tim from Yaoh, and featuring, among others, vegan MP Kerry McCarthy (Bristol East). Many of the UK's leading vegan people will be attending and everyone is invited.

Tickets are £23.50 (including food and entertainment) and are available from Yaoh ( 01179239053 ).

New Vegan Chocolate for World Vegan Day

I am proud that as an independent chocolate manufacturer we can be
truly innovative. The selling points of these bars are unique;
lots of cocoa, no added sugar, dairy and gluten free!
These bars have a place in every health food store.
With growing realization as to the health benefits of cocoa,
the shelled hemp variety in particular gives these
vegan chocolate bars a really good nutritional profile.

Adrian Ling, Managing Director, Plamil

Manufacturers of the world's first truly scrumptious, truly healthy,
Vegan Chocolate bar.

Full Story & Pictures - Try for Yourself

Live Exports Start From Dover Again.

DOVER DOCKS (KENT)

It is now certain that a private company is attempting to restart live animal exports from Dover.

Empty Dutch transporters were seen leaving the docks (complete with a police escort) to go up north to load up for the journey from Dover from Tuesday Night.

Demos will start approx 8pm. The animals are expected to leave on a midnight sailing.It appears that the export consignment has been arranged by Machins of Yorkshire; well known to Dover campaigners from days gone by.

In October 1998, Machins had their export licence revoked by the Government as they and their drivers were found guilty of no less than 377 breaches of animal welfare and transport rules. Source: The Express - Thurs October 22nd, 1998.

Around November 1999 at Dover Magistrates Court, Machins were fined £7,800 plus £100 costs after pleading guilty to transporting unfit lambs. The lambs were severely lame due to foot rot and were unfit to travel.

Complaints please to Dover Harbour on 01304 240400 and

The State Veterinary Service (Dover) on 01304 240020.

The KALE Hotline 01304 204688 is the best way to keep updated with news.

Warning to Dairy Producers to Stop Misleading Public on Milk

The UK Advertising Standards Authority uphold Vegan Society Complaint about Nestle Claims That Cow's Milk is an essential Part of The Human Diet.

London Nutritionist Yvonne Bishop-Weston said "Manufacturers and agencies that promote cow's milk products will have to be far more careful in the future. Cow's milk is a good source of calcium for a baby cow - helping it grow to the size of a small shed in a few weeks. Human nutritional needs are more complex - we need magnesium, vitamins K & D to utilise calcium and we certainly don't need all that saturated animal fat that comes free with milk."

More fruit and vegetables are needed in people's diets - especially green leafy veg rich in essential fats, vitamins, minerals, antioxidents and phytonutrients.

There have been a lot of misleading claims about milk recently - the Nestle advert is just one amongst many. Their peers should watch their step from now on.


Complaint:

The Vegan Society and a member of the public objected to an advertorial on the AOL website. The article was aimed at women and entitled "Mastering Your Metabolism Part 3: Eat well, feel great." One paragraph was headed "Dairy Products" and stated "Essential for healthy bones ...". The complainants objected that the ad was misleading because it was not necessary to eat dairy products to obtain healthy bones.

Codes Section: 3.1, 6.1, 7.1 (Ed 11)

Adjudication:

Complaints upheld
Nestlé UK said they recognised that there were other sources of calcium and they had not intended to suggest that dairy products were the only source of calcium.

The ASA considered that the use of the word "essential" implied dairy products were the only source of calcium. Because that was not correct, they concluded that the advertorial was likely to mislead and advised Nestlé to amend the claim and to seek assistance from the CAP Copy Advice team before using a similar campaign in future.

The advertorial breached CAP Code clauses 3.1 (Substantiation), 6.1 (Honesty) and 7.1 (Truthfulness).

Full Adjudication

Milk Myths new poster

MilkMyths.org.ukViva have launched a new campaign against the dairy industry.

They have also produced an anti-dairy billboard which will be travelling to 7 cities later this month on a postervan. The tour will be starting in London on Tues 20th Sept.

Viva!’s new billboard, which is sure to turn heads, features a well-dressed businessman suckling straight from a cow under the slogan ‘Cut Out the Middleman. Milk – still think it’s natural?’

Low-fat vegan diet hailed

the Mail online | Low-fat vegan diet hailed: "Women who stick to a low-fat vegan diet are more likely to lose weight than those whose diets include meat, claims a new American study published in the American Journal of Medicine.
Half the 59 overweight volunteers followed a strictly vegan diet as part of the experiment conducted by Dr Neal Barnard, president of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine.

The remaining half were given food in line with a national programme designed to reduce illness and death from coronary heart disease in the US, which endorses the consumption of low-fat animal products.
The remaining half were given food in line with a national programme designed to reduce illness and death from coronary heart disease in the US, which endorses the consumption of low-fat animal products. "

More about vegan diet study

New UK Vegetarian Magazine. LifeScape

Response Source | Press Releases - UKs latest vegetarian lifestyle magazine, Lifescape is launched.

September 13th sees the launch of the latest vegetarian lifestyle magazine, Lifescape.
Lifescape is a new alternative lifestyle magazine for the self-aware consumer; people who are concerned with what they eat, where they shop, today’s ethical dilemmas and how to keep their minds and bodies in good condition. It is promises to showcase the best of fair trade fashion and promotes the use of organic products.

Sitting next to Top Sante and Zest on the shelves Lifescape is a unique glossy magazine distributed by Comag and published independently by Madafu Publishing Ltd.

Lifescape is a monthly magazine, which provides an excellent resource for alternative health practices. Each issue is packed with real life stories and the latest fashion, cruelty-free beauty and celebrity gossip with a unique twist providing an excellent read to those who are interested in that lifestyle.

Tony says "We wish the magazine every success and hope to see it live much longer longer than Vegetarian Living, Vegetarian Today, Tescos Vegetarian Magazine , BBC Vegetarian Good Food and other vegetarian magazines that have struggled to win space on WH Smith's shelves"

Other magazines have had a very limited appeal as nothing more than recipe mags. By additionally focussing on health, travel , vegetarian fashion and the environment this magazine could find a niche loyal readership.

VeggieVision on BBC

Veggievision on BBC TV Webscape program Kate Russell From Webscape says "It never ceases to amaze me just how diverse the multimedia content is on the web. No matter what your hobbies or interests are, there is always plenty of information online, and Veggie Vision is a fine example of some great free content all about being a vegetarian.

It's still quite a young channel, so don't expect hours and hours of content yet, but they've already managed to secure a couple of veggie-celeb interviews, and there are some great recipes and reports in the archives."

World Vegan Day support requested from Chefs, Nutritionists, Hospitals, Supermarkets, Newspapers, Manufacturers and Schools

i-Newswire.com -Chefs, Nutritionists, Hospitals, Supermarkets, Newspapers, Manufacturers and Schools should support World Vegan Day 1st November.

The BBC reported Professor Lang’s message that “the healthy eating drive is at risk of failing because the public is getting contradictory messages.”

“There is an easy solution to many of the worlds health and environmental problems” says author of the vegan cookbook by Hamlyn ( ISBN 0600611906 ) Tony Bishop-Weston. “Just by encouraging consumers to eat more delicious and nutritious vegan foods you can help improve human health and also create a more ethical sustainable future for the planet”

Recently interviewed on the BBC World Service Outlook Programme for his 95th Birthday Donald Watson, Vegan Society founder said “So many people are running towards what I see as suicide, performing habits that everyone knows are dangerous. Man's greatest mistake is trying to turn himself into a carnivore, contrary to natural law.”

Top London nutritionist and tutor at The Institute of Optimum Nutrition Yvonne Bishop-Weston agrees “Eating more plant based foods is essential for better health. So many people I see in my London clinics can be helped with simple changes in their diets rather than expensive drugs. Fertility, heart health, cognitive function, digestion and weight management can all usually be improved through rebalancing the body and a healthy optimum nutrition program.”

Press Release - World Vegan Day - World Vegan Day - More info

Value of vegetarian and Vegan Food market $1.2 Billion

Vegetarian Foods in the United States - Research and Markets - Market Research Reports

As some segments of the vegetarian market move into the mainstream and become commodity products rather than exotic, specialty foods (as is the case with soymilk), Mintel predicts that the overall vegetarian food market, as defined here, will grow to over $1.7 billion by 2010.

Vegan Authors try to Save Million Dollar Pigs

"HALFWAY THERE" says Vegan on Solent TV

UK authors of a best-selling Vegan Cookbook are desperately trying to raise investment to start a vegan health and nutrition cookery school and save two pot-bellied pigs, Bubble and Squeak, from the stew pot.

Tony and Yvonne Bishop-Weston's healthy vegan cookbook by Hamlyn is selling well all over the world but they say "seeing is believing" and they want to teach chefs face to face how delicious and nutritious vegan food can be and start up a vegan cookery school.

Top London Nutritionist Yvonne and award winning vegan cook and food writer husband Tony have found a great location for their latest joint venture of combined skills.

"We found a fantastic 17th century pig farm on the Isle of Wight which is perfect for our needs to set up a health and well-being therapy centre and vegan cookery school" says Tony.

There are only two pigs left on the farm, two Vietnamese pot bellied pigs called bubble and squeak plus a collection of ducks, chickens, geese and a turkey which are threatened with being put down if the owners can't find a suitable buyer soon.



Tony adds "We hope to save not only bubble and squeak and their friends from an untimely death, but save many millions of other farmed animals from unnecessary suffering by showing chefs from all over the world how easy it is to create stylish, delicious and healthy food with using innovative vegan recipes."

Speaking from London Tony reflects "We don’t get royalties from our book and raising one million pounds when you have nothing but experience, fame and each other seems a bit daunting. But on the other hand opportunities for 'safe as houses' truly ethical investment are few and far between these days. This is a great project and a great opportunity to make a real long term difference to the health and well-being of people, animals and the environment"

Tony and Yvonne also plan to publish a Caterer's Vegan Catering Guide – "Suitable for Everyone" based on their many years experience in Foodservice.

They plan to have commemorative ceramic tiles on the school's walls to thank the investors, and brass patrons’ plaques on the culinary school's workstations, which represent how many animals have been saved by each new trained chef.

If someone handed Tony and Yvonne a million pounds tomorrow, they anticipate they could be up and running by World Vegan Day 1st November. Bubble and Squeak and lots of turkeys could then look forward to the best Christmas they've ever had.

EDITORS’ NOTES

Yvonne worked for UK health food chain Holland and Barrett, before joining pioneering vegetarian restaurant chain Cranks. Having qualified with credit at The Institute of Optimum of Nutrition she joined The Food Doctor and now runs her own consultancy Foods For Life.

Tony grew up in a London delicatessen obsessed by fine food. After establishing an award winning vegan guesthouse in the Highlands of Scotland he joined first The Vegetarian Society and then The Vegan Society as business development officer. He is author of two vegan cookbooks and has had a diverse career from drive-time radio presenter and lifeguard to nude modelling and life assurance salesman.



Press Release, downloadable pictures and PDF file


For more information contact:

Tony or Yvonne via www.foodsforlife.org.uk

Email tony@foodsforlife.org.uk

+44 (0) 7944 068432

Vegan diet may reverse cancer

bmj.com -- UK health news 20050815: "Vegan diet may reverse cancer
Source: The Times
Date: 15/08/2005
A brief item in The Times today points at new research by the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Centre in New York. The research team has found that a vegan diet could stop or even reverse the progression of prostate cancer after tests on 93 volunteers in conjunction with the University of California in San Francisco. Levels of a key biological marker for prostate tumours fell significantly when patients had adopted a vegan diet. "

Vegan Founder is 95 - Please send Birthday Wishes

Donald Watsonis the visionary that formed the word vegan from the begining and end of "vegetarian" and founded The Vegan Society in November 1944.

Donald Watson celebrates his 95th Birthday this year. Donald was born on 2nd September 1910. Please send birthday wishes and thanks for the inspiration to make the world a better place.

Cards and wishes should be posted to arrive no later than 29th August 2005.

Addressed to:

FAO Donald Watson - Founder
(Birthday Wishes)
C/O The Vegan Society
7 Battle Road
St Leonards On Sea
East Sussex
TN37 7AA

Fax Number +44 (0) 1424 717064
If you have a photograph of your vegan group or a vegan event (from last years World Vegan Day?) Donald would be very pleased to see these.

You can email photos and wishes suitable for printing to

info@vegansociety.com with "Donald Watson Wishes" in Subject Line

No animated cards please.

Thank you for your kindness and understanding.

Tony Bishop-Weston

More about Donald Watson - Interview with Donald Watson Part 1 , Part 2
- Donald Watson - Oldest, longest Vegan?

Superbugs found in chicken - Antibiotic resistant

BBC NEWS | Programmes | Real Story | Superbugs found in chicken survey: "Significant numbers of chickens on sale in UK shops are contaminated with superbugs, a scientific survey commissioned by BBC One's Real Story suggests. "

Of the British-grown chickens analysed, over half were contaminated with multi-drug resistant E.coli which is immune to the effects of three or more antibiotics.

More than a third of the 147 samples, which included overseas and UK produced chicken, had E.coli germs resistant to the important antibiotic Trimethaprim which is used to treat bladder infections.

According to the latest figures, British animals consume 15 tonnes of Trimethaprim a year.

The World Health Organisation has named antibiotic resistance as one of three major threats for the future.

Dr Mike Millar, the head of Infection Control at St Barts Hospital in London, said: "Potentially this is very worrying.

"We've known for years there've been outbreaks of bladder infections in different parts of the world but we haven't really known where the germs have been coming from.

In worst cases, bladder infections could lead to kidney damage and the need for renal dialysis, he said.

Vegan diet and exercise may stop or reverse prostate cancer

Vegan diet and exercise may stop or reverse prostate cancer progression: "Vegan diet and exercise may stop or reverse prostate cancer "

Men with early stage prostate cancer who make intensive changes in diet and lifestyle may stop or perhaps even reverse the progression of their illness, according to a new study.

The research is the first randomized, controlled trial showing that lifestyle changes may affect the progression of any type of cancer. Study findings are published in the September issue of the Journal of Urology.

The study was directed by Dean Ornish, MD, clinical professor, and Peter Carroll, MD, chair of the Department of Urology, both of the University of California, San Francisco, and the late William Fair, MD, chief of urologic surgery and chair of urologic oncology, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.

The research team studied 93 men with biopsy-proven prostate cancer who had elected not to undergo conventional treatment for reasons unrelated to this study. The participants were randomly divided into either a group who were asked to make comprehensive changes in diet and lifestyle or a comparison group who were not asked to do so.

After one year, the researchers found that PSA levels (a protein marker for prostate cancer) decreased in men in the group who made comprehensive lifestyle changes but increased in the comparison group. There was a direct correlation between the degree of lifestyle change and the changes in PSA. Also, they found that serum from the participants inhibited prostate tumor growth in vitro by 70 percent in the lifestyle-change group but only 9 percent in the comparison group. Again, there was a direct correlation between the degree of lifestyle change and the inhibition of prostate tumor growth.

Participants in the lifestyle-change group were placed on a vegan diet consisting primarily of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes supplemented with soy, vitamins and minerals. They participated in moderate aerobic exercise, yoga/meditation, and a weekly support group session. A registered dietitian was available for consultation, and a nurse case manager contacted the participants once a week for the first three months and weekly thereafter.

EFA study in Vegetarians and Vegans

As a new study warns of Essential Fatty Acid (EFA) levels in vegetarians and vegans a London Nutritionist warns veggies to eat a balanced diet.

Yvonne Bishop-Weston BSc Dip ION MBANT, a London based Nutrition Consultant from Foods For Life says " The good news is that despite lower levels it doesn't seem to be a dangerous problem as long term vegans and vegetarians don't appear to be any more worse off than new converts"

"There is an issue here though , especially for those people planning children and for vegetarian mothers during pregnancy, birth and breast feeding"

"Vegetarians and vegans should ensure they eat EFA rich foodssuch as flax and hempseeds or take a algae based DHA supplement."

Long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in plasma in British meat-eating, vegetarian, and vegan men -- Rosell et al. 82 (2): 327 -- American Journal of Clinical Nutrition: "Long-chain n3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in plasma in British meat-eating, vegetarian, and vegan men1,2,3
Magdalena S Rosell, Zoue Lloyd-Wright, Paul N Appleby, Thomas AB Sanders, Naomi E Allen and Timothy J Key
1 From the Cancer Research UK Epidemiology Unit, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom (MSR, PNA, NEA, and TJK), and the Nutrition, Food and Health Research Center, King's College London, London, United Kingdom (ZL-W and TABS)
Background: Plasma concentrations of long-chain n3 polyunsaturated fatty acids are lower in vegetarians and in vegans than in omnivores. No data are available on whether these concentrations differ between long- and short-term vegetarians and vegans.
Objectives: We compared plasma fatty acid composition in meat-eaters, vegetarians, and vegans and examined whether the proportions of eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5n3; EPA), docosapentaenoic acid (22:5n3; DPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n3; DHA) were related to the subjects' duration of adherence to their diets or to the proportions of plasma linoleic acid (18:2n6; LA) and -linolenic acid (18:3n-3; ALA).
Design: The present cross-sectional study included 196 meat-eating, 231 vegetarian, and 232 vegan men in the United Kingdom. Information on anthropometry, diet, and smoking habits was obtained through a questionnaire. Total fatty acid composition in plasma was measured.
Results: The proportions of plasma EPA and DHA were lower in the vegetarians and in the vegans than in the meat-eaters, whereas only small differences were seen for DPA. Plasma EPA, DPA, and DHA p"