| Health practitioners are becoming increasingly | | | | there is no other way to say it - cult members to |
| alarmed at the growing problem of vegetarians | | | | greater and greater denial, and to recruit others |
| and vegans who practice a restricted diet only to | | | | to do likewise. Some members of PETA, People |
| end up with a spectrum of malnutrition disorders. | | | | for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, for one, |
| Where are these cases coming from, and who is | | | | publishes and distributes a body of literature which |
| convincing these people to slowly starve | | | | ranges far afield of merely treating animals |
| themselves to death? And the answers we will | | | | ethically, to encouraging the radical vegan lifestyle. |
| explore here aren't too cheery. | | | | These tracts find their way into the hands of a |
| Vegetarianism is practiced by individuals for either | | | | target demographic, young teens, some of whom |
| its perceived health reasons or by some groups | | | | are impressionable enough to take them too |
| for religious reasons. Not all vegetarians have the | | | | seriously. |
| same dietary requirements; some are people who | | | | As a disclaimer, this is not meant to point the |
| have decided to give up eating some or all meat. | | | | finger at all animal rights groups, all animal rights |
| A vegan is the strictest kind of vegetarian, a | | | | causes, or even all of PETA. Nor is it a blanket |
| person who also abstains from eating all types of | | | | condemnation of all religions that have laws |
| animal products including cheese, milk, and eggs. | | | | governing diet. But the facts as previously stated |
| Some vegetarians will eat items such as fish and | | | | are nevertheless taking place. |
| eggs, and others will eat some types of dairy | | | | Only a few of the dietary necessities that |
| products such as milk or cheese. | | | | vegetarians typically fail to fulfill: |
| However, regardless of the various motivations | | | | * Zinc, which is an important element needed for |
| and practices, psychology has a name for | | | | healthy skin and a healthy immune system. |
| vegetarians. "Orthorexia Nervosa" is a fixation on | | | | *Calcium, which of course is not only needed to |
| keeping a "righteous" diet, and it was first | | | | keep our bones strong but it is also needed for |
| diagnosed by Colorado physician Dr. Steven | | | | functioning of the nerves and muscles, as well as |
| Bratman in 1997. The term is derived from the | | | | helping our blood to clot properly. |
| Greek root word "ortho", meaning straight and | | | | * Vitamin D, which is essential for the absorption |
| correct, and refers to a psychological syndrome | | | | of calcium and phosphorous. |
| where the patient's food choices grow | | | | * Iron, a deficiency of which leads to anemia. |
| progressively narrower over time under the illusion | | | | * Vitamin B-12, needed for blood formation and |
| of keeping the peace with either nature or a | | | | cell division within the body. A deficiency in this |
| deity. The restrictions grow progressively | | | | vitamin can cause severe and irreversible nerve |
| narrower, until the person is convinced that | | | | damage. |
| anything outside of the handful of food groups | | | | * And of course, plain old protein is needed for |
| they will eat is either poisonous or a sin. Nothing is | | | | the body to grow and repair itself. |
| allowed inside the body of a devout vegan which | | | | This is not to say that studious supplementation |
| might be interpreted as a toxin. A vegan diet is an | | | | and careful menu planning can not compensate |
| attempt to gain control over at least one simple | | | | for most of the gaps left by the extreme vegan |
| aspect of a person's otherwise ordinary life, and in | | | | diet. But as any medical professional knows, |
| this way relates to bulimia and anorexia. | | | | whether you're talking about a vegan or a |
| Like anorexia and bulimia, the disease of veganism | | | | body-builder, the human body cannot survive |
| is a perpetual cycle. The patient cuts half the food | | | | indefinitely on protein powders, shakes, and pills. |
| pyramid from their diet, starts to feel sluggish, | | | | And the extreme vegans won't even take to the |
| then is told that the reason they feel down is | | | | protein powders (whey solids come from milk!), |
| because they have more toxins in their body and | | | | and are after all eventually mistrustful of the |
| need to cut out even more food groups. For the | | | | health and food industries in general. |
| religious motivation, the rational is likewise that | | | | The problem of extreme diet restrictions is one |
| they are feeling the symptoms of starvation | | | | more challenge that the health profession faces. |
| because they are not spiritually pure enough, and | | | | The real cure for this practice will be the eventual |
| the only cure for it is - guess what - to starve | | | | education of the public on proper nutrition. |
| even more. | | | | Unfortunately, given the past luck with convincing |
| Unlike other psychological disorders, extreme | | | | people that folk remedies and snake oil cures are |
| veganism has its own organization spurring its - | | | | quackery, the prospects don't look good. |