Vegan Nutrition with Jill Nussinow, MS, RD

Jill Nussinow is a Registered Dietitian, culinary educator, cookbook author, speaker and consultant and all around proponent of a plant-based diet. She teaches vegetarian and vegan cooking at Santa Rosa Junior College in California and other places around the US. She has a son who is almost 15. One of her greatest joys is sharing her enthusiasm for vegetables and pressure cooking with anyone who will listen.

My father has an 'ethical' issue with consuming probiotics. He believes that since the cultures are living, that he is taking life unnecessarily. We are extremely careful about everything we eat (no gelatin, beef stock, animal rennet in cheese, etc....). He's been sick lately and I recommended New Chapter's Immune Support probiotics, but he won't take them citing that they are living. What are your views on this? If the cells are living, aren't they simply plant cells and at the same rung on the ladder of life and plants?

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The issue here is likely how your father has been looking at the probiotic issue. As far as I understand it, probiotics are beneficial bacteria. Perhaps your father doesn't realize that the majority of cells in his body contain components of these bacteria. When body systems get thrown out of whack, for whatever reason, we need to replenish the bacteria through all possible means. If he won't take a probiotic supplement, he can try eating fermented foods such as kim chi, raw sauerkraut, plain soy yogurt or tempeh. He can also eat more prebiotic-containing foods such as legumes. fruit and whole grains. Very good plant sources of prebiotics are Jerusalem artichoke, chicory root, onions and garlic.

The benefit, though, of the New Chapter Immune Support that you've recommended to your father is that it contains a number of different cultures in an easy to take capsule. These will work in combination to hopefully produce good results. You might want to assure your father that bacteria, both good and bad, can reproduce very quickly so no need to worry about their life cylce. They can potentially help improve his health. Good luck.

Visit Jill's website TheVeggieQueen.com and her blog theveggiequeen.blogspot.com.

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Disclaimer: The advice given here is for eductional purposes only. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease without consulting with a qualified health care provider.

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