Hi, I have a teenage daughter who wants to become a vegetarian. I don't think that this is good for her. She is very persistent in her beliefs. I am certain that vegetarianism will cause her health problems, but I don't have any facts to confront her with. Can you help me to convince her that vegetarianism will have a bad affect on her health?
Hi, I think that you are both right. The secret of maintaining good health is having a well balanced diet. If you accept the extremes in either way you will endanger your health. Vegetarians are not healthier or sicker than the people who include animal products in their diets. However, your daughter might experience some medical problems if she leaps into vegetarianism without preparation. For instance, vegetarian diet is very poor in vitamin B12 and vitamin D. These vitamins are very important for proper development. If your daughter is that determined to become a vegetarian, you should not try to convince her otherwise. The best thing you can do for your daughter's health is to take her to a nutritionist who will talk to her about a well balanced vegetarian diet.
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