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Doctors are human beings, too. That means that they carry personal opinions and prejudices regardless of precise information. Fancy degrees from nice schools don't necessarily make a person infallable.

Think of your body like a car. Cars need brake fluid, transmission fluid, antifreeze, gas, oil, and lots of other things. Your body needs vitamins, minerals, amino acids, proteins, carbohydrates, fats, and lots of other things. Being a vegetarian (or in your case, a pescatarian) isn't necessarily unhealthy or bad for growth; it just requires you to be a lot more conscientous about what you eat. Fish, beans, nuts, dairy, and fun products like seitan, tofu, and texturized vegetable protein can more than help you sufficiently meet your daily protein needs.

The recommended daily amount of protein to consume on a 2,000 Calorie diet is one third (in grams) of your body weight (in pounds). If I weigh 150 lbs, then I need to eat at least 50 grams of protein. I'm willing to bet that you probably consume more than 2,000 Calories a day though, since that much is consumed by doing nothing and sitting around. Try to get a healthy amount more than 1/3.

Where vegetarians really suffer is in getting the amino acids that the body is unable to make on its own. To do that requires a very diverse diet. This mostly applies to vegans, since diary, fish and eggs are all excellent sources for lots of amino acids.

One thing to watch out for is egg yolks, which have a very unhealthy amount of cholesterol. When you can, try to just eat the whites. Some yolk every now and then isn't a bad thing, but just eating two eggs a day can make your blood pressure sky rocket.

Don't worry about how skinny or heavy you are - just yet. Young people are known to have much higher metabolisms than older folx. Lots of the Calories that your body uses go towards developing your girl parts redface and growing taller. Us old timers typically grow wider XD If you don't mind, go to this link and calculate your Body Mass Index. That'll give you a lot more information than just assessing your own appearance in the mirror. If your BMI is lower than you want it to be, then start eating more. Rice, peanut butter, beans; anything that's high in both nutrients AND Calories.

Maybe. Some doctors just don't know all the facts about vegetarianism and are too bu$y to bother with learning them.

To be honest, I'd consider finding another doctor. A good doctor is essential for staying healthy, and one who doesn't understand your needs or lifestyle can cripple that.

Good advice.

I work at a convineince store, and I am amazed at how many nurses come in for a hot dog, soda, and a pack of cigarettes. And I'M unhealthy for eating tofu and veggies? stressed

Laurylina, your doctor is an idiot. There honestly is no 'too young' age to be vegetarian. MAYBE a toddler probably shouldn't be vegan, MAYBE. Just because they need a lot of calorie-rich foods to fill little, growing bodies.

But your body is hardly little anymore. check out Being Vegetarian for Dummies. That book has health facts about every age group and how it relates to being vegetarian. Take it to your doctor, maybe? Its not a medical journal, but its not b******* either.

Questioning a doctor's or nurse's advice because of their own lifestyle options is a silly thing to do. All smokers know that smoking is bad for them. Many smokers will urge others to NOT smoke. Not smoking is a good idea.

I know that you're all talking about veg*nism, not smoking, but I'm using a metaphor to point something out. Many doctors and nurses are smart people who've read all the books. Wantonly questioning their advice because they're too busy to prepare healthy meals and get on treadmills is nonsense.

*I refuse to read any books that assume I'm a "dummy." How condescending are these publishers?

I think babies should have a full diet, because at that age they need the nutrition and they dont understand about it all. but i think as soon as someone decides to be Vegetarian/Vegan, its their choice and should be respected for it.