Vegetarian nutrition, antibiotic use in children, and phantom vibration syndrome

Vegan diets (completely devoid of animal products) may increase the risk of deficiencies in certain nutrients, especially vitamin B12, iodine, iron, calcium, zinc, and long-chain omega-3 fatty acids.

A registered dietitian can help you prepare a nutritional plan that suits your particular preferences and circumstances. It is best to consult a health care professional - such as a licensed dietitian or primary care physician - for guidance on preparing a nutritional plan that suits individual nutritional needs and preferences, according to the “Healthline” health website.

Below we review some types of plant foods that contain a high percentage of protein per serving:

Tofu, tempeh and green soybeans

Tofu, tempeh (a traditional Indonesian food made by fermenting hard-pressed soybeans) and green soybeans contain iron and calcium, and provide 12 to 20 grams of protein in a 100-gram (3.5 ounce) serving.

These three varieties are derived from soybeans, which are a source of complete protein. It provides the body with all essential amino acids.

Lentils

Lentils are an excellent source of protein and fiber, as one cup of them (after cooking, weighing 198 grams) contains 18 grams of protein, and provides more than half of the recommended daily amount of fiber.

Moreover, the fiber found in lentils may contribute to enhancing intestinal health, and eating it may reduce the likelihood of developing: heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. In addition, lentils are rich in important nutrients such as manganese, iron, and antioxidants, as well as other health-promoting plant compounds.

Beans

Red, black and most other types of beans are important staple foods in various cultures and contain high amounts of protein per serving. This also applies to chickpeas. Most types of beans contain about 15 grams of protein.

Nutritional yeast

It is an inactive strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast, and is sold commercially in the form of a yellow powder or flakes. Half an ounce (16 grams) of this complete source of plant-based protein provides 8 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber.

Spirulina

These blue-green algae are undoubtedly a nutritional treasure. A 2 tablespoons (14 grams) serving of spirulina provides 8 grams of complete protein, as well as being a good source of copper and iron.

Spirulina also contains abundant amounts of magnesium, riboflavin, manganese, and potassium, in addition to trace amounts of most other nutrients your body needs, including essential fatty acids.

According to some research conducted in test tubes and on animals, phycocyanin - a natural pigment found in spirulina - may have powerful antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. However, more research is still needed.

Soy milk

Soy milk is made from soybeans and is usually fortified with vitamins and minerals. Not only does it contain 6 grams of protein per cup (244 grams), but it is also a source of calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin B12.

However, it should be noted that soy milk and soybeans do not naturally contain vitamin B12, so it is recommended to choose types fortified with this vitamin.

In addition, some types may contain added sugar, so it is best to choose unsweetened types whenever possible.

Oats and oat flakes

Eating oats is an easy and delicious way to add protein to any diet. Half a cup (40 grams) of dry oats provides approximately 5 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber. Oats also contain magnesium, zinc, phosphorus and folate.

Although oats are not a complete source of protein, they contain higher quality protein compared to other commonly consumed grains, such as rice and wheat.

Wild rice

Unlike white rice, the outer covering (bran) is not removed from wild rice. This is excellent from a nutritional standpoint, as bran contains fiber and many vitamins and minerals.

One cup of cooked wild rice (164 grams) provides approximately 7 grams of protein, and is also a source of: fiber, manganese, magnesium, copper, phosphorus, and B vitamins.

Chia seeds

Chia seeds are extracted from the Salvia hispanica plant, which originally grows in Mexico and Guatemala. These seeds contain approximately 5 grams of protein and 10 grams of fiber per ounce (28 grams).

These tiny seeds also contain high levels of iron, calcium, selenium and magnesium, as well as omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants and other beneficial plant compounds.

Nuts, nut butters and other seeds

Nuts, seeds and products derived from them are excellent sources of protein for their calorie content.

The amount of protein varies depending on the type. For example, one ounce (28 grams) of almonds contains 6 grams of protein.

Nuts and seeds are also rich sources of fiber and healthy fats, in addition to other nutrients such as: iron, calcium, magnesium, selenium, phosphorus, vitamin E, and some B vitamins. They also contain antioxidants, along with other beneficial plant compounds.

Some types of vegetables

Although all fruits and vegetables contain protein, most are low in protein, ranging from 0 to 2 grams per serving. The highest protein vegetables include: broccoli (4 grams per cup cooked), artichoke hearts (5 grams per cup cooked), asparagus (5 grams per cup cooked), spinach (5 grams per cup cooked), and sweet corn (5 grams per cup cooked).

Between the desire to save the child quickly and the fear of worsening the disease, some parents resort to antibiotics at the first rise in temperature, or the appearance of cough and runny nose.

But the medicine, which may be life-saving in some cases, can harm the child's health if used incorrectly.

When does a child need antibiotics?

When you have a bacterial infection

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, antibiotics are used to treat bacterial infections, such as sore throat caused by certain bacteria, whooping cough, and some urinary tract infections.

A specialist doctor should determine whether the child’s symptoms indicate a bacterial infection that requires treatment. Because the similarity of symptoms between viral and bacterial infections may make diagnosis not possible based on symptoms alone in some cases.

Colds and viruses do not need an antibiotic

Colds and viruses do not require antibiotics, even if they are accompanied by a high temperature. Where antibiotics cannot eliminate viruses.

The American Academy of Pediatrics indicates that the symptoms of colds and viruses improve on their own, without the need for antibiotics.

It also explains that changing nasal secretions or phlegm from transparent to yellow or green does not automatically mean the presence of a bacterial infection. It can even appear naturally during viral infections.

Sore throat... diagnosis first, then treatment

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, not every sore throat requires an antibiotic. Most cases of sore throat in children are viral; Especially when accompanied by a cough or runny nose.

If the doctor suspects a sore throat caused by certain bacteria, the child may need a test to confirm the infection before prescribing an antibiotic.

What about ear infections?

Parents may see an ear infection as a serious matter that requires an effective antibiotic, but this medication is not always necessary in this case.

The British Health Service notes that antibiotics are no longer routinely used to treat ear infections in children. Some cases improve within days without the use of antibiotics.

Why might an antibiotic be harmful if given unnecessarily?

Because using antibiotics unnecessarily may cause side effects.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, the most prominent of these side effects are: diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and skin rash, and allergic reactions that may be severe may also occur.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that side effects associated with antibiotics are among the most common reasons children visit emergency departments related to medications.

In addition, incorrect use of antibiotics may make bacteria more resistant to treatment.

When antibiotics are used unnecessarily or too frequently, some bacteria can develop resistance to the drugs, making future bacterial infections more difficult to treat.

You may feel a quick vibration on your thigh, and your hand reaches into your pocket, but you discover that your phone did not vibrate and you did not receive any notification. This condition is known as “phantom phone vibration syndrome,” which is a false feeling that the phone is vibrating or ringing while it is on silent.

Studies that included hospital employees, university students, and trainee doctors showed that this phenomenon may be related to the brain getting used to anticipating the phone’s vibration, especially among people who use vibration mode, rely heavily on the phone, or work under constant pressure to answer calls.

A common phenomenon, but with varying rates

The prevalence of phantom vibrations varies widely between studies; It was reported by 68 percent of workers at Bay State Medical Center in Massachusetts in a 2010 survey published in the journal BMJ. About 13 percent of those who experienced the phenomenon said that it happens to them daily.

In a 2012 study published in the journal Computers in Human Behavior, 89 percent of 290 college students at a Midwestern American university reported feeling phantom vibrations, about once every two weeks.

A study conducted in 2016, published in the journal Cureus, showed that 41.4 percent of 553 students at Jilin University in China felt these vibrations. Most of them said that it occurs rarely, while about one in 20 students indicated that it occurs frequently.

These differences indicate that there is no constant rate of the phenomenon among all groups. A 2015 research review published in the journal Asia-Pacific Psychiatry concluded that phantom vibrations are commonly reported, but there is still limited research available to precisely determine their prevalence among different populations.

When the brain anticipates an alert

“Acquired false alarm” is one of the most prominent explanations for this phenomenon. According to a research paper published in the BMJ, the brain deals with a huge flow of sensory input by filtering it and comparing it to what it expects to happen.

When a person is waiting for a call or message, the brain may confuse normal sensations, such as the pressure of clothing on the skin or a simple muscle spasm, with the vibration of the phone.

Researchers liken this to the mechanism of a smoke detector that operates with high sensitivity. It reduces the possibility of missing a real fire, but it may trigger an alarm due to another source. Likewise, checking your phone even though it's not actually vibrating may be the price of avoiding missing a real alert.

Working pressure and vibration mode

Studies showed that resident physicians were more likely to report phantom vibrations than consultant physicians. Higher rates also appeared among workers who held their devices for longer hours per day, used vibration mode more frequently, or carried the phone in a chest pocket instead of a belt.

In a study published in 2013 in the journal PLOS One, researchers followed 74 trainee doctors at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Taiwan during a training year during which the average working hours averaged about 87 hours per week. 78.1 percent of them reported feeling imaginary vibrations before starting training, rising to 95.9 percent after three months, then reaching 93.2 percent after six months.

Trainees who used the vibration mode were more susceptible to this phenomenon. Despite the high rates of anxiety and depression during the year, neither of them was linked to phantom vibrations in this study, and the researchers suggested that the phenomenon is related to work pressures and the constant expectation of call alerts, in addition to a type of “conditioning” that trains the brain to anticipate more alerts.

But the results of the studies are not identical; In a 2026 survey of students from Jilin University, students who reported symptoms of anxiety were about 1.5 times more likely to feel phantom vibrations, after taking gender and screen time into account. Extensive screen use was not found to be an independent factor in this analysis.

Because this survey monitored the condition of participants at one point in time, it does not specify which of the two things preceded the other, and the questions related to anxiety were intended for an initial examination, and not a comprehensive clinical assessment.

How can the phenomenon be reduced?

Studies indicate a number of steps that may help reduce phantom vibrations, including reducing unnecessary notifications, keeping the phone out of the pocket for periods during the day, turning off vibration mode or using calm tones instead.

The phenomenon is described as false sensory perception or “tactile hallucinations,” and is not a disease or neurological damage. An explanation has also been proposed that constantly carrying the phone may make it an extension of the body, with the brain interpreting some light movements or friction of clothing as an incoming vibration.

Thus, phantom phone vibration syndrome appears to be largely related to the anticipation of alerts and the brain's habituation to them, with its incidence varying across groups and studies.