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ranga
USA
149 Posts |
 Posted - 04 Oct 2006 : 07:08:48
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How much do multi-vitamins cost in Gambia? I'm thinking of the likes of Centrum and One-a-day. They cost 10 cents per tablet in the US. A multi-vitamin a day is an insurance against an unbalanced diet. Specially formulated multi-vitamins are particularly a good idea for pregnant women to increase the odds of healthy babies.
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T.K. "Ranga" Rengarajan
Founder, Geoseed Project
http://www.geoseedproject.com
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gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
Posted - 04 Oct 2006 : 08:05:31
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Folic acid and iron are the main two concerns for healthy mothers and babies. Lack of iron can be very dangerous to the mother when giving birth.
At Kwinella health centre the mothers are given these routinely. |
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serenata
Germany
1400 Posts |
Posted - 04 Oct 2006 : 18:08:35
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Ranga, Gambian food is healthy and full of vitamins; at least this is the case with the food served in my husband's family.
I don't think artificial vitamins are needed as long as one can afford regular food; for mothers this may be different. |
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jambo
3300 Posts |
Posted - 04 Oct 2006 : 19:56:47
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| serenata, i agree even if they could use the right cooking oil, more fish and fresh vegetables the diet would be balanced. |
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gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
Posted - 04 Oct 2006 : 20:00:24
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| Sadly this is not the case. Many Gambian women are aneamic. You need to eat alot of meat and green vegetables and eggs. In labour a women who is aneamic can loose alot of blood and this can be life threatening. The Gambian diet is OK.......but not for pregnant and breast feeding women. If they have lots of children they can be left depleted and in danger of death in labour. |
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ranga
USA
149 Posts |
Posted - 05 Oct 2006 : 07:10:08
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Serenata, I agree it is better to simply eat balanced food every day. I consider multi-vitamins only as an insurance. The US recommends 5 portions of vegetables and 4 portions of fruits every day. I personally am not always able to keep up this regimen.
Gambiabev, I'm with you. It is well worth it to take this precaution for pregnant women, if they can afford it.
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T.K. "Ranga" Rengarajan
Founder, Geoseed Project
http://www.geoseedproject.com
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gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
Posted - 05 Oct 2006 : 08:20:45
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| At Kwinella the women are given the vitamins and iron. I THINK unicef might be involved. |
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twinkly
United Kingdom
190 Posts |
Posted - 06 Oct 2006 : 17:51:09
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I agree with Serenata on this one.
I would just like to add that there are many natural remedies, women eat certain things during pregnancy(can't remember their names sorry), one of them is a plant or root in provences that develops more blood, or eating raw ground nuts helps the milk-production, and there are loads of things gambian women can eat to assist their health during pregnancy and after.
We are not superior, people all over the world have had children, not just since our medicine has been developed, and yes, there could be more lives saved with the help of western medicine, but for thousands of years women have had healthy babies, they are not stupid, just because we don't know about how they go through their pregnancies, doesn't mean they have no resources
I would be sceptical about vitamins and iron being given as standard because if your body has too much vitamins it can be harmful, same goes for iron, too much can be harmful for the unborn(or so I was told by my midwife).
I haven't been given any supplements this pregnancy(didn't even take my folic acid)because we eat a very "gambian diet", and I believe fresh food is better than supplements.If I can get spinach, for example, why should I have to take a tablet that gives me the same nutrients but with chemicals?
I cook everything from scratch and this pregnancy has proven to me that a healthy balanced diet makes such a huge difference.I will never go back to processed food.
Natural is best |
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gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
Posted - 06 Oct 2006 : 19:00:32
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The WHOLE point is that the mortality rate in Gambia is terrible! 1 in 5 children dies before their fifth birthday. The mortality rate of women in childbirth is much higher than in the UK too.
If women are poor and have had many pregancies their bodies will be depleted of iron. It is VERY common in Gambia.
If an iron tablet helps then why not take it?
MOst Gambian women in the villages are struggling to afford rice, let alone fish and vegetables.
I agree twinkly that an unprocessed diet is the healthiest and fresh food is the best.ALong with that you need a pure water supply.
I am sure there are many nature remedies that help women too.
But the statistics speak for themselves, there is still alot more that can be done for women and children in Gambia. |
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serenata
Germany
1400 Posts |
Posted - 06 Oct 2006 : 19:14:08
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Thanks, twinkly, that's what I mean. The western view, that our more or less artificial diet is far better than traditional food, is helpful for nobody else but the industries.
As far as I can see Gambian food is of much higher quality than our European stuff. Fruits and vegetables are naturally grown, and the meat (not to mention fish!) is delicious. Compare this with our meat which is nothing but a mixture of hormones and antibiotics, and you know who lives better... |
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gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
Posted - 06 Oct 2006 : 19:25:48
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Try telling that to Gambians that are hungry!!!
You have a very idealistic view of Gambian food. In Kolior most people eat rice and maccaroni. Occasionally they have fish or vegetables. There is very little meat and very little variety.
What there is at the coast and in Banjul and Brikama markets is very different to inland. |
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serenata
Germany
1400 Posts |
Posted - 06 Oct 2006 : 19:40:09
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Yes, that's true. But wouldn't it be better for poor people to have real, 'normal' Gambian food? I insist it is better than our chemical crap, and better than vitamins (which leave you hungry after all).
All these new rich Gambians together with the expats living in Gambia could open 'welfare kitchens' (don't know it s called)... |
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ranga
USA
149 Posts |
Posted - 07 Oct 2006 : 18:56:18
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twinkly, it is better to get all nutritional needs by natural food. Why go with tablets when delicious food will do the job? Day in day out, if it is hard to eat delicious balanced diet, why not take dietary supplements? Check out http://www.mypyramid.gov/ for some guidelines. I personally find it very hard to ensure balanced nutritionally-complete diet every day.
There is no need to discard practices that have worked well for many generations. However, we're not doing the exact same things our grandmothers used to do. When we do make changes, how do we know we're adopting beneficial changes? This is where knowledge of science, medicine and nutrition helps.
The midwife's claim about too much iron being harmful to babies deserves double checking. Why rely on hearsay, when high quality nutritional information is freely available?
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T.K. "Ranga" Rengarajan
Founder, Geoseed Project
http://www.geoseedproject.com
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ranga
USA
149 Posts |
Posted - 07 Oct 2006 : 18:59:09
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gambiabev, I agree with you absolutely. I've heard that high infant mortality leads to high fertility. Is there any truth to that in Gambia?
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T.K. "Ranga" Rengarajan
Founder, Geoseed Project
http://www.geoseedproject.com
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ranga
USA
149 Posts |
Posted - 07 Oct 2006 : 19:04:18
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serenata, I've not run into many in the West who espouse your statement that artificial diet is better than traditional food. Having said that, the food industry is always running enticing commercials for prepared, processed food, primarily to increase their profits. It is up to the people to know what is good for them. Back to the "educated consumer" ...
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T.K. "Ranga" Rengarajan
Founder, Geoseed Project
http://www.geoseedproject.com
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ranga
USA
149 Posts |
Posted - 07 Oct 2006 : 19:07:26
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serenata, the role of vitamins is as a supplement, not a replacement for delicious, traditional, nutritious meals! It is incorrect to characterize vitamins as "chemical crap". Not sure if you implied this.
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T.K. "Ranga" Rengarajan
Founder, Geoseed Project
http://www.geoseedproject.com
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