To eat better, parents should buy sweets and sodas for their children only rarely and instead spend the money on eggs, milk, or other nutritious foods. They should also eat a variety of plant foods to get the different proteins, vitamins, and minerals that the body needs. Dark green leafy vegetables and cassava leaves are an excellent source of vitamin A, protein, and iron. Liver, heart, kidney, and blood are especially high in protein, vitamins, and iron and are often cheaper than other kinds of meat. Finally, rice, wheat, and other grains are more nutritious if their inner skins are not removed during milling.
Iron deficiency is a common problem among child-bearing women.
It causes anemia, or thin blood, which results in weakness and fatigue, pale or transparent skin, pale gums, and a greater risk of miscarriage and dangerous bleeding during childbirth. Being pregnant depletes a woman's iron stores, and it usually takes two years after a pregnancy for her body to restore the supply of iron. Since many Guatemalan women do not use or have access to methods of birth control, they often have five or more children in the span of only so many years. Thus iron deficiency is very prevalent, and it can only be prevented by family planning and better nutrition. My experience in Guatemala was absolutely amazing, and I loved every second of it.