Nov 2019
More than 800 people participated in academic activities taught by specialist Milagros Agurto in Huamanga, Chincha and Cañete
As part of the series of conferences that PERU LNG has been organizing for the last 10 years in Huamanga, Chincha and Cañete, more than 800 parents, students and health and education professionals participated in the talks given by specialist Milagros Agurto on November 8, 15 and 22.
The talks included the development of pleasant dynamics that motivated the active participation of the attendees, who were informed about the warning signs of anemia and malnutrition, the consequences of these conditions on the health and development of children, as well as advice on balanced food mixtures.
The participants received recipe books with economical and healthy dishes selected for their greater nutritional benefit and because they can be made with products from each area. The recipes for Huamanga were prepared by the NGO Prisma and the team of the Regional Health Strategy for Food and Nutrition of the DIRESA Ayacucho. In the talks in Chincha and Cañete, recipes provided by the National Health Institute were distributed.
During the talks, Milagros Agurto explained to the parents that they have a key role in the fight against anemia and malnutrition. She warned that anemia directly affects the intellectual development and learning of children, therefore, parents cannot wait for the problem to be solved by others; they have to promote healthy habits in their homes that begin with hand washing.
The nutritionist said that anemia is not only due to low iron intake but also to parasites that could be ingested, especially through inadequate hand washing and poor hygiene habits. She recommended being alert to the symptoms of anemia such as sleep, fatigue, listlessness and lack of appetite.
He also explained the importance of iron in the formation of connections between neurons and learning in the first thousand days after a child’s conception. Therefore, he advised on how to combine foods so that children have balanced meals.
She said that an adequate diet with proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, dairy products, meat, cereals, tubers, vegetables, fruits, oils, fats and sugar should be complemented with hydration and the development of physical activity for at least one hour a day in the case of the youngest children.
