Kenyan pregnant women have grown into this toxic habit of eating stones. This is a habit that was mostly practiced in the village but now we find these stones on our supermarket shelves.
Is it a habit that we should encourage?
No! I randomly asked one of the mothers in my village, and she pointed towards something to do with iron deficiency, and that she was eating the stones majorly to protect the baby and herself from anemia.
I did not blame her, given there are some cultural beliefs that we carry on without knowing.
But research has been done over time, and these stones that pregnant women eat truly contain some minerals, but it is a stones, and they may not be safe at all.
The question is, do you wash your hands before eating these stones, or rather is the stone safe for you to eat, the answer will be no.
Our bodies have always had a way of communicating, and thus the relationship between cravings and deficiencies, pregnant women get folic acid supplements at the hospital, and I’m very much sure that those supplements will be so much better than eating stones.
As studies continue to give a very strong link between deficiencies and cravings, I recommend Choosing a balanced diet, including a variety of foods from different food groups, you won’t get deficiencies and hence no weird cravings as well.
