Mindfulness Matters: Cultivating Mental Health and Well-Being

Breastfeeding protects against cardiovascular disease

In addition to what will be mentioned in the next topic, the breast-feeding also helps the good perception and protects from a range of diseases, and it has many benefits.

Breastfeeding reduces the risk of chronic inflammation associated with heart disease and blood vessels.

   According to a study published by researchers at Northwestern University, USA, in the journal "Proceedings of the Royal Society B." the breastfeeding from 3 to 12 months significantly reduce the risk of chronic infections linked to heart disease and blood vessels in adults.

Depending on a sample of 7,000 people, U.S. researchers have discovered an "important" link between short breastfeeding or low birth weight and high levels of reactive protein C (CRP), a sign of inflammation in blood samples from young adults. CRP is a protein mainly composed in the liver and plays an important role in inflammatory responses .

Breastfeeding from 3 to 12 months is linked to drop down of concentration of interactive blood C protein in the range of 20 to 30 % compared to people who have not been breastfed. The researchers also found that every 450 grams of additional weight at birth is associated with a decrease in the concentration of CRP by 5 %.

According to the same study, the effect of breastfeeding "matches" or "exceeds" the influence of drugs that reduce levels of CRP interactive protein with young adults.

The study was conducted on adults aged between 24 and 32 years old from different social groups, including children and brothers to avoid the social and economic impacts. The results indicate that breastfeeding may help reduce a dangerous important factor for heart disease and blood vessels in adulthood.

World Health Organization (WHO) encourages the breast-feeding, which is considered one of the most effective means to ensure the health and child survival. It recommends six months of breast-feeding at least, but admits that less than 40% of the world's children are the only ones who benefit.