Breast-milk is the elixir of human life

Friday, March 11, 2011 by: Carlos Greene
Tags: breast milk, nutrition, health news

(NewsTarget) Breast-milk is the ultimate elixir for the human newborn and infant. It is the natural secretion designed to provide immediate nutrition at birth and long-term benefits for the remainder of life. Human biological development is based on breast-milk as sustenance; it's the original nourishment of the human species.

Today's sad reality is that large numbers of people never drink their mother's milk. Oddly enough, they do drink other animals' milk throughout life by the gallons. It is completely opposite to the design found in other species throughout nature. Dairy- or soy-based infant formula is pushed by dominant corporations and unhesitatingly accepted by new parents and the medical community. Cow's milk is often laced with antibiotics, hormones, and other chemicals ingested by cattle. Most soy milk is produced from GMO seeds. Breast-milk provides nutrition and immunity that are missing from these false substitutes.

In addition to nutrition via vitamins and minerals, breast-milk builds the baby's immune system by introducing antibodies that provide resistance against a variety of disease and physical ailments. It contains the powerful substance immunoglobulin A (IgA), which is most concentrated in the first milk produced (called colostrum) and less concentrated as the milk matures. Therefore, the mother's milk is most beneficial at birth and through the first year, when it protects the infant from infections, illness, and allergies.

A human mother is designed to produce milk nutritionally-specific to her own baby. If she does not breastfeed, the milk will dry up in about seven to ten days. Though it is biologically natural, successful breast-feeding is not always immediate or comfortable for the mother. Lactation consultants, midwives/doulas, birthing centers, and other educational sources can provide the information and support necessary to successfully breastfeed. The baby may not latch-on immediately, but with patience and support from the mother, the baby will learn to receive nourishment from her breasts. Breast-feeding is also beneficial to the mother, as it decreases risks of high blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol problems, and cardiovascular disease, among others.

Breast-feeding provides protection from the following for the baby and child (the list is by no means all-inclusive):
- respiratory illnesses,
- stomach viruses,
- gastrointestinal problems,
- ear infections,
- lower risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), and
- some childhood cancers.

The breastfed baby is also protected throughout life from the following (again, the list is by no means all-inclusive):
- Crohn's Disease,
- some lymphomas,
- multiple sclerosis,
- Type 1 and 2 diabetes, and
- breast/ovarian cancer.

Mother's milk is the best elixir of life that an infant can receive. The development of external immunity boosters (e.g., vaccines) occurred only in the past century, while breast-milk-developed immunity has occurred since humans first appeared. Breast-milk is the nutritional foundation on which the human race developed; it allowed the very evolution of human DNA that is the blueprint of your current physiological structure. Educate and further inform yourself on the benefits of breast-milk, and give your baby the best possible foundation for a strong and healthy life.

Resources:

http://www.babycenter.com/0_how-breastfeedin...

List of studies showing benefits of breast-milk: http://www.breastfeeding.com/all_about/all_a...

La Leche League:
http://www.llli.org/FAQ/prevention.html

Childhood cancer and breastfeeding:
http://www.huliq.com/10473/childhood-cancer-...

About the author

Carlos Greene is engaged in multiple issues across the spectrum of public policy. He is a writer, organic gardener, and lover of music.