August1 is the start of the International Breast Feeding Awareness Week. Most areaware of the benefits of breast-feeding for the baby with improved nutrition,immunity and bonding.
Andthere are benefits of nursing for the mother too. This includes emotionalsatisfaction, bonding and reduction in the following: Postpartum hemorrhage,menstrual blood loss, risks of mental depression, irregular heart-beat, risk ofbreast and ovarian cancers. Themedical recommendation for length of breast feeding is at-least six months andpreferably one year. For the second year the breast feeding should besupplemented with other feedings. Alzheimer's Dementia (AD), an increasingly common mentalillness, is much more common in women than in men; and even more common in single women;with pregnancies offering protection against AD. More recently a study from theUK reports a correlation of reduced incidence of AD with longer periods ofbreast feeding. Hence, efforts are being made to maximize the benefit of breast feeding inpreventing AD, a disease which has no cure and which is the sixth most commoncause of death in adults. Regards, GL Dr. Lawrence is co-author of "Your Happy Brain - Why and How to Hug it." Amazon Books
