Disclaimer: I don’t mean to imply that a grown man must breastfeed to combat diabetes, okay? I mean to say that breastfeeding is great for mothers and newborns, alike.
Want to know how breastfeeding combats diabetes (you know, for the mothers and babies)?
Here are 5 reasons why.
#1 Breastfed Children Are Less Likely to Develop Type 1 Diabetes
Children who received full breastfeeding for at least 6 months or partial breastfeeding for 12 months were significantly less likely to develop type 1 diabetes than those who received no breastfeeding. Based on the data of over 155,000 children, the findings are pretty substantial.
#2 It Reduces Type 2 Diabetes in Mothers
Not only does breastfeeding reduce the risk of diabetes in babies, but it has also been indicated to reduce the risk of future development of type 2 diabetes in mothers. It also protects against metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease, both of which are major risk factors for diabetes.
#3 Breast Milk Promotes Healthy Weight
Breastfeeding promotes healthy weight among children and prevents childhood obesity. As obesity is one of the biggest risk factors for type 2 diabetes, it makes sense that breastfeeding can seriously help prevent it.
#4 Breastfeeding May Help You Lose Weight
Breastfeeding takes some serious energy and burns a few extra calories per day. More than that, though, is the hormonal changes that accompany breastfeeding. Instead of storing fat around the hips and waist like normal, your body (as a mother, obviously) stores fat for breastfeeding. As a result, many women lose weight due to breastfeeding, thus reducing their risk for diabetes.
#5 Breastfeeding Boosts the Immune System
One of the best benefits of breastfeeding for children is the major boost it has on the immune system for years to come. This can be particularly helpful as the body figures out which harmful cells to fight and which to protect. Since diabetes is an immune disorder, it seems logical that a healthy and robust immune system would be most helpful.
[expand title=”References“]
SmartBrief. URL Link. Retrieved May 12, 2017.
Current Diabetes Reviews. URL Link. Retrieved May 12, 2017.
Authority Nutrition. URL Link. Retrieved May 12, 2017.
[/expand]
