Breastfeeding mothers would have healthier arteries

There is no doubt that breast milk is the best food for the baby, both nutritionally and emotionally, but the benefits are not only for children, but also extend to mothers. One of them is related to cardiovascular health in the medium term.

According to a study published in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology, breastfeeding mothers would have healthier arteries, and the longer they have breastfed, the greater the benefits. They have found a correlation between breastfeeding and thickening of the arterial walls.

The study, conducted by the research division of Kaiser Permanente of Northern California in Oakland, California, analyzed data from 846 American women who in the 80s were between 18 and 30 years old and had given birth at least once .

They were followed up and found that women who breastfed for a longer period of time presented less thickening of the carotid artery wall when they reached middle age.

Carotid arteries are those that supply blood to the brain, and thickening of the artery wall is considered an early sign of atherosclerosis. The accumulation of "plaques" that clog arteries that can result in a heart attack or stroke.

Women who had breastfed their babies for a month, or those who did not, had greater thickening of the carotid artery wall, while those who had breastfed for 10 months or more were the ones with the cleanest arteries. The women with the greatest thickening of the carotid artery were essentially between 3 and 5 years older, in regards to the health of the blood vessels.

Video: Breast-Feeding May Reduce Stroke And Heart Attack Risk (March 2024).