Breastfeeding and Diabetes

Breastfeeding is a subject that I wish would receive more study.  All Stone Age babies were breastfed, and also were most likely breastfed for several years.  Breastfeeding has been around for millions of years, and it is a part of our evolutionary heritage.

When traditional practices get displaced by modern substitutes there can be many secondary, unknown consequences.  For example, baby food is often used in place of breastfeeding.  The switch seems simple - the baby still gets food, and the burden is reduced on the mother.

However, such an action can have many unwarranted consequences.  In an earlier post, I mentioned how breastfeeding can protect children against myopia.  Now a new study shows how breastfeeding may help reduce the risk of diabetes for the mother.  The article also mentions how other studies have shown that breastfeeding may reduce the risk of breast cancer for the mother as well.

Tinkiering with physical practices that have worked for millions of years is risky business.  Modern science is just beginning to embrace the evolutionary framework for health, and no one can know all the consequences of straying from this framework.  For now, the safest bet is to follow the lead of our Stone Age ancestors as best we can.