New mothers, your breastmilk may prove to be an elixir for your baby and prevent him or her from risk of developing diabetes or cancer. According to a latest study, breastfeeding babies who receive probiotic supplements for three weeks improve have better gut health, thus protecting the baby from diabetes, asthma and cancer risks.
The findings published in the microbiology journal mSphere revealed that there could eb something in the combination of breast milk and a probiotic organism which can lead to lasting changes in the gut microbiome.
Lead author Mark Underwood said that even though they stopped giving the probiotic on day 28 of life, the particular organisms they gave stayed in their fecal community out to 60 days and even longer.
The team explained that an activated form of the beneficial bacteria B. infantis would pair well with the sugars in breastmilk to shape the gut microbiota. The team further said that the disruption of the microbiota, particularly early in life, could put a person in the risk of several diseases-both inside the gut and out. These diseases can range from diabetes, allergies, asthma, irritable bowel syndrome, and some cancers too.
According to the researchers from University of California, a mother's breast milk could help sustain those colonies in the long run.
For the study, the team examined 66 breastfeeding mothers. In the first group, 34 mothers fed their newborns a three-week course of Bifidobacterium longum subspecies infantis EVC001, a probiotic supplement. While the mothers in the second group did not administer probiotics.
From the analysis of fecal samples of infants collected over a span of first 60 days of their life, it was clear that there are notable differences in their respnonses to disease causing pathogens.
The findings revealed that larger populations of B. infantis, which improves gut health was present in newborns who received supplementation than in the infants who did not.Those colonies persisted for at least 30 days after the end of supplementation, suggesting that the changes were durable.
Breastmilk forms one of the first sources of nutrition for the baby. Insufficient milk production may be caused due to many reasons like insufficient glandular tissue, hormonal changes, illnesses, or nutritional deficiencies. Ms. Anju Majeed, Director and Senior Scientist at Sami Labs, suggests some of most prominent spices or galactogogues that can come handy.
1. Fenugreek or Methi Seeds: Fenugreek is one of the oldest medicinal herbs. Methi seeds contain a compound called phytoestrogens that help in boosting the function of the mammary glands. Methi seeds should be soaked overnight, boiled and strained and had every morning to increase milk supply.
2. Cinnamon: Cinnamon helps to increase the flow of mother's milk. It will also help in delaying periods after childbirth. A pinch of cinnamon should be added to half a teaspoon of honey or to a glass of warm milk and consumed.
3. Shatavari: This traditional herb has been used to cure the problem of insufficient milk supply in nursing mothers for long. Shatavari contains steroidal saponins mainly shatavarins that helps to increase the production of milk.
4. Cumin: An integral part of Indian cuisine, cumin is a great remedy for stimulating milk production. These seeds are packed with iron, which is an essential mineral for nursing mothers. Cumin seeds also aid in digestion, stimulate bowel movements and provide relief against gastric problems. Cumin powder should be consumed with warm milk at bed time for best results.