Mothers – Breastfeeding Could Help Your Heart

Heart attacks are mainly associated with the male gender. Cardiovascular disease is often seen in men and is considered the number one killer. But that does not mean that it will not happen to women.

According to statistics, one out of three American deaths is because of heart disease or stroke, resulting in 2,200 deaths per day. Heart disease is a deadly ailment that has no consideration in human life. Having heart disease is like having one foot on the ground. You don’t know when it will strike. Because of that, you must be ready all the time. It is best if there is someone around that can help you in case the worst happens.

Because of that, it is best to avoid heart disease while it is early. Prevention is better than cure. You can always have a good night knowing that you will still be alive when you sleep. Fortunately, moms have a secret weapon that can help prevent the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Breastfeeding Helps:

Lower the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and any other related issues. Heart disease commonly attacks elderly people, but that does not mean that it can’t strike young ones. Because of that benefits of breastfeeding can be seen rarely at a younger stage.

A study shows that postmenopausal women at an average age of 63 will have 10 percent less likely to develop cardiovascular disease if they breastfed more than 12 months in their life. This is a huge risk reduction in terms of the damage that it could have. There are also other risk factors such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol that will less likely to develop on breastfeeding mothers.

Compared to men, this is a huge opportunity for mothers to help prevent cardiovascular disease and related illnesses. Ten percent of prevention is no joke and if properly used, it can be a line that can divide life and death. Having a lingering disease that can potentially kill you is troublesome. Prevention is still the best.

How does Breastfeeding help?

How does breastfeeding help prevent cardiovascular disease? By the looks of it, there is no significant relation of breastfeeding to the heart. Actually, breastfeeding is not really connected to the heart. It prevents heart disease by helping the heart indirectly.

Breastfeeding resets the body after pregnancy. The body acquires extra weight during pregnancy and that invites the risk of cardiovascular disease and other related illnesses. In breastfeeding, 200-500 calories are burned per day. It helps moms lose weight postpartum.

Moms that pay attention to their weight and have a healthy lifestyle also have a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Also, breastfeeding can keep the ratio of good cholesterol to bad cholesterol high. If these factors are met, then it means that a good heart condition is sure to follow.

Start Breastfeeding

The benefits of breastfeeding are evident in the long run. If breastfeeding can be applied immediately to the firstborn, then breastfeeding will greatly accumulate benefits that are helpful in the late stage.