Breastfeeding lowers the risk of heart disease in women

Women who breastfed their babies are less likely to develop heart disease later in life and the protective effect is increased in women who breastfed for longer periods of time, according to findings from the European Society of Endocrinology annual meeting. Breastfeeding has previously been shown to reduce the risk of postpartum depression and the risk of certain cancers in women. It has also been established that breastfeeding can help mothers to maintain healthy body weight and regulate their blood sugar. These benefits are likely to be related to the higher levels of the hormone, prolactin, in breastfeeding mothers. More recently, studies