WHY BREAST-FEEDING HELPS PREVENT OBESITY.
By Birgitta Gallo Lauren

That breast-fed babies have better immune systems, less allergies and infections, straighter teeth, stronger digestive tracts, a lower risk of juvenile diabetes, heart disease and SIDS, higher intellect and better vision has been widely accepted in later years. More and more women are choosing to breast-feed. That it also can prevent obesity and weight problems has only just been publicized in the US this week.
The reason why breast-feeding prevents obesity is Mother Nature's own built in "appetite control". According to a study in The Lancet, London 1975, the first or foremilk (colostrum), which the baby will suck rapidly, is thin and watery, consisting mostly of protein and carbohydrates. As the baby continues to suck, the milk gets thicker as the fat content more than quadruples. This composition change seems to act as an appetite control mechanism or trigger for the baby to stop sucking. Such a cue would not be received if a baby were bottle-fed, as the nutrient composition is the same.
John F. Kerin Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Adelaide,
Australia, and developer of the permanent contraceptive STOP* says that because a child's fat cells are multiplying throughout the first year and a half, this mechanism of controlled caloric intake, prevents excessive fat cell division and thus obesity later in life. A person's final fat cell count will determine weight control issues. Slim people have less fat cells than overweight people. In addition, many bottle-feeding mothers make their babies "finish" the bottle, possibly overfeeding and adding to the problem of excessive fat cell division. Not coincidentally, obesity was never a common problem before formula feeding became popular in the 1940's. Kerin continues that breast-milk is conveniently stored on-board at the perfect temperature for free anytime you need it.
Of course the mother's nutritional and exercise habits can also affect her babies chances of becoming overweight. Her breast milk is only as good as she eats during nursing. She must eat well-balanced and highly nutritional meals and take multivitamins containing folic acid, to ensure proper nutrition for her baby. A high fat and high sugar intake could also stimulate fat cell division. Additionally, exercise during pregnancy and throughout the third trimester, seems to produce children born not just healthier, but with a much lower body fat content according to studies by James F. Clapp III MD, professor of Reproductive Biology, Metro Health Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio.

Birgitta Gallo Lauren, a prenatal fitness specialist, author of "Expecting Fitness", and March of Dimes CHE Committee member can be reached through www.expectingfitness.com
*J.F. Kerin is also a past professor of Ob/Gyn, UCLA School of Medicine and director of the Reproductive Program, Cedar Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles.

 

THE BASIC RULES FOR ACHIEVING YOUR FITNESS GOALS

1. TO IMPROVE YOUR HEALTH: Lower your blood pressure, resting heart rate, cholesterol levels, and increase your general stamina, energy levels, and possibly your lifespan you need MODERATE* INTENSITY CARDIOVASCULAR EXERCISE of a minimum of
20 minutes x 3 times weekly.
2. TO INCREASE YOUR FITNESS LEVEL above average you need a HIGHER INTENSITY. CARDIV ASCULAR EXERCISE of a minimum of
30 - 35 minutes x 5 - 6 times weekly.
3. TO DECREASE YOUR BODY FAT LEVELS dramatically, you need a HIGHER INTENSITY. CARDIOV ASC~AR EXERCISE of a minimum of
40 - 45 minutes x 5 - 6 times weekly.
4. TO MAINTAIN your achieved fitness and/or weight loss goals you only need the same above amount of minutes x 3 - 4 times weekly.
5. TO MAINTAIN & GAIN GENERAL STRENGTH keeping your muscles and bones healthy, and maintaining their present strength and your present metabolic speed, you need MODERATE INTENSITY. WEIGHT/RESISTANCE TRAINING for a minimum of
20 minutes x 2 - 3 times weekly.
6. TO INCREASE MUSCLE STRENGnJ, TONE & METABOLIC SPEED dramatically you need HIGH INTENSITY. WEIGHT/RESISTANCE TRAINING for a minimum of
45 - 60 minutes x 3 - 6 times weekly
(athletes and body builders may need 2 hrs daily)

? You measure your level of intensity on the RPE scale (Rate of Perceived Exertion).
Feel on a scale of 1 - 10 how hard you are working.
4 - 5 Moderate intensity
6 - 7 Higher intensity
8 - 9 High intensity
10 Extreme intensity (you're running for your life)

YOUR RATE OF IMPROVEMENT…
…will depend on several factors, since everybody's different. Generally speaking; you will FEEL BETTER within one week,
you will see VISIBLE RESULTS within six weeks,
and you can drastically IMPROVE & CHANGE' YOUR BODY within 3 -12 months if you work hard enough.
Some factors are beyond your control such as genetics, but others are very much in your control.
GENETIC FACTORS include your
RACE, (your skin color and heritage can influence you; Asian/pacific islanders and blacks have higher metabolic rates and seem to excel athletically faster than Caucasians)
AGE, (if we stay inactive as we age, our metabolic rate slows down, our muscles will deteriorate, and our bones weaken)
SEX; (women have a slower metabolic rate and strength levels than men due to our hormonal make-up which gives us smaller bones and muscles)
INHERITED WEIGHT PREDISPOSITION; (if your parents are overweight, you run a greater chance of being overweight as well)
YO UR MOTHERS P RENA TAL & NURSING HEALTH & HABITS, (your mother's activity and eating habits and any substances consumed during her pregnancy with you, and whether or not she nursed you, can influence your metabolic rate).
LIFESTYLE FACTORS include your
PREVIOUS HISTORY OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY; (the more exercise or sports a person accomplished during the years ofchild hood, adolescence, teens and in their twenty's, the faster and easier it will be for them to maintain or get back into shape later - your muscles remember)
PRESENT PHYSICAL ACTIVITy; (amount of time and type of activity) LEVEL OF EXERCISE INTENSITy;
NUTRITIONAL HABITS, (previously and presently; a diet higher in protein, medium carbohydrates, and low in fat w ill speed up your metabolism. The more protein your diet consists of the faster you will loose weight, but your body need carbohydrates as well, so a good ratio would be 40% protein, 40% carbohydrate, and 20% fat, rather than the 10-60-30 ratio recommended by the FDA)
BODY COMPOSITION; (previously and presently. The more excess weight that you carry the longer it will take)
STRESS, (excessive stress levels will also slow down your efforts)
MENTAL ATTITUDE, MOTIVATION; (without the right attitude and beliefs in your own capabilities you will never achieve your goals. - Whatever your mind can believe, your body can achieve. You'd better believe it - a positive outlook is what gives you the motivation to start and continue working towards your goals.