To Your Health
April, 2024 (Vol. 18, Issue 04) |
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Prevent Childhood Cancer
By Editorial Staff
Specifically acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) – the most common cancer affecting children. While you can't eliminate the risk of any cancer entirely, you can certainly reduce the risk exponentially with certain lifestyle behaviors – and in the case of ALL, it starts with breastfeeding.
Exclusive breastfeeding for at least the first three months (compared to fewer than three months) is associated with a reduced risk of B-cell precursor ALL, "An aggressive (fast-growing) type of leukemia (blood cancer) in which too many B-cell lymphoblasts (immature white blood cells) are found in the bone marrow and blood." (Source: National Cancer Institute) Findings come from a study involving 300,000-plus children tracked from ages 1-15.
Reduce the risk of your child developing the most common childhood cancer – just by exclusively breastfeeding for at least three months? That's a great reason to do everything in your power to breastfeed your child unless something prevents it. And remember, breastfeeding also has multiple other health benefits, including (per the CDC) a lower risk of asthma, obesity, type 1 diabetes, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), ear infections and stomach issues.
