| And We have enjoined upon man goodness towards | | | | Facts about "The Freshest Food" |
| his parents: His mother bore him by bearing strain | | | | The facts about the mother's milk are not restricted |
| upon strain, and his weaning was in two years: | | | | to these. The contribution it makes to the baby's |
| "[Hence, O man,] be grateful to Me and to your | | | | health alters according to the phases the baby |
| parents; to Me is the eventual coming." (Qur'an, 31:14) | | | | undergoes and whichever foodstuff is required at a |
| Mother's milk is a matchless compound created by | | | | particular stage, the contents of the milk change to |
| Allah to meet the baby's nutritional needs and protect | | | | meet those very specific needs. Mother's milk, ready |
| it against possible infections. The balance of the | | | | at all times and at the ideal temperature, plays a |
| nutriments in mother's milk is at ideal levels and the | | | | major role in brain development because of the sugar |
| milk is in the ideal form for the baby's immature body. | | | | and fat it contains. In addition, elements such as |
| At the same time, the mother's milk is also very rich | | | | calcium in it play a large role in the development of |
| in nutrients which accelerate the growth of brain cells | | | | the baby's bones. |
| and the development of the nervous system. 1 | | | | Although it is called milk, this miraculous compound |
| Artificial baby foods prepared with present-day | | | | actually consists mostly of water. This is a most |
| technology cannot replace this miraculous food. | | | | important feature because in addition to food, babies |
| The list of advantages to the baby provided by | | | | also need liquid in the form of water. Full hygiene may |
| mother's milk is being added to every day. Research | | | | not be established in water or foodstuffs other than |
| has shown that babies who are fed mother's milk are | | | | mother's milk. Yet mother's milk-90% water no less-, |
| particularly protected against infections concerning | | | | meets the baby's water needs in the most hygienic |
| the respiratory and digestive systems. That is | | | | manner. |
| because the antibodies in mother's milk provide a | | | | Mother's Milk and Intelligence |
| direct defence against infection. Other anti-infection | | | | Scientific research shows that the cognitive |
| properties of mother's milk are that it provides a | | | | development in breast-fed babies is greater than that |
| hospitable environment for "good" bacteria called | | | | in other babies. A comparative analysis of breast-fed |
| "normal flora" thus constituting a barrier to harmful | | | | babies and formula-fed babies by James W. |
| bacteria, viruses and parasites. Furthermore, it has | | | | Anderson-an expert from the University of |
| also been established that there are factors in | | | | Kentucky-established that the IQs of babies fed on |
| mother's milk which arrange the immune system | | | | mother's milk were 5 points higher than those of |
| against infectious diseases and allow it to function | | | | other babies. As a result of this study, it was |
| properly. 2 | | | | determined that intelligence is benefited by mother's |
| Since the mother's milk has been specially designed, it | | | | milk for up to 6 months and that children who are |
| is the most easily digestible food for babies. Despite | | | | breast-fed for less than 8 weeks show no IQ |
| being nutritionally very rich, it is easily digested by the | | | | benefit. 7 |
| baby's sensitive digestive system. Since the baby | | | | Does Mother's Milk Combat Cancer? |
| thus expends less energy on digestion, it is able to | | | | As a result of all the research performed, it is proven |
| use that energy for other bodily functions, growth | | | | that mother's milk, on which hundreds of papers have |
| and organ development. | | | | been published, protects babies against cancer. This, |
| The milk of mothers who have had premature babies | | | | despite the fact that the mechanism is not yet fully |
| contains higher levels of fat, protein, sodium, chloride | | | | understood. When a protein from the mother's milk |
| and iron to meet the baby's needs. Indeed, it has | | | | killed off tumour cells which had been grown in |
| been established that the functions of the eye | | | | laboratories without damaging any healthy cells, |
| develop better in premature babies fed on mother's | | | | researchers stated that a great potential has |
| milk and that they perform better in intelligence tests. | | | | emerged. Catharina Svanborg, professor of clinical |
| In addition, they also have a great many other | | | | immunology at Lund University in Sweden, headed |
| advantages. | | | | the research team that discovered these miraculous |
| One of the ways in which mother's milk is important | | | | secrets of mother's milk. 8 This team at Lund |
| to the development of the new-born baby is the | | | | University have described the way that mother's milk |
| fact that it contains omega-3 oil alpha linoleic acids. As | | | | provides protection against many forms of cancer as |
| well as being an important compound for the human | | | | a miraculous discovery. |
| brain and retina, it is also of great importance from | | | | Initially, researchers treated intestinal mucous cells |
| the point of view of new-born babies. Omega-3 is of | | | | taken from new-born babies with mother's milk. They |
| particular importance throughout pregnancy and the | | | | observed that the disorder caused by the bacterium |
| early stages of babyhood if the brain and nerves are | | | | Pneumococcus and known as pneumonia was |
| to develop normally. Scientists particularly emphasise | | | | efficiently halted by mother's milk. What is more, |
| the importance of mother's milk as a natural and | | | | babies fed on mother's milk encounter far fewer |
| perfect store of omega-3. 3 | | | | hearing difficulties than those fed on formula and |
| Furthermore, research by Bristol University scientists | | | | suffer far fewer respiratory infections. After a series |
| revealed that among the long-term benefits of | | | | of studies, it was shown that mother's milk also |
| mother's milk are its positive effect on blood | | | | provides protection against cancer. After showing |
| pressure, thanks to which the risk of heart attack is | | | | that the incidence of the lymph cancer observed in |
| reduced. The research team concluded that the | | | | childhood was nine times greater in formula-fed |
| protective nature of mother's milk stems from its | | | | children, they realised that the same results applied to |
| nutritional content. According to the results of the | | | | other forms of cancer. According to the results, |
| research, published in the medical journal Circulation, | | | | mother's milk accurately locates the cancer cells and |
| babies fed on mother's milk are less likely to develop | | | | later destroys them. It is a substance called alpha-lac |
| heart disease. It has been revealed that the presence | | | | (alphalactalbumin), present in large quantities in |
| in mother's milk of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty | | | | mother's milk, that locates and kills the cancer cells. |
| acids-these prevent hardening of the arteries-along | | | | Alpha-lac is produced by a protein that assists in the |
| with the fact that babies fed on mother's milk | | | | manufacture of the sugar lactose in the milk.9 |
| consume less sodium-this is closely linked to blood | | | | This Matchless Blessing Is a Gift from Allah |
| pressure-and do not, as a result, gain excessive | | | | Another miraculous feature of mother's milk is the |
| amounts of weight are among the ways that | | | | fact that it is exceedingly beneficial for the baby to |
| mother's milk benefits the heart. 4 | | | | be fed with it for two years. 10 This important |
| In addition, a team led by Dr. Lisa Martin, of the | | | | information, only recently discovered by science, was |
| Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Centre in the | | | | revealed by Allah fourteen centuries ago in the verse: |
| USA, found high levels of the protein hormone | | | | "Mothers should nurse their children for two full |
| known as adiponectin in mother's milk. 5 High blood | | | | years-those who wish to complete the full term of |
| levels of adiponectin are associated with a reduced | | | | nursing..." (Qur'an, 2:233) |
| risk of heart attack. Low levels of adiponectin are | | | | In the same way that the mother does not decide |
| found in people who are obese and who are at | | | | to produce milk, the most ideal source of |
| increased risk of a heart attack. It was therefore | | | | nourishment for the helpless baby in need of feeding |
| established that the risk of obesity in babies fed on | | | | in her body, neither does she decide on the various |
| mother's milk declined in relation to this hormone. | | | | nutritional levels within it. It is Almighty Allah, Who |
| Furthermore, they also discovered the presence of | | | | knows the needs of and displays mercy to every |
| another hormone called leptin in the mother's milk | | | | living thing, Who creates mother's milk for the baby |
| which has a central role in fat metabolism. Leptin is | | | | in the mother's body. |
| believed to be a signal to the brain that there is fat | | | | 1- "High-Risk Newborn-The Benefits of Mother's Own |
| on the body. According to Dr. Martin's announcement, | | | | Milk," University of Utah Health Sciences |
| therefore, these hormones absorbed in babyhood | | | | Center, [ |
| through mother's milk reduce the risk of such illnesses | | | | 2- Ibid. |
| as obesity, type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance, and | | | | 3- C. Billeaud, et al., European Journal of Clinical |
| coronary artery disease. 6 | | | | Nutrition, 1997, vol. 51, 520-526. |