World Breastfeeding Week, How Effective?

 

World Breastfeeding Week is celebrated every year from 1 to 7 August in more than 170 countries to encourage breastfeeding and improve the health of babies around the world. It commemorates the Innocenti Declaration made by WHO and UNICEF policy-makers in August 1990 to protect, promote and support breastfeeding. 

 

2013 World Breastfeeding Week has just been concluded, but the BIG  question is, are the OBJECTIVES achievable?

 

In the spirit of Breastfeeding support, an independent survey was carried out in FCT-Abuja by Nutrition Alert to ascertain how much support/encouragement mothers are getting. Over 90% of the mothers involved in this survey are working mothers in private organizations. The survey findings showed that many mothers are indeed aware of the benefits of breastfeeding their children, and a majority would want to breastfeed exclusively if they had the support of their employers.

 

It was alarming to discover that a lot of the mothers in the survey resumed work only 6 weeks after delivery and had to rely on infant formulas because their work places are not friendly for babies and their schedule does not allow time for them to express breast milk and they do not get adequate rest to enable lactation.

The sharp decline in breastfeeding rates, and practices in the weeks following delivery, particularly exclusive breastfeeding is not only as a result of lack of support from the home or the community. When a mother is a sole or a joint bread winner, support from only the home and community is not enough. Policies that will force employers to support breastfeeding mothers too are mostly need. When they are lacking, formulas becomes the mother’s closest ally and exclusive breastfeeding will be just a dream.

Eating For Your Bones

As written by Guest Blogger Enyekwe chikelue Enyekwe of Enyekwe’s Clinic

The bone is a very essential component of the skeletal system, and plays an essential role in support, protection of the body vital organs, movement, production of body blood cells and mineral storage. For the bone to be able to perform these above functions it has to posses the following characteristics; it have to be light for the body to be able to carry it along in movement, be strong to support and protect the body and above all be healthy.

To maintain a healthy, strong and light bone the first thing that comes to mind is “diet”, yes the food you eat have a great way of controlling the general look and function of your bone. Whether you will end up with bone conditions like osteoporosis, pagets disease, osteoarthritis etc depends partly on your dieting

So here is a list of do’s and don’ts if you are eating for a healthy bone

Excessive intake of protein can be a don’t, protein especially red meats are known to produce sulfates which can displace calcium in the bone and cause a decrease of bone density

Excessive intake of Table salts and all sodium containing foods is not advocated for, for they can indirectly reduce bone calcium

Excessive intake of caffeine is known to reduce calcium absorption, so mind your intake of energy drinks and coffees

Excessive alcohol intake affects vitamin D and calcium absorption
Excess soda is not allowed


Now the do's.

Eat food rich in calcium example green leafy vegetable, milk (not in excess)                                 

Eat foods rich in vitamin k examples; spinach, onions, cabbage, mustard greens, lettuce etc

Go for vitamin D, this has its main source as sunlight and also can be gotten from: cod liver oil, mushrooms, sardines etc

A diet rich in magnesium is also advocated for, magnesium can be found in broccoli, raw plantain, peanuts, spinach etc

A good diet of potassium is also needed to retain calcium in the body; this potassium can be derived from foods like avocado peers, apricots, cocoa powder, seeds of pumpkin and sunflower.

A strict adherence to the above will play a part in building up a strong light and healthy bone.