From the post sent: Date: Tue, 5 Sep 2000 18:37:48 +0300 From: Pia Ruohotie Subject: Re: New research from allergy and milk "There is a new study from correlation between the quality of mothers milk and allergy. These researchers found out that there are differences in certain types of white blood cell amounts between individual mothers. And these differences correlated with babys allergy symptoms." Were these increases in the type of WBC the kind which go to fight off invaiding proteins that the mom is allergic to; bovine proteins? If ALL THE MOTHERS WERE FROM ATOPIC FAMILIES then there would be a clearer comparison. However, if atopic & non-atopic families were compared, of course those atopic moms having a reaction to the bovine protein themselves would have more WBC of a certain kind. She may be having inflammation where ever these invading proteins are. In her joints, heart, breasts, etc. wouldn't she? "If a baby got cow milk protein allergy, the milk of her/his mother had more certain types of white blood cell than the milk of a mothers of a non-allergic baby. This study has been a total topic in media here in Finland. Of course "Mothers milk can cause allergy" and "Breastfeeding isn't good for all babies" got more attention than "babies allergy symptoms disappeared if a mother cut all cow milk protein from her diet". (Some babies symptoms didn't disapperar although the mother stated she had quit eating cow milk protein.)" What if the mother is allergic to the protein in beef too & has not cut that out? What if she were also allergic to gluten or some other foreign protein? We already know that the presence of an allergen in mothers' milk can affect babies from atopic families. How many of our ancestors were from cattle herding communities and had to endure 3-4 glasses of milk daily? Just what died and made bovine milk 'king of calcium'? The salmon (omega 3 fatty acid), green leafy vegetables aren't excreated out when there's too much taken in at a time. "Interesting but sad, since people (MDs and health care professionals, too) think now that breastfeeding isn't as good for babies as was thought." Perhaps these studies should compare non-BF babies; those with symptoms (bovine allergy) & those without. Then check to see if those babies with symptoms have any of those 'different kind of WBC' lurking around in their bodies. The study is in English: http://ethesis.helsinki.fi/julkaisut/laa/kliin/vk/jarvinen/ "Check this out and tell what you think if you are interested." I haven't been able to go to the study on the web. I'm sure it's my fault. Who paid for this study anyway? Sorry, to get carried away. Regards, P.Harris-Swenson, MA, IBCLC, Doula in training WIC Nutritionist & BF Coordinator Still behind '69 spring cleaning AND Lactnet mail! Lowell, MA USA *********************************************** The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM) mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to: http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html