Foodconsumer.org, Oct. 27, 2008 UTMB'S Dr. Armand Goldman is quoted in this article about the pros and cons of breastfeeding. A mother's milk provides defenses against many pathogens, Goldman says, and does it in a noninflammatory way. By preventing inflammation, he adds, the integrity of the digestive and respiratory systems is preserved to ensure normal nutrition, growth and functioning overall. "This latter effect on the infant's intestinal tract enables the infant to become actively immune to environmental pathogens, but without displaying overt signs of infection or inflammation," Goldman says.