National Institutes of Health Mar 4 2025 Nursing for at least six months may spur beneficial gut bacteria connected to better heart health years later. An observational study supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that infants who had more diverse bacteria in their gut had lower childhood blood pressure, and this protective association was stronger if they were breastfed for at least six months. The findings published in the Journal of the American Heart Association . For