SIDDHA POSTPARTUM DIETARY AVOIDANCES AND MATERNAL–INFANT GUT HEALTH: AN INTEGRATIVE GUT–BRAIN AXIS APPROACH

Background: The postpartum period is a critical window where maternal nutrition profoundly influences infant health through breast milk composition. Traditional Siddha medicine prescribes specific dietary avoidances to prevent digestive disturbances (mandhāgni) and the accumulation of undigested metabolites (amam), which are believed to be transmitted to the infant via breast milk. Objective: This review explores Siddha postpartum dietary restrictions in relation to contemporary evidence on maternal gut health, the human milk microbiome, and infant gut–brain development. Methods: A narrative review was conducted by integrating classical Siddha texts, such as Balavagadam, with contemporary biomedical literature from databases including PubMed and Scopus. Results: Siddha medicine cautions against heavy, mucus-forming, and flatulence-inducing foods—including buffalo milk, specific legumes, fried sweets (adhirasam), and certain fish—as they impair maternal digestion and promote amam. Modern evidence supports these observations, showing that maternal diet modulates the breast milk microbiome and metabolite composition, thereby influencing infant gut colonization and neurodevelopment via the gut–brain axis. Conclusion: Integrating Siddha dietary principles with contemporary microbiome science offers a holistic framework for promoting maternal recovery and preventing infant colic. This synthesis reinforces the pivotal role of maternal nutrition in shaping optimal infant health outcomes during the "fourth trimester".