Milk and other dairy products are consumed in large amounts by many Americans, including some vegetarians, but there are some very strong reasons to completely eliminate dairy products from your diet.

For a very long time, milk has been help up as a way to fight osteoporosis, but recent clinical research shows that it’s actually associated with an increased risk of bone fracture.  Dairy products are high in calcium, but this research also showed that is no protective effect of dairy calcium on bone.  The latest research indicates that exercise and increasing your intake of green leafy vegetables and beans do help increase bone density and contribute to stronger bones.
 
Consumption of dairy products has been linked to ovarian, breast, and prostate cancer.  A recent study by Harvard physician Daniel Cramer showed that when excessive amounts of dairy products are consumed the body’s enzymes are unable to break down the lactose fast enough.  As a result, it can build up in the blood and affect a woman’s ovaries. 

Another recent study showed that men with the highest levels of an insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I), which is found in cow’s milk, were at four times the risk of prostate cancer compared to those with the lowest levels of IGF-I.

Almost everyone knows that dairy products are a significant source of fat and cholesterol, and that these can increase your risk for cardiovascular disease.   The following steps will not only help prevent heart disease, but possibly even reverse your risk level:

1. A low-fat vegetarian diet that eliminates dairy products,
2. adequate amounts of exercise,
3. proper stress management, and
4. quitting smoking

Milk has also been considered a primary source of Vitamin D in the diet, but it may not be a consistent and reliable source. Excess Vitamin D in the blood can be toxic and can result in calcium deposits in the body’s soft tissue.  Some samplings of milk have been found to have as much as 500 times the acceptable safe level.  
 
Milk proteins, milk sugar, fat, and saturated fat in dairy products may pose health risks for children from chronic diseases like diabetes, obesity, and the formation of plaques in the circulatory system that can lead to heart disease.

The health risks from consuming dairy products can be avoided by choosing a nutrient-dense, healthy diet of grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, and fortified foods including cereals and juices, and you can still meet your body’s calcium, potassium, riboflavin, and vitamin D requirements.