Our bodies have no natural need for cows' milk. We weren't designed with some odd flaw requiring us to drink the milk of other animals.

Yet humans are the only animals who drink another species' mother's milk. Indeed, just as dogs' milk is intended for puppies, rats' milk for baby rats, and humans' milk for human infants, cows' milk is for calves.

Our bodies treat cows' milk as an invader, and including milk and other dairy products in our diets is linked to many health problems.

Milk is touted for building strong bones, yet some research shows otherwise. Harvard School of Public Health's Nutrition chairman Walter Willet, M.D., M.P.H., Dr.P.H., writes: "Interestingly, many long-term studies have now examined milk consumption in relation to risk of fractures. With remarkable consistency, these studies do not show reduction in fractures with high dairy product consumption. The hype about milk is basically an effective marketing campaign by the American Dairy industry."(1)

Risk of osteoporosis can be lowered by reducing sodium intake, eating more fruits and vegetables, exercising, and getting enough calcium from plant foods and vitamin D from sunlight or fortified sources. (Click here for suggested calcium sources.)

References

1. Scientific American, January 2003.