When addressing the milk issue I often feel I'm confronted with a little more contention simply due to the fact that most individuals tend to view dairy as an all essential necessity in nutrition. Well, with this I would honestly have to object. Yeah, we basically drink milk for its calcium content, but on the other hand, only about a third of it is actually absorbed and made available to the body. In contrast, most calcium-rich plant foods such as leafy green vegetables, legumes, fortified juices, tofu, soymilks, ricemilks, etc. are an excellent source of calcium. In addition, many of these plant foods are rich in many nutrients and other health-promoting components compared to cow's milk. In that respect, it's often beneficial to think of plant foods first as a source of nutrition. Especially when you reflect on all the rest that comes with that glass of milk. Just in case your interested, here's a few extras on osteoporosis.

1) As for dairy, after cutting it out of my diet and then accidently drinking a tea mixture with milk several months later, my body basically rejected it. (Believe me when I say I was in misery that night). It simply dawned on me that any food my body doesn't react well with doesn't belong in my diet.

2) When you really sit down and do the research, it is calculated that roughly 75-80% of the adult humans in the world are lactose intolerant. The ability to tolerate milk into adulthood is actually a mutation found mostly in people of European ancestry, most lose their tolerance eventually. Giving up milk, for many people, means an end to indigestion and other related illnesses. Milk products are implicated in arthritis and various auto-immune disorders. There are numerous people (including myself) who can testify to a significant improvement in health, energy, etc. after going vegan.

3) Milk products are also suspected of contributing to osteoporosis (something you won't find in any dairy industry propaganda). The high levels of animal protein in milk actually cause calcium to dissolve from the bones. Although milk contains a fair amount of calcium, it is not clear whether it contains enough to counteract the loss. Around the world, countries where milk consumption is highest also have the highest incidence of osteoporosis, so in a way, it kind of makes you wonder.

4) With the issue of other meats, my view is that any food that you have to be careful with when raw just isn't safe (referring to the dangers of salmonella). If you have to eat something cooked and have to wipe your counters and not cross contaminate your food, to me there is something wrong. Even when the chicken is cooked, would one really want to have dead salmonella bacteria in the food? Same with eggs. For me it isn't worth the risk health-wise.

5) Fish and chicken are not any "healthier" than beef--that's another misconception the medical profession has tried to feed us (no pun intended). Chicken has just as much fat and cholesterol as beef (actually more); fish the same with a high level of pollutants as well.

6) For many (including myself), veganism is not just about all the health benefits. It is about living as cruelty-free a life as possible. Being right with your conscience. Doing your part in alleviating some of the suffering linked with it all. Many will attest to feeling closer to life itself and the world around them. I for one will not argue the point. Personally, my head feels clearer, my body feels lighter, and my conscience is also lightened when I think of the steps I've taken and the positive impact it brings. So for me it's for the most part about respecting life. But then again, as I've always tried to emphasize, it all comes down to individual choice, and what one honestly feels comfortable with eating.

7) Wow! That was a really lengthy response to a relatively short question. Did I mention I have a tendency to ramble...

The way I sort of see it is diet--any diet is one of habit. And once you get past that, your beyond it. You've moved on. But even as I kind of think about it now and what I ate at that time, I honestly wonder what actually attracted me to such a diet. I mean I was basically eating the same old meal again and again just recycled over in another form. But now it seems I'm experimenting with a variety of new cuisine almost on a daily basis. And when you take into consideration all the variety that exists in fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, and assorted spices, I'm not even close to exhausting my choices. How could I part with that diet? Believe me, it wasn't all that difficult.