Since most of us were encouraged to drink milk as children, we probably associate dairy products with the nurturing, caring environment that is generally associated with childhood.  That, together with the multiplied millions of dollars spent on advertising by the dairy industry, has left most of us with an impression of dairy products as wholesome, natural foods.  And it is understandable that we might be reluctant to question this long-held impression.  Nevertheless, while cow's milk is certainly wholesome and natural for calves, many questions have been raised over the years as to whether or not it is really good for human beings.  For example:

• Many diseases appear to have strong links to cow's milk, especially allergies and autoimmune diseases (See Dr. Fuhrman's Disease-Proof Your Child:  Feeding Kids Right 68-69)
• There are specific associations between high dairy consumption and both type 1 diabetes and multiple sclerosis (The China Study  190-198)
  
• There is a correlation between higher dairy consumption and increased rates of hip & bone fractures:  
  • See Building Strong Bones-- look for subsection: Why Dairy Products Don't Make the Cut
  • See also this L.A. Times article on The dairy debate: Does milk build stronger bones?
• The China Study also fingers animal protein, including milk protein as being a primary culprit in the initiation of cancer (43-67) [See Related Article]
  
• See also Dr. John McDougall's free eLecture:  Marketing Milk and Disease  [Download Compressed Video File] 

Generally speaking, this is Dr. Fuhrman's position:

"Overall, milk is not health food. If you enjoy some skim-milk or non-fat yogurt, I recommend you limit it, just as you would limit other animal products. If your diet is healthful, consuming little or no dairy won't be a problem, as long as you make sure you get adequate vitamin D from other sources" (Eat For Health, Vol. I, page 179). 

Specifically in regard to cheese, he  says, "Cheese . . .  is one of the most dangerous foods in the world to consume.  Though it tastes good, it should be used very rarely if at all" (Eat To Live 135-136).   The problem with cheese is that it is primarily fat-- lots of saturated animal fat! --which clogs our arteries even as it pushes more healthful, nutrient dense foods off our plates! It is often high in sodium, as well.  And while other dairy products may be OK in limited quantities, they are not recommended.  Not only are whole, plant-based foods better for us, generally speaking, they also provide us with an equally good if not better source of calcium (see below).  Speaking of calcium, let's talk about osteoporosis!

Here's the Scoop on Osteoporosis:

Osteoporosis is a disease caused by a number of lifestyle and dietary factors. According to Eat For Heath, pages 175-178, key factors are

1. diets too high in animal protein and low in vegetable protein
2. high consumption of salt and/or caffeine
3. smoking
4. vitamin D deficiency
5. vitamin "A" supplements
6. poor physical fitness

These six factors contribute to excessive urinary calcium loss and the resulting osteoporosis. As such, increased calcium consumption is not the solution. Lower calcium intakes are fine as long as too much calcium is not excreted through the urine. If the factors, listed above, are properly addressed, excessive calcium loss can be reduced or eliminated. Items 1 & 2 can best be addressed by changes in diet (e.g. by following Dr. Furhman's diet as articulated in Eat To Live or Eat For Health), items 3 & 6 can be addressed by lifestyle changes (quit smoking and start exercising), and items 4 & 5 can be addressed by judicious supplementation which *includes* vitamin "D" (e.g. Dr. Fuhrman's Osteo-Sun) and *excludes* vitamin "A" (e.g. Dr. Fuhrman's Gentle Care multi-vitamin). Weight-bearing exercise is also very important because muscle strength and bone strength go hand in hand.  With regard to calcium consumption, it should also be stressed that many vegetables offer a rich source of calcium--even richer than dairy products, considering that the calcium from vegetables is more absorbable and more easily retained (remember that the animal protein in dairy products also contributes to excessive excretion).  You can read more about osteoporosis and vegetables as a source of calcium in the following articles:

  Protect Yourself Against Osteoporosis - Drugs Don't Do It!

Parents' Guide to Building Better Bones

When Friends Ask: “Why Don’t You Drink Milk?”

To sum up, then, the best course of action is to lump dairy products in with other animal foods (just think of meat & dairy) and, if you eat them at all, limit your consumption of these foods to no more than 10% of your total calorie intake [See Related Article].  For those who choose to eat meat and dairy, Dr. Fuhrman recommends lean cuts of meat and low-fat dairy products.  And there seems to be some evidence that grass-fed animal products, including dairy products, may pose fewer health risks than those produced by factory farms, since, as Michael Pollan puts it, "You are what what you eat eats, too" (In Defense of Food 167).

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Editor's Note:  This article was originally written for the Nutritional Health & Life Style Medicine groups on Yahoo Groups and Facebook.  It has been slightly revised and reformated for this website.