Should I ditch dairy or not?

Those who’ve ditched dairy have found their skin has cleared up, especially with regards to eczema as well as improving hayfever.
According to Research studies done over half of the adult population actually struggle to digest the sugars (lactose) in dairy correctly. This can cause many symptoms like bloating, digestive pain and stomach problems.
 
Yes dairy is a source of calcium which helps strengthen our bones but did you know you can find high levels of calcium in leafy greens such as kale, spinach and collard greens, nuts and some fruits?

When buying dairy substitutes like: unsweetened rice, oat, hemp, almond, sunflower, cashew, hazelnut, and coconut milk; unsweetened coconut yogurt or kefir; read labels to ensure the substitute is lactose/casein-free and that the boxed variety of almond, hemp, oat, or rice milk don’t contain sweeteners such as brown rice syrup and evaporated cane juice. Look for brands that have clean ingredients such as filtered water, sea salt and whichever nut variety you're buying.
Cashew nut milk is the most similar in taste to cows milk and great in baking, hot drinks or added to a smoothie for a creamy texture.

Pure olive oil or coconut oil butters are best and are soya free but do contain palm oil so always check if it’s sustainable or not and for any other additives and ingredients.
Cheese is a big one with regards to giving up dairy and there are many dairy free cheeses
on the market. Depending on the brands used some vegan cheeses can be highly processed, However some brands are made using a few ingredients like nut milks, enzymes, and salt. Better still is to make your own alternatives as then you have exact control over what’s inside.

The most common go to when replacing diary is soy, here are some reasons why soy may
not always be the best replacement:

1. 99% of soy is genetically modified and it among the highest contamination by pesticides of any of our foods.
2. Soybeans contain large quantities of natural toxins or “antinutrients”
3. Soybeans are high in phytic acid which is a substance that blocks the uptake of the essential minerals such as calcium, magnesium, copper, iron and zinc
4. Soy foods have a high concentration of goitrogens which can block production of thyroid hormones.

If you’re going to consume dairy, it is recommended that you choose organic milk from grass-fed cows due to it being free of growth hormones and antibiotics and less processed although our bodies still have difficulty absorbing it.

So the final question is to moo or not to moo?