We are told and encouraged all our lives to consume dairy, by who other than the dairy council. I was a HUGE milk drinker growing up, most likely drank 4 glasses a day!!!! Everyday I see a milk add on my drive to work!
Why you should reconsider consuming dairy:
Regular grocery bought milk is a very poor choice. The cows probably ate a diet of corn and soy while confined in a very tight environment.
Most people are allergic, maybe not lactose intolerant, but simply become bloated when consumed.
MILK DOESN'T ENHANCE SPORTS PERFORMANCE, and takes a lot of energy to digest.
Milk irritates Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
The majority of humans (~75%) naturally stop producing significant amounts of lactase - the enzyme needed to properly metabolize lactose, the sugar in milk by age 5.
Tips:
Get your calcium from food. These include dark green leafy vegetables, sesame tahini, sea vegetables, and salmon.
Unsweetened almond milk has no dairy and 2x the calcium of milk at half the calories!!!
Another substitute could be coconut milk, hemp milk, rice milk, or another nut milk.
If you can't give up dairy-Use raw, organic dairy products. Try unsweetened yogurt and kefir, occasionally.