I'm wondering, does everyone on this list who is avoiding consumption of
dairy products take a calcium supplement?  From the questions on the list
this past week, it seems that there is a common assumption that if we do not
drink milk, then we _need_ a calcium supplement.  I'm wondering if this is
true or not.
 
Admittedly, my view on this topic, may stem from the fact that I live in a
state where the Dairy Industry has strong (Wisconsin) influence, but in many
ways I see the "health message" of dairy products nothing more than a
lobbying/marketing effort used by the Dairy Industry to get people to
consume dairy products.  That doesn't mean it is valid.  We can see from
this list, that dairy products aren't safe for everybody and certainly
aren't always "healthy". Perhaps, in a likewise fashion, we can get enough
calcium without dairy in our diets and without supplements (btw, many
vitamins/supplements use dairy as a binder, so for me and other
milk-allergic people vitamins can be dangerous).
 
I'm basically a vegan.  I don't eat meats and I don't eat dairy products due
to an allergy to animal-source proteins.  If not eating dairy means that we
need to take calcium supplements I would think my diet would cause that fact
to show up.  Yet, my doctors have tested my blood a number of times since
I've been following a meat/dairy free diet and never found anything missing.
I have all the iron, calcium and other important vitamin and minerals the
body needs to be healthy.  I don't even think much about what I eat.  I
don't waste energy worry about having the "right" combinations of nutrients
in my diet.  I just choose as wide of a variety of fruits, vegetables,
grains, and even oils/spices/flavorings as I can.
 
Well, I would appreciate hearing from others about this issue and their own
experiences with making this decision for themselves.
 
Thanks,
Dawn
:-) :-) :-)