As most of you found out first hand, we do not serve dairy products at Movara. We find that many of our guests are lactose intolerant or prefer to avoid dairy products (or other animal products) due to ethical and nutrition concerns over antibiotics and hormones given to the animals. During our lecture on Tuesday night, I talk about the best way to incorporate dairy products if you choose to do so as well as the best way to eliminate them. I think it is a personal choice that may not be so extreme either; you could be somewhere in the middle of high consumption and complete elimination.
I found this article recently that talks both sides of the dairy debate. While I dont necessarily think you have to include dairy, I also dont think it is as bad as some try to make it out to be. I think the bottom line to all of this is to focus mostly on plant based foods. I would echo the recommendation I give in class to try to make two lunches and two dinners vegetarian each week to control animal product consumption. I would also urge you to at least try alternatives to dairy such as enriched and fortified almond milk, rice milk and soy milk. Make sure you are eating your dark green veggies as they are high in calcium and vitamin K, both of which will help to maintain bone health. And finally, a calcium supplement is probably a good idea. Make sure it is calcium citrate and includes vitamin D and magnesium.
Emily Fonnesbeck RD,CD