“Drink your milk,” your mother told you. “Milk will make you strong,” your grandfather prompted. “One glass of milk per day can help you lose weight faster,” your favorite celebrity exclaimed through their robust milk mustache. The media has asked us if we’ve all “Got Milk?” for as long as we can remember, but what scientists and nutritionists and those of us in the informed minority now know are all the reasons we should be drinking “Not Milk!”

Humans are the only mammals that continue to drink milk after being weaned. Why is that? Could this be the cause of many inflammatory diseases and cancers?

We’ve put together a list of facts you that may change the way you’ve been thinking about milk your whole (no pun intended) life.

Milk Does Not Strengthen Your Bones
Contrary to popular belief, milk does not prevent bone breakage or osteoporosis. In fact, they dramatically increase the possibility of them breaking. Let us explain, according to studies, nations with the highest milk consumption; also have the highest instances of osteoporosis, and since milk upsets your bodies natural ability to balance pH, it can make your bones more acidic and more brittle over time. Non-dairy sources of calcium include almonds, kale, oranges, collard Greens, broccoli, figs, spinach, enriched rice, almond, hemp and coconut milks, and sesame seeds.

Allergies and Asthma
Allergies, asthma and eczema can all be triggered by dairy. Dairy (and gluten) are linked to insulin resistance and, therefore, weight gain. Removing them from the diet allows the inflamed gut to heal. This one move may be the single most important thing you can do to lose weight.

In all respiratory conditions, mucous-forming dairy foods, such as milk and cheese, can exacerbate clogging of the lungs and should be avoided,” writes Professor Gary Null in his Complete Encyclopedia of Natural Healing. When more mucus accumulates in the lungs than can be expelled, asthma attacks develop

Filled with Antibiotics and Hormones
The dairy industry is above all else, a business. They want to make money. To make money, the cows need to make milk. They need to make lots and lots of milk, so the farmers stimulate that process and keep the cows healthy by injecting them with hormones and antibiotics. Those hormones and antibiotics are laced in the milk you use in your coffee and tea and in your child’s sippy cup.

Digestive Problems
Milk has been called “the food of life,” and we’re not saying that’s a completely wrong assumption and long as you’re talking about newborn calves. It is proven that we, like baby calves lose our ability to digest milk early in our development. Today, over 75% of people are lactose intolerant and the rest of us are susceptible to bloating, gas and inflammation after drinking it.

Making changes in your diet to curb your intake of dairy products is an important step towards total wellness. Getting calcium from leafy green vegetables and switching to almond milk will leave you feeling energized and healthy, your body will thank you for it.

Check out this video of the 6 Reasons to Avoid Dairy, by Dr. Mark Hyman, a pioneer in Functional Medicine.