“… I feel great, my bone density is perfect, and, above all, we are not causing harm to any animals.”

What is scary to me is that, for 35 years, I thought [that] I was eating a healthy diet—no meat, fish, or poultry; lots of fresh fruit and vegetables; tofu; but some dairy. As I was going through menopause, I started getting terrible stomachaches, and [I] knew [that] they had to be related to what I was eating, so I took dairy [products] out of my diet. It was the best thing [that] I could have done for myself. I feel fantastic, and I can say that I am 100 percent [free] of animal products. Here’s to vegans, including my 18-year-old daughter, who was raised without meat but who is now also a vegan. [She] has the healthiest look … and a beautiful complexion, as well. We will never go back to any animal products—on or in us. [W]e never get colds or the flu; my daughter has had blood work done, and she is getting all the nutrients she needs; [and] as a post menopausal woman, I feel great, my bone density is perfect, and, above all, we are not causing harm to any animals. I only wish that I was not just a vegetarian but a vegan for 35 of my 52 years and that I had raised my daughter without dairy [products], but we have learned, and it is never too late.
—Patricia W., Toronto, Canada

“We weren’t born to suckle off of a cow’s breast.”

From the moment I first remember drinking milk, I hated it—the taste, the smell, the feeling, just everything about it—but I was from a family that raised animals and, to them, it was a necessity of life. I’ve been forced to drink goat’s and cow’s milk [and was] told that it would make me strong. I remember being made to sit at a table for hours until I finished [a] glass of milk. My parents were trying to help—so they thought. After each glass of milk, slice of cheese, etc., I would have cramps and feel sick to my stomach. No one knew why until I was about 10 years old, [and] I was [diagnosed as] lactose intolerant. … I stopped having dairy products and have never felt better. We weren’t born to suckle off of a cow’s breast.
—Mylissa H., New Glasgow, Canada

“I stopped drinking milk, and now, I feel much healthier.”

My parents and siblings have always eaten lots of meat, and we had milk with every meal. I always loved the taste of milk, even though it made me feel a bit nauseous. The sickness got gradually worse … until about a year ago, when I started coughing up mucus. I stopped drinking milk, and now, I feel much healthier. I have also completely stopped eating meat, which has been a bit difficult because my family still eats meat. (I’m working on them—we only get organic food, and we don’t have any products tested on animals in our house!) Also, I have tried lots of the recipes on the PETA Web site, and I love them! …
—Ann R., Edmonton, Canada

“… I noticed that my gripping stomachaches, which I had suffered from all my life, were gone.”

Since the time I was born, I was fed buffalo’s milk. I had to consume two glasses of that horrible substance each day. But I always used to complain of stomachaches. … When I was 17 years old, one of my friends told me to cut milk from my diet [to] see the difference. Since I was desperate, I did so—even against my parents’ wishes. [A]fter a few months … I noticed that my gripping stomachaches, which I had suffered from all my life, were gone. I am now a keen animal activist and am convinced that I want to spend the rest of my life [helping] to alleviate their suffering.
—Monika M., New Delhi, India

“He was covered in rashes and had to be rushed to the hospital.”

When I was 8 years old, my little brother was born. He was a normal, healthy baby. He just had asthma and food allergies. He’s allergic to nuts, eggs, seafood, and another unexpected but common allergy, dairy. [H]e was put on a soy-based infant formula. When he was a little older and going onto solid foods, the doctor suggested [that] we give him a teaspoon of ice cream to see if the allergy had gone away. It [hadn’t]. He was covered in rashes and had to be rushed to the hospital. … Years later, when we moved to Connecticut, I read a book called Old McDonald’s Factory Farm. That book turned me into a vegetarian at age 15. When we ventured into the “veggie supermarket,” we saw products that would change my little brother’s life: soy ice cream, tofu, soy cheese (without casein), [and] soy milk (more affordable than his prescription formula, Nutragimen). Now he’s 11, and I’m 19, and we both enjoy a dairy-free diet and share vegan pizzas and “milk” shakes. ….
—Erika A., New Haven, Connecticut

“I never break out anymore, and I’m positive [that] it’s because I’m living a vegan lifestyle.”

My father was a dairy farmer, so when I told him [that] I [had] decided to cut milk out of my diet, he thought [that] I had an eating disorder. But then he noticed, as did everyone around me, that living milk-free was giving me clearer skin. … I had no acne on my face, shoulders, or chest, as I previously had. I never break out anymore, and I’m positive [that] it’s because I’m living a vegan lifestyle. …
—Dean M., Ottawa, Illinois

“Ever since I became vegan, I’m not as sick anymore …”

Ever since I became vegan, I’m not as sick anymore with colds and stuffy noses. I have no phlegm in the morning or [at] any other time. My digestion has greatly improved, along with my health.
—Erika E., Cerritios, California

“Not only will my health improve from this lifestyle change, I am actually losing weight.”

After being a vegetarian for 24 years and having read your publications and Web site over the past year, I have decided to omit all dairy products from my diet and go vegan. On a recent vacation, I ate cheese about four times and felt bloated and fatter literally immediately. After that, I had an appointment with a fascinating healer who, without my saying a word, looked at me and immediately asked what I ate on vacation. She said she had never “seen” my system so congested. Now, after just two weeks, I feel so much better emotionally, physically, and morally! I went out to dinner with my friends this weekend … and I really looked at my choices in a different way. I passed up the rich desserts (eggs, milk, cream, shortening) and enjoyed a fruit platter. Not only will my health improve from this lifestyle change, I am actually losing weight. I always thought that being a vegetarian was enough, but I truly am enlightened.

My 4-year-old daughter is vegetarian. … Her friend offered her a piece of pepperoni from her pizza the other day, and my daughter adamantly stated, “I don’t eat animals.” She only drinks soy milk, and we … purchase soy chicken nuggets, hot dogs, and turkey. Even the soy yogurt and ice cream [that] we purchase is delicious. … [S]oy milk is delicious, and there are many soy-based meat and dairy replacement products on the market [that] are tasty, but don’t forget about rice milk, which I just discovered and love! …
—Gina C., Location not provided

“… I discovered a great deal of health and happiness.”

I opted to adopt a vegan diet as a result of the articles I read from PETA. I decided to go vegan at the age of 13. As a result of reading through the factsheets from PETA, offered to me by a friend, I discovered a great deal of health and happiness. Throughout the period of my veganism, I felt extraordinary energy and, most of all, a sense of inner peace, knowing that my personal decisions would not inflict pain on a herd of cattle. I appreciate what PETA has done for the animal rights [movement] and look forward to seeing further developments. … I feel that dairy [products have] been unnecessarily [added] into our diets. Most importantly, I feel that the cruel and abusive standards of milk production in the United States need reforming. … Thank you for your efforts. PETA has forever impacted my life as well as the lives of our animal friends.
—Katherine B., Austin, Texas

“Milk sucks!”

Milk sucks! [A]fter I … became a vegan, my nails began to grow twice as fast, my hair doesn’t get oily as fast [and] looks healthier, [and] I have more energy. … I’m 14, and already, I’m mature and smart enough to know [that being] vegan is the only way!
—Rosie J., Cincinnati, Ohio

“I have petitioned for soy milk at my small-town college, and my petition passed!”

I have not had a glass of cow’s milk in almost a decade. … [At first,] I cut cow’s milk from my diet but still ate cheese, yogurt, ice cream, and the like. [The idea that] milk makes strong bones was a big reason [that] I kept those dairy foods in my diet, but within a couple of years, I couldn’t even eat cheddar cheeses or yogurt anymore. Now, as a college student in a small town, I struggle to find soy products. … I have petitioned for soy milk at my small-town college, and my petition passed! … [D]rink soy if you want to live a long life free of cancer, pain, cramps, bloating, ear infection, shock, hives, and chronic fatigue.
—Irene C., Mano, Iowa

“I love living now.”

[A]fter becoming a vegan, I lost 45 pounds in one year. I didn’t even have to exercise! I’m now a slim and sexy 108 pounds. I went from a size 14 to a size 5. I love living now.
—Marina, Brockton, Massachusetts

“Since my change in lifestyle, I am much trimmer than I used to be.”

I used to be as ignorant as the average Joe in America until a few months ago, when I started working for a health food store in my town. Before this time, I thought that it was fine to eat whatever you want[ed] as long as you exercised enough to burn off the excess. I would eat meat and dairy freely and not think twice about it. After learning [about] the conditions [that] these poor animals [endure], I had a completely different point of view on animal products. I have completely cut meat [and most dairy products] out of my [diet] and … have replaced them with soy products. … Since my change in lifestyle, I am much trimmer than I used to be. When I work out, it shows more, and the definition lasts longer. I am working [toward] cutting out dairy completely.
—Christine M., Poughkeepsie, New York

“… [I] feel better about myself and my body.”

I think it’s amazing that finally, someone is starting to do something about the dairy industry. Many of us don’t realize the cost of having an endless supply of milk and dairy products on our supermarket shelves. Since [I stopped eating] dairy [products] in the last year, I have stopped getting headaches [and] stomach[aches], and [I] feel better about myself and my body. It has made me more conscious of the food [that] I eat and where it comes from.
—Ally, Sydney, Australia

“I have never felt better in my life, since giving up dairy.”

Ever since I was 11 or 12 years old, I’ve had acne, and it never seemed to clear up, no matter what I did. Then, in August of 2002, I found out on MilkSucks.com that my intake of dairy products was contributing to my problem! … I then decided to lay off the dairy for awhile to see if my skin would clear up. I’ve been vegan since September of 2002, and I’ve noticed that my acne flare-ups are not as serious as they were in the past. I also noticed that my periods are less painful, [that] I am more regular, and that my dandruff problem isn’t as serious as it was over the summer. … I have never felt better in my life, since giving up dairy.
—A.D., Ontario, Canada

“Neither health practitioner ever even mentioned giving dairy-free eating a try, just to see if it changed anything.”

Right after … moving in 1997, I got scary, abnormal menses lasting three weeks. … In 1997 and again [in] 2000, a doctor and a nurse practitioner … had me get lab tests to check for uterine fibroids, cancer, whatever might be the cause. I tested negative for pathology—problem still unsolved! … Although [I was a] vegetarian … I liked yogurt, cottage cheese, and cold cereal with milk. In February 2002, I stopped [drinking] milk [and eating] yogurt [and] cottage cheese. One year later, [I have] not [had] a single abnormal cycle. Neither health practitioner ever even mentioned giving dairy-free eating a try, just to see if it changed anything. …
—Val P., Pullman, Washington

“I have more energy, and I never get sick.”

I’m 15, and I’ve been vegetarian for three years. Recently, I became vegan, and I will never go back. The thought of eating any animal product makes me want to hurl. The thought of how animals on factory farms are treated is enough to send me into tears. … I now consume no animal products. I [have] notice[d] a change, not only physically, but emotionally. A few years back, I was quite chubby, and now, after going vegan, I am at a healthy weight. I have more energy, and I never get sick. I never get cramps when it’s “that time of month,” unlike my animal-product-consuming friends. Recently, all my closest friends came down with a cold, and while I spent all my time with them, I never caught it. I guess it was my vegan strength.
—Jessica A., Windsor, Canada

“So I stopped eating and drinking dairy products, and I’ve never felt better!”

I use to get horrible pains. … I went to doctors [but] they didn’t say too much. I figured out that … every time I ate or drank a dairy product … I got these gut wrenching pains. So I stopped eating and drinking dairy products, and I’ve never felt better! ….
—Nikki J., Roseneath, Canada

“Hopefully, I’ll see a world with no more cruelty to animals before I leave this planet.”

I’ve been following a somewhat-vegetarian diet (no meat) for over 15 years, but at first, it wasn’t an ethical decision, I just … didn’t like the flavor of meat products. As time went by, I … realize[d that] I had made the right choice without knowing why. However, I really enjoyed cheese and a variety of dairy products and continued to consume them. As time went by, I became very sick every time I had anything creamy or [cheesy], and the symptoms varied [from] horrible stomachaches to embarrassing gas and diarrhea. I started to almost be afraid of going out for dinner with friends. I wasn’t sure if it [related] to milk products at first, but [through] trial and error, I realized [that] I was getting more and more sick from dairy products, so I stopped eating them, [and] magically, my problems stopped. I no longer have bloating, gas, and stomachaches. My skin is always clear (I’m over 40 and look 10 years younger than my age), and I feel 100 percent better. I truly believe [that] a good diet is one without the harmful effects of dairy products and animal [products]. Most of my friends suffer from mild to severe reactions to dairy products, [including] respiratory problems, bloating, weight gain, etc. They blame their problems on everything but the food [that] they consume. Hopefully, I’ll see a world with no more cruelty to animals before I leave this planet. I’m now a proud vegan, and I don’t care anymore what people think. Deep down, I know [that] I’m doing the right thing, and [I’m] feeling better about it each day.
—Marie, Vancouver, Canada

“We also feel very good about not contributing to world starvation.”

My husband was raised on a typical animal-[product-based] diet. He suffered irregular heartbeats, had to be hospitalized once, [and] was very sniffly and overweight. We both eat a vegan diet now, and his health has benefited beautifully. We also feel very good about not contributing to world starvation.
—Siobhan, British Columbia, Canada

“Thank you for spreading the word about the health risks and cruelty of milk.”

I have always loved milk products. Most of what I ate had cheese melted over the top. … But while researching information about the cruelty of modern meat and dairy production for a radio show two months ago, I came across your site. … I discovered that your facts were true and that I had been happily existing in a make-believe world where the commercials on TV never lied. Because of what I learned, as of five weeks ago, I have cut dairy and meat out of my diet completely. I must have been ready for it because it has been the easiest dietary change I have ever made. My skin (I have been plagued with acne since I was 12 years old) has completely cleared up! I have lost 10 pounds, and food is much more interesting. Now, because I pay attention to what I eat and put a touch more effort into making it, the sheer enjoyment of eating has tripled! Instead of porking down a fast-food cheese and beef burrito without thought, I relish every bite of my tasty vegan meals and never feel hungry or unsatisfied. Thank you for spreading the word about the health risks and cruelty of milk.
—Lulu M., Oroville, California

“I never had a snot-free day as a child.”

[M]y mom gave me [cow’s]-milk-based formula because [she thought that] breastfeeding was “gross.” … I began to refuse the formula by 4 months of age, so my mother started giving me straight whole cow’s milk in my bottles! Within a month, I weighed the same as my 4-year-old sister. My mother tells me that I vomited so much [that] she had to order Pedialyte by the case to keep me hydrated, then the diarrhea started. … I eventually began to refuse cow’s milk. … I did, however, eat cheese and ice cream. I also had some malady of the sinuses every day of my life until I was an adult. I never had a snot-free day as a child. I saw allergists, I took every allergy remedy there was, but the snot stayed with me. … When I was 15, I “came down” with irritable bowel syndrome. When I was 23, I started waking up in the middle of the night with severe stomach pain and [nausea]. … In the middle of this hell, my son was diagnosed with a milk allergy, [but] he made dramatic improvements when we removed all traces of milk from his diet. I decided to do the same. I stopped [eating] all cheese, butter, ice cream, casein, and whey. If it has cow’s milk in it, I don’t eat it. In one month, I lost 25 pounds, I stopped puking, and my bowels calmed down—no more running for the toilet! My snotty nose cleared up, [and] I can smell now! I haven’t taken any allergy [or stomach] meds in over 2 years. … I feel so much better! If I see cow’s milk, I will puke. I can’t even pour my kids a glass of rice or soy milk without getting queasy, just because it looks milky. I hate cow’s milk!
—Anonymous, Greer, South Carolina

“… I ate almost nothing but milk and felt like I was going to die from the pain in my head.”

As a child, I [got] incredible headaches. The older I got, the more severe they got. In my late teens, I noticed, quite by accident, that if I didn’t eat cheese or milk for awhile, I felt better, so I decided to do a test. For two weeks, I stopped [eating] milk products, and I felt better. The next two weeks, I ate almost nothing but milk and felt like I was going to die from the pain in my head. It was then that I stopped eating milk, cheese, and butter. I still didn’t understand why I was constantly having migraines and throwing up, sometimes several times a day. … I used to have to buy the economy-sized aspirin bottles, and I would go through them like a child goes through candy. … Finally … my mom sent me an article talking about the byproducts and chemical derivatives of milk that are used in everything from bread to some soft drinks and chewing gum. That little piece of information changed my life. … To end this on a bright note, since I moved to California in the mid 90s, I have been exposed to a world of healthy, delicious, nontoxic products that replace the toxic milk products [that] I used to miss so much.
—Jeanne K., Santa Monica, California

“I finally went vegan … and have not had any of those health problems since.”

Before I became vegan, I used to get sick often. I would have stomachaches four or five times a week, causing me to carry around a bottle of Pepto-Bismol because I never knew when they would happen, and they would be debilitating. At first, I thought [that] they were caused from drinking soda, caffeine, and alcohol, so I slowly began giving up each one of these, but over time, [that] didn’t solve anything. Stomachaches were only the most frequent problem; I also had joint pains … that [my] doctor said [were from] arthritis. I would also get bronchitis all the time (even years after I quit smoking). When I first became vegetarian, I generally felt healthier, but a lot of those symptoms continued. I finally went vegan … and have not had any of those health problems since. I also lost close to 25 pounds in the first three months.
—Raili T., Salt Lake City, Utah

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