Many people, particularly Asians and Africans, are unable to digest the milk sugar lactose. On the other hand, they may be the lucky ones. Many Caucasians can tolerate lactose, only to be unable to rapidly breakdown the galactose which circulates in their blood, possibly contributing to cataracts and ovarian cancer, as noted above. Lactose intolerance may be nature's early warning system. Lactose digesting pills such as Lactaid, may help breakdown the sugar, however they do not solve the underlying cause which is a signal by your body that this food product is not acceptable in your system.
Milk is one of the most common causes of food allergies.
The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology reports that cow's milk is the most common food allergy amongst children. Respiratory problems, canker sores, skin conditions, post nasal drip, and other subtle and not so subtle allergies can be caused by dairy products. The sad thing is that many people never know that their problems are caused by dairy sensitivity. Taking a break from dairy products can often lead to surprising improvements. Asthmatics, in particular, should give themselves a long vacation from dairy products to see whether their condition improves.