Column by: Kavita Jhaveri-Patel

Most of us eat dairy products multiple times every day. Not to burst your bubble, but dairy products and the amount of dairy we are consuming everyday are the cause for a lot of problems. For example, we will have milk and cereal for breakfast, then a yogurt for a snack, maybe a slice of pizza for lunch, and for dinner macaroni and cheese, then for dessert ice cream. That is 4-5 servings of dairy in just one day, which is not going to help you to lose weight by accident.

I mean, I am the first one to say CHEESE please. But to be completely honest from a health perspective, dairy is not the best. We are the only mammal that still drinks milk after infant stage, and on top of that we are the only mammal that drinks milk from another mammal. So, if you are one of those people who is saying right now: who cares I love dairy, where would I get my calcium from, or where would I get Vitamin D from?

Here are your answers:

You can get 10 times more calcium from sesame seeds, the sun is the best source of Vitamin D, and the Vitamin D and calcium only exist in the fat of the milk. So, if you are drinking 2%, 1%, or skim then you are just getting fortified vitamins that the dairy industry places back into the milk in order to compensate for the vitamins they are taken out with the fat.

I am not saying quit dairy cold turkey, or even quit at all, I am simply saying have less of it than you usually do. Dairy is known to cause acne, congestion, allergies, stomach pains, or high cholesterol just to name a few.

Next time go for the almond milk instead of milk, and watch the servings of dairy you have on a daily basis, and switch it up with more veggies, beans, and brown rice!

Body confidence expert and health and lifestyle speaker Kavita Jhaveri-Patel is a Weight-Loss Coach committed to helping women find their paths to losing weight and keeping it off by taking small steps that add up to big steps to lead a healthier, thinner and more energetic life. She has been featured in Time Out New York, Healthy Style NY, and has been mentioned on FoxLive News. Receive her free report 7 Mistakes Most Women Make When Trying to Lose Weight and How to Avoid Them by clicking here.

Are you getting enough sun? Gwyneth Paltrow's extreme low levels of Vitamin-D can lead to Osteoporosis.

It seems in the world of health you can never have too much of a good or bad thing and there will always be a heated debate of what is good for you and what isn’t. Such is the case with getting enough sun. Each year when winter takes its final bow and we’re introduced to the warm weather, the strict rules of applying SPF and staying out of the sun take effect. Millions develop skin cancer for venturing out unprotected, but what about those who suffer from a disease that is the total opposite?

Gwyneth Paltrow announced to the world on her blog GOOP that she is one of the unlucky few suffering from Vitamin D Deficiency. While most bring hats and umbrellas to the beach to shy away from the sun, the actress was ordered to get more sun or take a chance at developing osteoporosis.

Gwyneth writes: “I went on a prescription strength level of Vitamin D and was told to…spend a bit of time in the sun! I was curious if this was safe, having been told for years to stay away from its dangerous rays, not to mention a tad bit confused. “

We are too. Vitamin D is an essential nutrient and not enough has been linked to depression, heart disease, heart failure, infertility, bone loss, fractions and even cancer. Well, how do you combat the disease without frying in the sun like a slab of bacon?

Shine from Yahoo suggests getting at least 200 IU daily, and up to 800 mg. You can find Vitamin D in fortified milk, yogurt, eggs, salmon, or a multivitamin. What signs should you look out for? Signs of a D deficiency include muscle pain/weakness and bone pain. The only surefire way to know if you are D deficient is to get a blood test. Ask about it at your next physical.

Images Courtesy of Special News Online