Growing up, I drank my milk, 2-3 glasses every night, like a good little girl. This was during the 70s, way before "lactose-intolerant-this," "nondairy that," let alone "hormone-free milk" and Whole Foods. I also grew…big. I was healthy, but developed rather quickly and was "cursed" with the curse before the age of 12. Since then, my periods have always been bad -- heavy, irregular, and crampy. I've been on and off the pill, on a first-name-basis with Advil, and tried a variety of supplements, exercise, and yoga, which have met with mild improvement. Laparoscopy has been suggested as an option, but surgery is something I've filed away in a "if I'm really desperate" drawer, with lackluster resignation.

    Two months before my 30-never-you-mind birthday, and after a particularly decadent weekend, I decided to detox, which included an experiment with veganism. It was surprisingly easy for me, living in a major metropolitan area （New York）, laden with farmers' markets during the summer and 24-hour produce stands year-round. I made a made a conscious effort to get my nutrients from fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, soy, and seitan. Of course, proximity to great vegan restaurants was a bonus.

    After the first month, I gradually started adding back fish, then meat. I continued, however, to abstain from dairy. So far, my diet had resulted in increased energy and decreased weight, and an unexpected benefit. My period, which operated on its own calendar, anywhere from 32-36 days, arrived promptly on day 28, with little fanfare, sparing me the assorted pain and other fun.

    This first instance, it was difficult to pinpoint the cause, or rather alleviation, of my suffering, as I had cut back on a variety of possible triggers other than dairy -- processed food, red meat, alcohol, and caffeine. But by the second month and cycle, while most foods had been re-introduced to my diet with the exception of dairy, my period was also lighter and I had fewer cramps. Thus, I began to notice a pattern.

    I'm sure an overall decrease in the amount of chemical-laden, bio-engineered foods in general played a role, but there is research suggesting a link between dairy and increased cramping. Prostaglandins, hormone-like chemicals that produce muscle contractions and cramping, are created from arachidonic acid, a fatty acid found in dairy products such as milk, cheese, and ice cream. Excess dairy can also promote high levels of estrogen, which are implicated in fibroids, a secondary cause of painful periods.

    If reducing or eliminating dairy, women must be especially mindful to obtain the daily requirements of calcium, which -- in addition to being essential for bone growth and retention -- can also minimize symptoms of PMS and menstruation. Calcium can be obtained from sources such as kale, spinach, soy, nuts and beans. Calcium and vitamin D, whatever the source, have a host of benefits, bone mass just being one of them. Many people can tolerate and digest dairy…as for myself, the jury is still out. Two months is not long enough to recognize the effects of food elimination…I'm gonna try at least 6 without dairy…barring a few moments here and there of manchego weakness.

    我是个喝牛奶长大的70后，每天晚上都要喝2-3杯牛奶。那时候可不像现在，压根没有什么乳糖不耐受，无奶食品，更何况"无激素奶"或者什么全天然食品。不过这对我不影响，我还是长的很大个。我身体健康，发育很好，在12岁之前？？？.但由此开始我就一直遭受月经的折磨，周期不规则，月经量过多，经期腹痛。因此随后我一直断断续续有服用Advil（一种主要成分为布洛芬的止痛药）,或是有时改用点其他的药物，或者参加运动，做瑜伽，使痛经有所改善。也有人推荐我做腹腔镜检查，不过我一直把手术当成是没有办法的办法，等没退路时候再用。

    在30岁生日到来的前2个月，我过了一个相当颓废的周末，随后，我打算开始吃素。对于住在纽约的人来说，吃素食是相当方便的，夏天的时候，到处都有卖农产品；全年365天都有全天候的食品供应。我小心翼翼的从水果、蔬菜，全麦食品，豆荚，黄豆，麦麸摄取营养；有时去一家好的素食餐馆大吃一顿犒劳自己。

    吃素一个月之后，我逐步把其他食物添加进去，先是鱼，随后是肉，不过我还是将奶制品拒之门外。现在看来，这种饮食在增加能量供给的同时还能减轻体重，这是我事先没有预料到的。我以前月经不太规律，32或36天来一次，但现在都是28天来一次，不但准时，而且不怎么痛了。

    除了奶制品外，其他可能诱发痛经的东西也吃的少了，比如加工食品、红肉、酒，所以在第一个月的时候我还是不能确定痛经或者痛经减轻的原因是什么。但到了第二个月月底，除了奶制品外，大部分的食物都和以前一样了，痛经明显减轻。因此，我想我该注意一些东西了。

    总的来说，含有化学添加剂或生物工程的食品都可能与痛经有关，但有研究表明，奶制品会加重痛经。前列腺素是一种引起肌肉收缩、痉挛的激素类物质，其前体就是花生四烯酸，包括牛奶、奶酪或冰激凌等在内的奶制品都含有这种脂肪酸。

    当女人减少奶制品摄入的时候，要注意补充日常需要的钙。钙不仅对于维持骨骼生长及结构稳定是必需的，而且能减轻多囊卵巢综合症、围绝经期症状。钙的来源很 多，比如甘蓝菜、菠菜、黄豆、坚果或豆类。各种来源的钙和维生素D都对身体有很多益处，维持骨骼强壮只是其中的一种。很多人都可以吃奶制品，但对我来说， 显然还没有定论。要想了解不吃奶制品的作用，两个月的时间当然还不够长。我决定将时间延长到6个月。