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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at WVU chapter.

My usual Dunkin Donuts order was always a medium iced caramel coffee with just cream. Now, it’s a medium iced caramel coffee with just almond milk, and it is life-changing. This past summer I chose to cut dairy out of my life, and it was one of the best choices I’ve ever made.

 

Becoming dairy-free was just a health choice for me. I’ve already been a pescatarian for about 9 years now, but cheese was always something I thought I could never give up. I would eat cheese every day, always putting it on everything and anything I was eating. How could I just cut it out for good? It was a lot easier than I thought, and I still get that cheesy taste by eating dairy-free cheese or using nutritional yeast when I cook.

 

I had always heard that eating dairy wasn’t good for you and how there were many benefits that followed along with being dairy-free. Ever since I stopped eating dairy products my body has felt a lot healthier. According to godairyfree.org, about “70 percent of the world’s population has some sort of lactose intolerance.” I can now go throughout the day without feeling gross and bloated, and I also feel more energized. It has also been proven that not eating dairy improves digestion and helps clear up skin.

 

Being dairy-free doesn’t mean you don’t ever get to eat your favorite foods again. There are non-dairy versions of pretty much everything. In fact, Ben & Jerry’s even now sells dairy-free flavors and honestly they are the bomb. Although I am not vegan, the vegan lifestyle is becoming a huge fad these days which causes a higher demand for these dairy-free alternatives. I still eat ice cream, pizza, nachos and all my other favorite foods but I just don’t feel like crap afterward.

 

After about two months of consuming absolutely no dairy products, there was one weekend where I cheated and I immediately regretted it. I was at a tailgate for my school’s football game and I just could not resist the delicious, creamy crab dip although I knew it was loaded with cheese and sour cream. Let’s just say my body was not happy with me, and I went right back to strictly no dairy products…for good this time.

 

I have never been happier with my eating habits, and I am the healthiest I have ever been. Being a college student and constantly living on a tight budget might make it tough to be living the healthy lifestyle you want, but I promise it’s not impossible.

 

Being dairy-free might also not be for everyone, which is totally fine. If you are planning on trying to call it quits on the dairy products, then just start out slowly. Maybe next time you go out to eat, just end your order with “no cheese, please.”

Carly is a senior journalism major in the Reed College of Media with a minor in sports communication. In addition to being a writer for Her Campus, Carly is also a news reporter for WVU's The Daily Atheneum. Originally from Bucks County, Pa., Carly is a huge Philadelphia sports fan. Some of her favorite hobbies include petting dogs, drinking wine and going to concerts. 
Hi ladies and gents, my name is Mel, Melanie if you're feelin' fancy. I'm a senior studying advertising, political science and fashion at West Virginia University. In addition to my studies, I am the Campus Correspondent for the WVU HC Chapter! You can hear me on the radio at U92 FM reporting the news and hosting morning shows. If I'm not there, I'm most likely at the local Panera eating my body weight in broccoli cheddar soup or writing about the daily, awkward encounters I experience. I represenative of the college of media as an ambassador and the prez of the magazine club. Oversized sweatshirts and jean on jean are my aesthetics. Lover, not a fighter unless you tell me Joe Jonas wasn't the best Jonas. Laters, baby.