Is milk a necessary part of a healthy diet?

The consumption of milk has traditionally been considered part of a healthy diet. Yet, lactose intolerance is a common problem. This interesting article http://www.macleans.ca/society/health/have-we-been-milked-by-the-dairy-industry/ presents both sides of the dairy argument. Opponents argue strongly that milk is not necessary for a healthy diet and that calcium needs can be meet with many other sources. Furthermore, they cite research that concludes that dairy is the cause of many health problems. On the other side, evidence is presented that argues for dairy health benefits. The last word hasn’t been spoken about this topic, but if you suspect that you have lactose intolerance you can find out for sure by taking the hydrogen breath test.