Yet another leading scientist, Dr. Jane A. Plant, is urging women to give up dairy products to beat cancer. Dr. Plant, a breast cancer survivor herself, believes that breast cancer is overwhelmingly linked to animal-based foods. In a recent Telegraph article, the British scientist explains that Chinese women living in China rarely get breast cancer, primarily because they eat healthy plant proteins rather than meat, eggs, and dairy products.

Dairy products in particular contain excess hormones that accelerate the growth of cancer cells. The hormones found in milk and other animal-derived foods essentially “fertilize” cancer cells, so they grow and spread rapidly. Cow’s milk and other dairy products reportedly account for 60 to 80 percent of the estrogens that many women consume.

Like T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D., the author of The China Study, who believes that “no chemical carcinogen is nearly so important in causing human cancer as animal protein,” Dr. Plant says that casein, the main protein in cows’ milk, is the most dangerous when it comes to causing cancer. She has also written several books about cancer, including The No-Dairy Breast Cancer Prevention Program, Your Life in Your Hands, and Beat Cancer, and has said, “Undoubtedly, the best anti-cancer diet would be to go completely vegan.”

It is, without a doubt, best for both women and men to eat wholesome plant foods, which are rich in cancer-fighting phytochemicals. Dairy products are linked not only to breast cancer but also to prostate and ovarian cancer, obesity, diabetes, and other serious health problems.

But don’t panic if you like the taste of dairy products—nowadays, it’s easy to find dairy-free milks, frozen desserts, cheese, and yogurt. Personally, I enjoy 365-brand almond milk (found only at Whole Foods), So Delicious coconut-milk ice cream, Silk soy yogurt, and Daiya vegan cheese. But shop around and try various vegan versions until you find the ones you like best. Of course, a healthy diet should always include plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and other nutritious plant-based foods.