A friend pointed me to this article from the Huffington Post earlier this week. The article is about pet peeves regarding the gluten-free diet and things people say when they hear you are on the diet. One of my biggest pet peeves is hearing, “Have you heard about that new weight loss diet…the gluten-free diet?", or something along those lines.
If you do have Celiac Disease or gluten intolerance, following the gluten-free diet is not a choice; it is an absolute necessity. Are there people out there who start the gluten-free diet and find that it makes them feel better, even though they don’t have a diagnosis of Celiac Disease or gluten intolerance? Yes, and if they are feeling better, they may have an undiagnosed intolerance or even Celiac Disease. The other possibility is that they are eating less junk (processed foods). Eating whole, unprocessed foods can do wonders for your body, but many people don’t eliminate processed foods unless they are trying to lose weight or aren’t feeling well, and are looking for a source of their pain or illness. Once the person loses weight and/or starts to feel better, the assumption then becomes that the problem was what they eliminated from their diets, though in reality it may be that cutting out higher fat, higher calorie, higher sodium foods were the issue and not the gluten (or other allergen).
I am not saying gluten and food intolerances don’t exist; they are very real. I just get tired of hearing the gluten-free diet being touted as the newest weight loss plan or fad diet. What can I do about it? Take action in the form of education. May is Celiac Disease Awareness Month, which gives me a great platform to spread information, share gluten-free knowledge and samples.
If you or someone you know is struggling with the gluten-free diet or diagnosis, here are four different resources that offer a plethora of information, including a symptom checklist.:
- Celiac Disease Foundation
- Celiac Sprue Association
- Gluten Intolerance Group of North America
- National Foundation for Celiac Awareness
Do you have a gluten-free pet peeve regarding the reactions of people once you tell them you are on the diet?