Celiac Disease, Gluten-Free and Food Allergies… In the News!
Wow! There’s been a lot of news in the limelight this week when it comes to gluten-free living, celiac disease and food allergies in general.
The article that “wowed” me the most (along with the video above that goes with it) was featured in the Wall Street Journal on August 24, 2010. After reading this article, I realized that the media is finally “getting” why the gluten-free diet is so important for some, but not such a great ideas for others. This Wall Street Journal article, another article that was written a few years back and published by the BBC, and the rash of articles on celiac disease that came out after the WSJ article this past week (like these excellent ones from the Toronto Star or St. Petersburg Times) all examine and detail the reasons why the gluten-free diet is a must for some, but why the gluten-free diet, or any diet that cuts out key foods, may not be the wisest choice for many. It seems crazy to me, but some folks think that living with food restrictions is the way to go because actresses such as Gwyneth Paltrow, Rachel Weisz and Zooey Deschanel, or celebrities like Madonna and Victoria Beckham are restricting gluten and other foods from their diets.
My thoughts? I think it’s great that these celebrities are bringing recognition and acknowledgment to celiac disease, food allergies and intolerances; but as a consequence there are people that are exposing themselves to a diet that is not nutritionally sound, or is preventing them from getting the correct diagnosis to a legitimate food allergy, intolerance or celiac disease diagnosis. I encourage everyone to eat healthy, visit your health care provider before engaging in any type of restricted diet, and most important do what is right for you, not some celebrity.
Next on the hot newsworthy list this week is an article found in the North Shore News, a division of Canada.com. The article “Don’t Go Nuts Over Food Allergies” is a great article that reviews some basic tips about being “peanut-aware”. Its publication is timely too: Just in time for back-to-school. It’s a perfect article to print and share with teachers, neighbors or bus drivers. This is a must read that can be modified to fit any food allergen. While your at it, also check out an article found in WickedLocal.com, listing a short summary on what foods to avoid for certain food allergies.
The last tidbit of news was found in Business Week. The article, “Signs You Might Have Celiac Disease” is a good conversation piece and a starting point for those that are thinking of getting tested for the disease. Hooray to Business Week for bringing recognition to celiac disease.
That’s it! Please share and post links to any articles that you have found on gluten-free living, food allergies or celiac disease. After all… it’s all about the sharing!
Be Free!
Kathleen
Tags: celiac disease in the news, famous people on a gluten free diet, food allergies in the news, Wall Street Journal article on celiac disease
August 30th, 2010 at 1:09 pm
Kathleen,
Thank you. It’s good to see the media attention, especially if this will help folks get the correct diagnosis for food and allergy disorders. It’s too bad Hollywood sometimes sheds poor light on Celiac and other disorders by making gluten-free living a fad. For those of us who suffer and have suffered with Celiac disease(prior to correct diagnosis), we can at least be pleased the attention given by media such as the Wall Street Journal will help many.