I recently reviewed The G Free Diet : a Gluten Free Survival Guide. I was very favorably impressed with the book and have recommended it to several friends. A few days ago, I read this critique of the book. I remain enthusiastic about the book, but I think that this critique deserves careful consideration:
Celiac Colleagues:
I am writing to call your attention to the current publicity surrounding the new book, The G-free Diet, A Gluten-Free Survival Guide by Elisabeth Hasselbeck, co-host of The View. While it is important to call attention to celiac disease, the information must be accurate — the inaccuracies in this book are potentially dangerous and detrimental to celiacs and to those yet to be diagnosed if people self diagnose and start eating GF.
Our mission is to assist in getting people accurately diagnosed and the message in this book could defeat this mission. It appears that this book is being marketed as a fitness diet –- eat g-free and feel so much better. Celiac is incorrectly referred to as an allergy not an autoimmune disease. The GF diet is the medically mediated prescription that controls the condition for a diagnosed celiac. Several items in the book are misleading and inaccurate and place further limitations on the GF diet. The gluten-free lifestyle is a lifelong commitment for the diagnosed celiac, not an option, not a fad diet – adhering to the GF lifestyle requires patience and persistence. This lifestyle can not be trivialized.
“Thank you.
Elaine Monarch
Celiac Disease Foundation
Founder & Executive Director
13251
Studio City, CA 91604”
I totally agree with the last several words in this critique, the material that I republished in bold type. The GF diet must not be trivialized. I suggest that this letter is an example of trivializing:
Diagnosing celiac disease is one of our missions. It is not our only mission and many people would say that it is not our most important one.
There is certainly such a thing as “gluten intolerance/sensitivity” which is distinct from celiac disease. Many people’s quality of life is improved by the gluten free diet.
No single book tells us everything we need to know about the gluten free lifestyle. The author is being unfairly criticized for failing to do so.
I frequently refer to my celiac disease as an allergy. That word sends a clear and non-ambiguous message —- “don’t feed me wheat, barley, or rye”. I use the term auto-immune disease on those rare occasions when it is necessary to be technically correct.
Ms. Hasselbeck should be applauded — not criticized — for writing a book that appeals to a very wide audience.
Published 05/29/09
