As the new year approached the omen machine was once again turned on and we were told what the trends for 2013 would be. Not surprisingly, going gluten free was one of them. Sadly, it was listed as a ridiculous trend by people who were looking to loose weight and be in step with the latest and greatest. While I am not a fan of diets, I have in fact never been on one, I can appreciate the desire to make a dietary change. I don't subscribe to resolution making that begins at midnight as if the work will suddenly become less difficult because the hands of the clock are aligned. Work is work, change is difficult.
Why am I so excited about this so called trend? Well, frankly, it will help us all feel a little better, expand the product base and perhaps save a few lives in the process. Lets look at the down side first.
1. When eating out you may look like a trendy dieter. Um yeah, I'd like the gluten free menu please...oh great, another dieter. That is when you politely inform them that you have a serious health concern and move on.
2. Another down side, this trend will pass. When it does pass people will be like, "that is soooo 2013."
3. Gluten seems to be the focus and not Celiac. Illustrated in the Google trend image, gluten is hot, Celiac is not. While this is unfortunate, Celiac is looked up, understood. After that, you spend most of your time looking up gluten items, not Celiac friendly items so this is somewhat understandable.
So, that silliness aside, let us look at the good things to come of this "trend".
1. Increased awareness. People will be looking up the symptoms, trying a gluten free diet and perhaps resolving life long issues. That is amazing. This leads to the second item.
2. More diagnosed people. While no one wants to get Celiac or gluten intolerance, once you know what is eating you alive aren't you happy to have a solution? I know I am. I would rather know and be able to fix it. The other side is willful ignorance and a lifetime of pain, suffering, problems and leaving that legacy to your children.
3. More awareness = more research comes to light and more products get on board.
Perhaps a few companies will make gluten free varieties or tweak what they already have. Maybe my local grocery store will stop shelving the gluten free flour in the middle of the wheat flour section because they don't get it. One can only hope.
4. Warm and fuzzies. Gluten makes people irritable. The world might just get a little brighter. Maybe I am a dreamer, but I am not the only one.
What we really need to do as a society is stop focusing on the problems and focus on the solution. Stop reading every food label to try and find the best this or lowest that. Buy food that doesn't come with a label. Food that expires, food that is made of food. (novel concept, I know)
While the gluten free trend might make some in the Celiac community roll their eyes at the idea of people dabbling in what is a real, legitimate concern for their lives, it is a positive step. It means that people are paying attention to what they eat and educating themselves about what goes in their body. They are learning that not everything the food pyramid says is truth, that sometimes it really is all a faรงade.
Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.
Why am I so excited about this so called trend? Well, frankly, it will help us all feel a little better, expand the product base and perhaps save a few lives in the process. Lets look at the down side first.
1. When eating out you may look like a trendy dieter. Um yeah, I'd like the gluten free menu please...oh great, another dieter. That is when you politely inform them that you have a serious health concern and move on.
2. Another down side, this trend will pass. When it does pass people will be like, "that is soooo 2013."
3. Gluten seems to be the focus and not Celiac. Illustrated in the Google trend image, gluten is hot, Celiac is not. While this is unfortunate, Celiac is looked up, understood. After that, you spend most of your time looking up gluten items, not Celiac friendly items so this is somewhat understandable.
So, that silliness aside, let us look at the good things to come of this "trend".
1. Increased awareness. People will be looking up the symptoms, trying a gluten free diet and perhaps resolving life long issues. That is amazing. This leads to the second item.
2. More diagnosed people. While no one wants to get Celiac or gluten intolerance, once you know what is eating you alive aren't you happy to have a solution? I know I am. I would rather know and be able to fix it. The other side is willful ignorance and a lifetime of pain, suffering, problems and leaving that legacy to your children.
3. More awareness = more research comes to light and more products get on board.
Perhaps a few companies will make gluten free varieties or tweak what they already have. Maybe my local grocery store will stop shelving the gluten free flour in the middle of the wheat flour section because they don't get it. One can only hope.
4. Warm and fuzzies. Gluten makes people irritable. The world might just get a little brighter. Maybe I am a dreamer, but I am not the only one.
What we really need to do as a society is stop focusing on the problems and focus on the solution. Stop reading every food label to try and find the best this or lowest that. Buy food that doesn't come with a label. Food that expires, food that is made of food. (novel concept, I know)
While the gluten free trend might make some in the Celiac community roll their eyes at the idea of people dabbling in what is a real, legitimate concern for their lives, it is a positive step. It means that people are paying attention to what they eat and educating themselves about what goes in their body. They are learning that not everything the food pyramid says is truth, that sometimes it really is all a faรงade.
Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.
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