gluten-free fad... a rant.

Today the celebrities are clambering for gluten-free. Perhaps they are desperate for a new publicity angle. It seems to be the latest craze since Madonna "discovered" Kabbalah.

Some might think that the new "trendy" gluten-free diet is good news for celiacs. Me? I'm not convinced. 

When I tell the waitstaff that I need to make sure that my burger patty is gluten-free I want to be taken very seriously. I can only hope that they aren't rolling their eyes and mocking me in the kitchen.

I feel compelled to tell them that I have celiac disease (emphasis on the "d-word") to ensure that they know I'm not living on something akin to the Atkins Diet. I don't like having to add a lot of drama around being a celiac. I've always had a little paranoia in restaurants, but I've never felt like I've had to defend myself as much as I do these days.

Don't get me wrong... I am a big believer in the gluten-free diet and think it's great that more people are embracing it as a healthy life choice.  

The market is soaring... in part fueled by the growing number of celiacs being diagnosed and in part by the natural medicine movement. Naturopaths will often have patients eliminate wheat and dairy as a first step to ruling out whether they are responsible for a host of symptoms.

All of this gluten-free attention is fueling more options on menus and on grocery store shelves. This is good news for those of us that otherwise wouldn't find a freezer full of options in the local grocery store. 

More people looking for food without gluten could lead to manufacturers seriously thinking twice before using it as unnecessary filler. 

I get it. 

However, when I saw the billboard advertising dog food as "free from glutens" I thought CRAP. Nobody is going to take this as seriously as I need them to. I am not trying to lose weight - or run my next marathon faster. I eat this way to stay alive. 

On the other hand, I guess it is kind of neat to have all of these celebrities wanting to live like I do :)