I'm looking at a May 2008 copy of "Flare," a Canadian fashion magazine. There's an article called "Against the Grain," by Vanessa Grant, the entire purpose of which seems to be to convince her readers that they, too, are afflicted with a pernicious wheat sensitivity. Does this seem just a little bit stupid to anyone else? Behold:
"If you're sensitive to wheat, yeast or gluten, that cupcake's going to ruin your day ... When stylist Andrea Ford, 28, forgoes the focaccia at dinner, she's not cutting carbs to lose weight ... [it's] the only way she can avoid sore joints and painful swelling and bloating. Last year ... a nutritionist diagnosed her with gluten intolerance.
"Gluten, wheat and yeast are just three common food sensitivities, and the reason they're becoming so common, says Christine Matheson, a naturopathic doctor ... is the prevalence of wheat- and gluten-based grains in the North American diet."
Click here to read Elyse's theory on the wheat-a-phobia trend ...
Or maybe the reason they're becoming so common is the proliferation of stupid health-alarmist articles in fashion magazines like this one!
"Symptoms aren't just digestive. Reactions can include itchy ears and watery eyes."
WHY ARE MY EARS SO ITCHY?!!! Oh my God, I'm sensitive to gluten!
"As for how many of us are intolerant to wheat, according to Shirley Plant, author of [the cookbook] 'Finally...Food I Can Eat,' there are a lot of us."
Oh, yes, I believe I've read that in the last issue of "Tiresome Harpies With Annoying and Arbitrary Dietary Restrictions Monthly!"
Look, my fellowwomen, I'm not denying the existence of gluten and wheat sensitivity. It exists, and undoubtedly causes some people to suffer. Some people. For the rest of us, there is no need to self-diagnose with poisonous articles like this one.
These air-castles of illusory health threats accomplish nothing but turn food into a weird psychological enemy, when in fact it is a good thing! It helps us to survive! It brings pleasure! It's not gonna make your ears itchy! That cupcake, dear, needn't ruin your day.
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Friday 14 November
By James
" I personally" is the one I dislike the most. When you say I, I know who you are talking about. And when you say personally, I also know who you are talking about.
Reply
Thursday 15 January
By red0ryder7
Your blogs are great, good to see you outside of the LiveJournal posts. I'm positive these will become quite popular also.
(Whew, you give my vocabulary skills a workout.)
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Monday 09 February
By Vanessa Grant
Thanks Elyse!
http://vanessagrant.blogspot.com/2009/02/criticized-by-model-blogger.html
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Monday 09 February
By Allison
After reading an article about this same topic last year, I consulted my doctor and did, in fact, have a gluten intolerance. My symptoms are not terrible, but understanding the issue, and being able to control it has vastly improved my life.
Good on Vanessa for bringing this to people's attention, and shame on Elyse for choosing to deal with issues with ignorance instead of enlightenment. Next you will be telling women to forgo get breast exams because the media around it is "alarmist".
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Monday 09 February
By Allison
After reading an article about this same topic last year, I consulted
my doctor and did, in fact, have a gluten intolerance. My symptoms are
not terrible, but understanding the issue, and being able to control
it has vastly improved my life.
Good on Vanessa for bringing this to people's attention, and shame on
Elyse for choosing to deal with issues with ignorance instead of
enlightenment. Next you will be telling women to forgo breast
exams because the media around it is "alarmist".
Reply
Monday 09 February
By Vanessa Grant
http://vanessagrant.blogspot.com/2009/02/criticized-by-model-blogger.html
Reply
Monday 09 February
By Janine Falcon
Well, I can see a point to Grant's article: to call attention to a food sensitivity we could stand to learn more about. But what's the point of Elyse's post? That not everyone suffers from wheat sensitivities? I think we already knew that.
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Tuesday 10 February
By LG1
Thankfully, most people are fully capable of reading an article and considering it's usefulness to their own lifestyle and syptoms. Additionally, I have a great deal of faith in the general public for reading the entire article and using the information to better themselves in whatever way they can.
I too suffer from (fully doctor diagnosed) food sensitivities that have actually changed my life PLUS through my suggestions of being tested I know a number of people who no longer suffer from uncomfortable and often embarrassing side effects.
Perhaps you should take a good look at your own analysis of an article. No one is encouraging self-diagnosis but perhaps you should self-reflect on your own objectivity.
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