As someone with a gluten intolerance, I couldn’t help but take offense at some of the opinions expressed in Cara Dorris’ ’15 recent article, “Are you Gluten-Intolerant or Just Intolerable?” (Sept. 6).
I never understood the concept of chronic pain before. The only pain I had ever experienced came as a fleeting illness or minor injury — until my stomachaches started. For four years, I was unable to eat without crippling pain akin to the uncomfortable fullness that comes with massive overeating, combined with a constant sharp sensation.
Eventually I couldn’t eat a handful of blueberries without feeling them in my stomach for the rest of the day. I’m not saying that my stomach pain was the worst problem in the world, but it was not a pleasant experience. None of the doctors I saw were able to solve the problem. My sister and mother both have celiac disease, so I was tested for it every few years, but the results were always negative. It never occurred to me that gluten might actually be the problem.
This summer, I met with a nutritionist who informed me that though I don’t have celiac disease, I might have a gluten sensitivity or intolerance. At that point, I was willing to try anything. I stopped eating gluten despite knowing exactly what it meant giving up the cake at birthday parties, the bagels at brunch and the cookies from coworkers. But the immense relief I got from removing these items from my diet made the sacrifices worth it. Cutting out gluten has made a world of difference for both my stomach and my quality of life.
I am not someone who ever publicly discussed my stomach problems, and I certainly don’t think that having a small dietary restriction affects my identity. That’s why I was so offended by Dorris’ article. In her column, Dorris belittles my pain and discomfort and portrays my lifestyle decisions — made to alleviate my pain — as a desperate attempt for attention or to be part of a fad. I resent the implication that giving up my favorite foods was done voluntarily, let alone in lieu of yoga.
With that said, I agree with many of the points Dorris makes in her column. Cutting out gluten has become one of several new fads designed to promote health and/or weight loss. It is also true that this fad results in large part from a lack of public understanding about the actual health value of gluten-free products. While many believe gluten-free bread makes a sandwich healthier, the reality is that gluten-free bread has far fewer nutrients and health benefits than whole wheat bread.
The lowest calorie option — the one I assume Miley Cyrus chooses — is cutting out the bread entirely.
The term gluten-free has become synonymous with “healthier” and is certainly an example of fad-dieting. But there is a big difference between giving up gluten for these reasons and for the very real health benefits that come from a gluten intolerance.
Sure, I never got a blood test proving with certainty that my body reacts negatively to gluten. I do have only my “feelings,” as Dorris puts it. But I resent the implication that I invented my problem.
I also resent the comparison between a gluten-intolerant dinner guest and a South Beach dieter. For starters, it is obscene to assume that everyone with a gluten intolerance — or on South Beach, for that matter — pitches a fit if their dietary needs are not met. Furthermore, I find it hard to see the parallels between these two situations. One individual has altered his or her eating habits to avoid feeling ill, while the other has done so to lose weight. I don’t serve shellfish to someone with a shellfish allergy. No one chooses to have a negative reaction to shellfish and inconvenience me.
I understand the frustration with fad dieters and even people with genuine food intolerances or allergies who obsessively remind people they can’t eat nuts and fear every muffin is a peanut in disguise. But I also recognize the difference between the individual who forsakes a food group due to harmful bodily reaction and the girl who gives up peanut butter because of the calories.
Jessica Steans-Gail ’16 can be reached at jessica_steans-gail@brown.edu.
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