The G-Free Diet book review

 

When I found out that Elisabeth Hasselbeck was writing a book about the gluten free diet, I was excited about the possibility of what it could do to raise awareness about Celiac disease in United States. The author is to be congratulated for using her celebrity status to put the condition on the front burner in this country.  

In this easy-to-read, informal and upbeat book, Elisabeth offers her personal advice on how to successfully live a healthy gluten free life. It includes some great tips for traveling, eating out in restaurants and with friends, preventing cross contamination, as well as coping with family members. However, it does not include some information that I think is crucial for those embarking on a gluten free journey. While it was true just a few short years ago that when eating out you might have to settle for plain meat and veggies, that is not  necessarily true today.

The book only contains four recipes, yet the list of recommended cookbooks in the resource section doesn't contain any of the the excellent gluten free cookbooks by noted authors Bette Hagman, Carol Fenster or Connie Sarros. 'Beyond Rice Cakes' by Vanessa Maltin made the list and offers great tasting and easy recipes. It's a 'must have' lifestyle guide for young adults starting a gluten free journey. Also on the list is 'Living Gluten Free for Dummies' by Danna Korn - another must have book in my opinion. Danna is considered the original gluten free guru and founded R.O.C.K. (Raising our Celiac Kids).

In the book Elisabeth discusses her health problems and how she diagnosed herself with Celiac disease and started on the gluten free diet. Some time later she saw Dr. Peter Green, Director of the Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University in New York who confirmed her diagnosis. It's unfortunate that it takes 5-11 years to get diagnosed in this country, due to U.S. doctors thinking it's a rare disease. It's far from rare since it's the most prevalent genetic disorder in the world. Though almost 1 in 100 American have the condition, less than 10% of them are diagnosed today. 

The chapters on what Celiac disease is and associated conditions are, is generally accurate and well done. Elisabeth tells readers that if they are suffering from health complaints listed on previous pages, they should make an appointment with their doctor immediately. This is excellent advice and will hopefully lead to many people being tested which is great. For newly diagnosed patients, Dr. Green's book - Celiac Disease : A Hidden Epidemic - explains the condition in laymen's terms and tells patients important things their own doctor might not be able to, due to their lack of knowledge about the disease.

Unfortunately, the important Celiac message in this book is somewhat overshadowed by the author's suggestion that people try the diet to lose weight. Thus implying that the gluten free diet is the latest trendy fad to jump on and will cure everything that ails you. This is not the case. Since gluten free 'replacement foods' often contain more sugar, fat and carbs than their gluten counterparts, many people actually gain weight on the gluten-free diet. If someone without Celiac disease goes gluten free to lose weight, they'd need to skip the gluten-free bagels, doughnuts, pizza, bread, cookies, muffins and pasta that most people on the diet enjoy these days.

For those with undiagnosed Celiac disease, starting the gluten free diet can delay or prevent an accurate diagnosis. It is essential to see a physician before adopting the diet. Gluten must be present in the diet in order for Celiac tests (blood and intestinal biopsy) to confirm the diagnosis. Although the book lists the proper steps to get a diagnosis, there is a risk that many may skip the testing part altogether but try the diet first, because of the glorification of the 'G-Free' lifestyle in the book.

Also disconcerting are a number of confusing statements regarding the gluten free status of several ingredients throughout the book (referenced below). While some of the things the author avoids might have been considered to contain gluten at one time, science has been able to confirm the safety of many ingredients in the last decade, thus allowing numerous previously forbidden items to be enjoyed on the gluten free diet today. As someone with Celiac, I don't want to give up anything I don't need to - avoiding gluten is enough to worry about.   

The book goes into depth about needing to avoid all beauty and hygiene products such as mascara, hair spray, deodorant, that contain gluten because it can be absorbed through the skin. According to Dr. John Zone, dermatologist and Celiac expert, along with other Celiac medical experts, gluten must be consumed through the mouth and into the gastrointestinal tract in order to elicit a reaction. The gluten molecule is too large to be absorbed into the skin. Lip balm, lipstick, toothpaste and mouthwash should be gluten free, of course.

At the back of the book there is a tear-out gluten free dining card which lists a variety of ingredients to be avoided. Please review the ingredient info link below regarding terms on the dining card, before deciding to use it in a restaurant. When eating out, one might consider using the excellent gluten free dining cards from Triumph Dining instead.

Since medical nutrition therapy with a gluten free diet is the only treatment for Celiac disease, it’s disappointing that the book does not emphasize the importance of seeing a registered dietitian with expertise in Celiac disease. The major Celiac treatment centers, Celiac medical experts, National Celiac and Dietetic Associations, as well as the National Institutes of Health Consensus Development Conference on Celiac Disease, all strongly emphasize the need for a dietitian in the management of this life-long disease.

I applaud the fact that Elisabeth lists some of the less common symptoms of Celiac like infertility, migraines and anemia and also mentions that undiagnosed Celiac can lead to osteoporosis, type 1 diabetes and even some intestinal cancers. Still, it’s unfortunate that the book promotes the gluten free lifestyle for everyone, creating the impression that it is the latest “fad diet". While the book is generally good at describing Celiac disease and associated diseases, and explaining the lifestyle in general, it is not a thorough resource for those following the gluten free diet for medical reasons. The author's intent was to bring awareness to Celiac disease and the needs of gluten free consumers and to that end she's been very successful.  

For those in need of a well researched book on all aspects of the gluten-free diet, I highly recommend 'Gluten-Free Diet: A Comprehensive Resource Guide- Revised and Expanded Edition' by Shelley Case, RD, an international Celiac nutrition expert and member of the Medical Advisory Boards of the Celiac Disease Foundation and Gluten Intolerance Group in the US and Professional Advisory Board of the Canadian Celiac Association. When I was diagnosed with Celiac several years ago, I could not have survived without  the third edition of Shelley's book. Look my upcoming review of the fourth edition of her book soon!   

For more info: Please take time to review the latest information regarding commonly misunderstood ingredients for those on the gluten free diet HERE.