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she wrote
[/quote]Reader's Digest published an online article called "New Ways to Just Say No to Dessert." The author of the article suggested to her readers who are trying to stick to their weight-loss diet, that to avoid eating desserts, you should tell your host you have Celiac Disease or gluten intolerance. Because, of course, no one would notice that you just ate a dinner that either contained gluten or had been cross contaminated with gluten!
The exact text from the article is:
"What's a diet devotee to do when breath mints, gum, polite refusal, cleaning products and excessive condiments fail? Echlin hints at this at the end of her column when she says that the best desserts should be eaten. Why attend a dinner party if you don't plan on eating what's served? That said, "a host will understand if the dieter has just had triple bypass surgery or is suffering from gestational diabetes." The final way fervent dieters haven't tried is a simple way to shut people up: Chalk it up to an allergy or condition. Gluten intolerance, Celiac disease, allergies, lactose intolerance and diabetes will get you out of eating just about any dessert.
" I wrote to Reader's Digest and my comments were:
"How about just saying, "No thank you." This type of comment is the result of an idiotic thought process. Those of us who actually have Celiac disease, gluten intolerance or any of the other health issues listed in this article actually NEED to refrain from eating certain foods. For some of us, these foods can make us terrible ill for many days, for others it can cause anaphylactic shock and death. Making a joke about a life-threatening health issues is downright selfish and ignorant. A magazine that publishes articles such as this one is also ignorant. You have a responsibility to publish intelligently written and informed articles. Not articles that treats dangerous health issues as a joke.
I am very disappointed in Reader's Digest, as are many others who suffer from food allergies. At least it has put Reader's Digest in the limelight on numerous Facebook pages and in a number of emails in the many support group I belong to. Unfortunately, this "limelight" does nothing to encourage people to read your magazine.
Reader's Digest should publish an apology to the millions of people who live with life-threatening food allergies on a daily basis." I would encourage you to write to Reader's Digest, also. Their email address is: letters@rd.com Thanks "We are all angels with one wing, we need each other to fly"
Joyce Nielsen, President Don't Feed Me, LLC
