Don’t deter healthy eating

Re: “Should you follow the lead, give up gluten?” the Journal, April 27. Dr. Alessio Fasano of Boston says, “Going on a glutenfree diet without a diagnosis is like saying you drink too much, you pee too much, you’re a little light-headed so you’re going to start injecting yourself with insulin because you think you have diabetes. Nobody would do that.”

Just how does a dietary change equate to taking someone’s medicine? I realize the doctor is trying to make a point but reducing the argument to the absurd could be seen not just as discouragement from following a “fad” but from making important, healthy lifestyle changes.

If a doctor sees a patient who has spent his entire life watching TV and playing video games, is the physician going to discourage him for having recently joined a gym and starting to move toward a more active lifestyle?

Likewise, are doctors saying that patients should refrain from eating more veggies and less bread without first consulting them?

The health-care system is strained already and consulting doctors to ask “Should I drink more water?” “Should I exercise?” or “Should I eat more veggies?” puts an extra, unneeded load on them when everyone already knows the answers.

Obesity is approaching what scientists are calling an epidemic. This is related to the surge in consuming prepackaged and pre-prepared foods.

If it takes a fad or a gimmick to get people eating more whole foods and home cooking, then I say let’s thank our lucky stars.

Stacey Smethurst, Edmonton