Gluten Free for Life - by Emily K Abel

About the Book

"Gluten Free for Life is the first book to apply social, cultural, and historical perspectives to celiac disease, a serious autoimmune condition affecting one percent of the population-three million Americans. Because celiac destroys the villi of the small intestine, it is considered gastrointestinal, but it can affect many of the body's systems. As a result, the symptoms are extremely various. The only therapy is life-long adherence to a gluten-free diet"--

Book Synopsis

A groundbreaking exploration of celiac disease, a serious autoimmune condition that affects approximately three million Americans, or 1 percent of the population

The manifestations of celiac disease-including anemia, gastrointestinal problems, and infertility-are diverse and can have severe consequences if left untreated. The only therapy is lifelong adherence to a gluten-free diet. Because many doctors know little about celiac, nearly half of the individuals with the disease remain undiagnosed, and many wait years for the correct diagnosis.

In Gluten Free for Life, Emily K. Abel delves into the social, cultural, and historical dimensions of celiac disease, and sheds light on the challenges faced by affected individuals. The book uncovers the profit- driven motivations behind certain food companies, which often produce exorbitantly priced and ultraprocessed gluten-free products that remain out of reach for many people. Abel also emphasizes the parallels between celiac disease and other disabilities, stressing the condition's invisible nature. The absence of observable symptoms poses significant challenges in terms of social interactions, workplace dynamics, and the overall perception of those living with the disease.

Abel cautions against viewing a medical cure as the sole solution for celiac disease. Instead, she advocates for a comprehensive approach that addresses the socioeconomic factors impacting adherence to the gluten-free diet. By redirecting attention toward necessary social and political reforms, Gluten Free for Life proposes remedies capable of alleviating the burdens faced by individuals with celiac disease.

Review Quotes

"In this timely work, Abel details the many-layered history of celiac disease in the United States. Complicating interpretations that cast celiac as an ambiguous medical condition or a dietary fad, we learn from celiac communities how deeply this chronically misunderstood and understudied condition impacts their lives. Abel's careful attention to celiac community networks reveals everyday struggles alongside engaged advocacy and collective empowerment."-- "Susan Burch, author of Disability Histories"

"This important book is a rousing call for action--medical, dietary, social, and political--to protect people with celiac disease from the gluten proteins that make them sick. Emily K. Abel's analysis of the barriers to avoidance, from unaware doctors to food companies' lobbying against labeling to widespread ignorance of where gluten lurks in food, should convince us all to insist that gluten be labeled and products monitored to ensure they really are gluten free."-- "Marion Nestle, author most recently of Slow-Cooked: An Unexpected Life in Food Politics"

"This is a well-crafted, highly empathic exposé of the social, economic, and psychological obstacles people with celiac disease encounter on a daily basis. Combining historical analysis, personal narratives, and social critique, Abel reveals the inhumanity of holding individuals responsible for their own health while denying them the resources and support needed to make healthy choices. A must read for anyone interested in the challenges of living with a chronic disease."-- "Arleen Tuchman, author of Diabetes: A History of Race and Disease"

About the Author

Emily K. Abel is Professor Emerita at the UCLA-Fielding School of Public Health. She is the author of many books, including Hearts of Wisdom: American Women Caring for Kin, 1850-1940; Limited Choices: Mable Jones, A Black Children's Nurse in a Northern White Household (with Margaret K. Nelson); and Elder Care in Crisis: How the Social Safety Net Fails Families. Her book Tuberculosis and the Politics of Exclusion won the 2008 Viseltear Award for outstanding book in the history of public health from the Medical Care Section, American Public Health Association.