Let Us Eat Cake (or Biscuits or Pizza...)

So exactly a week after the Dragons' Den fiasco (to which the BBC have defended Nick Jenkins and taken no responsibility for his patronising views) I find myself again, today having to defend having Coeliac Disease – a medical condition, my medical condition. 
With any other condition the scrutiny Coeliac Disease comes under would be classed as being discrimination. 

I really don’t see why the media have an obsession with publishing ‘revelations’ that the NHS are spending millions (£116 to be precise) on funding  'junk' gluten free foods for those who suffer with Coeliac Disease. The media’s ill-informed opinions are based not on facts but on what they perceive to be the facts – when actually they have no idea about the condition (or prescriptions for that matter!) at all. 

I know I certainly don't sit at home and eat packets of biscuits every night, or even pizza, that I have obtained 'Free' from the NHS (I don't even order my food from the pharmacy - I prefer to make my own or buy it if I feel a craving for something). It begs the question of 'why should I not eat what I want to eat?'
 I like having a birthday cake, for instance...and why should I miss out on having one?

We know that Gluten Free Foods can have more sugar and more fat to substitute the presence of gluten, we are not fools. But to say it is aiding in the obesity crisis is absurd! 

 I have never seen doughnuts on the prescription form, and as for biscotti who knew it even existed? Battenberg - oh yes, you had best get me some of that as well while you are at it, because I wouldn't even know where to get one from let alone the pharmacy! When I have finished with that lot I might just gorge on a pizza laden with fatty cheese and ham and pineapple. Happy now Daily Mail?  

I happen to live a very balanced life style, eating healthy foods and going to the gym 3-4 times a week, 5 if I have the time in my busy schedule. Why can't I make myself a cake, or eat a biscuit if I fancy one? 

Children are generally getting lazier with the introduction of computer games and TV programmes. When I was little, we were only allowed to watch TV for a limited time in the evening and were taken to the park so we could get exercise on either our bikes, or scooters.

We also had a healthy diet and were always encouraged to eat vegetables, fruit and nuts instead of sweets. We very rarely had MacDonald’s, KFC or Burger King (only if my granddad was naughty and bought us it), so please do not tell me that a gluten free diet contributes to the obesity crisis we have here in the UK. 

What about the children that are eating turkey drummers and chips for tea?

If I have one piece of advice for anyone, I would say use your intelligence and know that what the media say, is 9 times out of 10 complete and utter rubbish. If you require information, ask someone who has this condition and they will tell you what it is like, don't base your judgement on an article written to provoke discrimination. 

Please see Coeliac UK's response to the Mail's ill-informed facts and figures. 

https://www.coeliac.org.uk/about-us/news/coeliac-uk-letter-to-the-daily-mail-and-others-on-gluten-free/

Useful information on Coeliac Disease can be found at: 

https://www.coeliac.org.uk/home/