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Despite millions of Americans struggling with food allergies, there has been some pushback from crowds that claim these allergies are baloney. In particular, gluten sensitivities and celiac disease have become pariahs among nutrition naysayers and sneering skeptics.
Countless headlines and social media posts erroneously attempt to link gluten-free products to everything from heart attacks and arsenic poisoning to a higher risk of diabetes. As someone who follows a gluten-free diet to manage my ulcerative colitis, it would be an understatement to say I’m frustrated with this trend.
I have always felt better when I avoid gluten and dairy, but the same diet that made me healthier also made me feel self-conscious when I was in college. I frequently caved and went with the crowd despite feeling like crap. This cycle continued, and I became progressively sicker.
I vividly recall grabbing a calzone one day with my roommate at the time. It tasted great going down, but I felt like I had taken a flurry of gut punches from Floyd Mayweather a few hours later. My health deteriorated the longer I denied my dietary needs, and the situation eventually pushed me to realize the importance of nutrition. I slowly began to stick to my own beliefs, and I became an advocate for myself.
It was a watershed moment that forever changed the way I approach nutrition. While not everyone has had the same epiphany, it’s never too late to take ownership of your dietary needs.
The Negative Consequences of Dietary Skepticism
The average person is fed a steady stream of misinformation that’s far more harmful than any special diet could ever be. You might have heard of a warning from the American Heart Association suggesting that coconut oil had been linked to heart disease. Lo and behold, it eventually surfaced that the association based the advisory on an old study funded by the Canola Oil Council.
People are entitled to their own opinions, but that skepticism crosses a line when pessimists and armchair nutritionists feel compelled to shame special diets in every Reddit, Facebook, and YouTube comment thread. This situation creates challenges for people who cannot eat certain things for medical reasons, as well as folks who choose to avoid foods based on how they make them feel.
While dietary restrictions are difficult for anyone to manage, it’s particularly problematic for men to openly embrace alternative nutrition. One study found that 41 percent of vegetarians and 21 percent of vegans are men — a clear minority in both cases. Looking at our company’s customer base, the gender breakdown among gluten-free dieters is closer to 70 percent women and 30 percent men.
But why? Men certainly want to eat well, but they’re culturally conditioned to believe manliness equates to inhaling steaks and pizza with ice-cold beer. Nobody wants to be made fun of for turning down a plate of buffalo wings in favor of a salad. Ironically, many of the largest animals in nature are herbivores — gorillas, elephants, and rhinos. These massive animals have no problem getting plenty of protein without meat, but guys who claim they’re getting enough of this macronutrient from soy are mocked by their peers
Despite criticism from the trolls of the world, there are ways you can comfortably maintain your diet without being shamed into social isolation.
Here are the 4 Ways to Tune Out Nutrition Naysayers
Regardless of cultural backlash, it’s time to take a deep breath and reclaim our health. Embrace your own unique dietary needs with a few easy steps:
1. Remind yourself that you’re doing what’s right for you.
Outside perspectives tend to skew our viewpoints, so we occasionally need to give ourselves pep talks. When others make you consider abandoning your dietary requirements or desires, tell yourself that you have a right to make decisions that make you feel healthy. This simple self-reminder can quell concerns and keep you on track.
2. Arm yourself with information.
Instead of gulping down opinions, focus on facts. If you eat a gluten-free diet, for instance, find out what that actually means for you. Dig up some medical articles and studies to help you explain to cynics how gluten reacts in the body of someone who has celiac disease. Knowledge truly is power.
3. Take charge of the conversation.
Imagine you’re at a party and your wife’s boss starts bellyaching about your vegetarianism. You could respond with annoyance, but it’s a lot better to control the discussion by turning the tables with a simple question: “Why do you hold that opinion?” This response shifts the perspective, and it might give you an opportunity to educate people who are ignorant about your dietary needs. And if they continue to be disrespectful? Stop talking and remove yourself from the situation.
4. Build a tribe of supporters.
Whether you find likeminded individuals online or in your own community, a support system can be incredibly helpful. When I started my first job after college, I surrounded myself with a bunch of people who were passionate about nutrition. It’s a lot easier to stick to a specialized diet when you don’t feel like you’re all alone. Knowing your friends have your back can make a tremendous difference.
Thanks to an increased understanding of everything from pesticides to food sensitivities, society has become more tolerant of alternative diets over the past few years. Consider how much better schools treat peanut allergies compared to decades past. Hopefully, it’s a sign people are realizing that they truly are what they eat. In the meantime, I’ll keep noshing on nutritious food regardless of wannabe authorities pontificating from their sofas. I’d suggest you do the same.
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