So as we all know by now, fellow celiac Jennifer Esposito is getting the shaft from CBS.

CBS is telling one side of the story, but reality tells a far different story.

But there is a whole other side to this insidious episode: the ignorance people have about celiac disease.

I’ve said this many times in the past: it is the ONLY disease I know about where those inflicted with the disease need to defend themselves.

If you tell somebody you have cancer, nobody questions its severity.

If you tell somebody you have diabetes, nobody questions the diagnoses.

If you tell somebody you have AIDS, nobody questions the reality of the disease.

But if you tell somebody you have celiac disease, lordy…who knows what kind of response you will get?

And this is why I advocate so hard and why I will continue to do so as long as I’m able.

And it’s why I rail on B-list celebrities embracing the gluten-free diet.

And it’s why I hate the fact that the focus is on “gluten-free” and not on “celiac disease”.

The Huffington Post ran an article about Jennifer’s situation a few days ago.

The article was your typical media fluff piece, but what got me were the comments and the crazy ideas that people have about our disease.

You want ignorance? Take a read…

I know lots of people with celiac disease and they all work full-time jobs. I work with 2 women with Celiac one of them has a child with Celiac and they work full time with no extra benefits affored to them of tv stars. It’s an intestinal reaction to gluten. Remove gluten from your diet, no reactions. So debilitating, right? Reduced schedule for celiac? Shades of mercury poison from too much sushi for Jeremy Piven. I know a number of people who must eat a gluten-free diet and function normally on a day-to-day basis. Man, this celiac’s disease is becoming an epidemic…just like lactose intolerance…LOL. The only havoc celiac creates is when you’re too lazy to monitor your own food intake. That’s laziness, not a disease. At best, it could be described as a “condition”, but it’s not a disease. When the entire problem can be cured by avoiding wheat gluten, it’s no more a disability than lactose intolerance. I know a few people with Celiac’s, and they have never claimed it as a disability. They will laugh when they hear this. Celiac disease is not a disability. It is a chronic condition managed by medication and diet. (by the way…this comment came from an effing NURSE.) Do you even know what Celiac’s is? It’s a gluten allergy. That’s it. She’s ignoring medical advice to avoid wheat gluten. My wife made a 10-day turnaround simply by eating gluten-free. A gluten-free diet is the cure. Has she tried that? Celiac disease is imaginary, and businesses everywhere are growing more and more intolerant of its use by malingerers. If an average mid income person like me can manage work and Celiac disease, why can’t she? Elisabeth Hasselbeck also has celiac disease but manages to work every day on The View. Celiac is extremely manageable once diagnosed. Please list one person that has died from Celiac disease! If she’s using the gluten-free diet she shouldn’t be collapsing on set. There are so many products on the market that are gluten-free, and even restaurants have menus, so I don’t understand what the problem is. Celiac disease is easily cured by eating gluten-free foods. I’m lactose intolerant; I guess employers should compensate me every time I drink milk or eat ice cream. Celiac is an unfortunate situation to be in, but the patient has ALL the control over their health once they have been diagnosed. Celiac’s? It’s treated by a gluten free diet. How long was she trying to get out of work? Sounds like BS. We’ve been eating bread for many millennia and now we can’t take it anymore? She’s “allergic to gluten, the last fad du jour. A reduced work schedule because of celiac disease is preposterous. Celiac is Gluten Intolerance. Are you kidding me? She’s not sick, she has a gluten allergy. Celiac is very controllable; people with significantly less resources manage the disease just fine. How do you “battle” celiac disease? Don’t you just stop eating wheat? She should be able to control this just by eating carefully. It all comes down to how you eat and take care of yourself. Mainly how you eat. If this actor needed that much time off – she’s doing it wrong. Celiac disease – the new, trendy malady. Having a chronic disease is just another excuse for discrimination. Ahhhhh Celiacs. The new hipster disease. Tell Jenny to lay off the pasta and beer and she should be fine. Don’t eat gluten, don’t have symptoms. Umm….I know a lot of people with Celiacs disease and they don’t have reduced work schedules.

Ignorance is so ugly…don’t you think?

Look…I’m not asking for everyone out there to UNDERSTAND celiac disease.

Just stop spreading misinformation about it.

And how about a little compassion? It won’t kill ya.

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