Gluten Free for Life

“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) “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 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)

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.

This item is eligible for free returns within 30 days of delivery. See our returns policy for further details.