Oprah Insensitive to Celiac Disease......

Oprah Magazine ^ | September 2003 | Satelite Sisters

[davidosborne]

actually it was my wife who posted the original article... and she was first alerted to it from a celiac e-group in which she is a participant.... I went to a local store to check out the O-magazine on Page 87 of the Sept. issue... and confirmed that the information that was reported to us was in fact correct... I did NOT purchase the magazine, and have no intention of doing so.. I also checked Oprah's website discussion forum,, and saw that several of her readers had the same concern... a copy of the response from "Satelite Sister" was forwarded to me and posted in several other forums on the web.... I accept the explaination that the reference to "Gluten=Free" kids being socially unacceptable as pure ignorance of what Celiac Disease is all about... again the ONLY reason I decided to "spread the word" was purely for educational purposes.... and an effort to get Oprah to use her influence to help educate the public on Celiac Disease....

It does not surprise me that Oprah would not have any references to the article on page 87 of her Sept. issue.. and would just assume forget about it... but I hope she will make a public apology and so a follow show/article so that none of her readers make the same mistake she did...

FReegards,

David

[davidosborne]

I read this man profile I wonder about his real purpose?

What is this supposed to mean... I stated very clearly and publicly what my "real purpose" was and is...

Respectfully,

David C. Osborne

[restornu]

Because I have gone to

O Magazine

Satelite Sisters

Celiac Kids E-group

I looked at all of the her online O Magazine for the this months features and can't see it listed!

I believe you when you say it was something brought to your attention. I just know this is so out of character for Oprah and I know nothing about the "Satelite Sisters" who like one of those letters stated said things out of ignorants and did believe such a disease existed. I personaly know it does for I knew someone who it was discovered in their old age and a drastic change in their life.

It is because I could not verify but I also understand how near and dear this topic is to you.

I'll just let it go these things happen it has happen to me, to hear something and not be able to give more imfo about it!

[XBob]

Thanks again for pinging me. Thanks to you I dug into it again, and think I have finally found what is wrong - Cushing's Disease/Syndrome.

Finally. Now I can work on curing that which is causing my problems, diabetes among them.

[davidosborne]

It does not surprise me that the article is not posted online anywhere... it is however published in written form on page 87 of her Sept. issue of O-magazine... I personally verified it...

FReegards,

David

[JennieOsborne]

Here is the letter that we, and others that have complained about this, have received. Satellite sisters are a featured column in her magazine. I have no explanation for why it's not on the website, other than she has been getting a lot of complaints about this. However, GO TO THE STORE AND YOU WILL SEE IT FOR YOURSELF!!! PAGE 87! The argument for me would be.....it's rude, and insensitive to say that you wouldn't be friends with someone because they have a genetic disease!
Here is a copy of the The Letter From the Satellite Sisters!

We apologise for our insensitivity. We had never heard of celiac's disease or its dangers. In our ignorance, we misused the phrase "gluten-free", not knowing its real meaning and connection to the genetic disease, Celiac's. We feel awful that our careless and ill-informed use of words has caused you and your family pain. Your letter and many others have served to educate. We can only assume that lots of people are in the dark about celiac's and the issues you and your family face. We do intend to educate ourselves with all the information we received so that we can add our voices to the chorus of the informed about this subject ( rather then the point of view of the ignorant and stupid which we represented so adequately).
I am a mother myself and there is no way I would knowingly shun a kid with a genetic disease. In our O piece, which is meant to be humorous, we tried to poke fun at a mother who is overly vigilant about her child's diet, in a "no white sugar" kind of way. Obviously, we were way off base on the real implications of the phrase "gluten-free". Again, my deepest apologies. And my best wishes for your son's continued good health.

Lian Dolan
the youngest sister

[JennieOsborne]

I know the frustration of having to have a medical issue, and not know ( nor the dr's) know what the problem is. That is what happened to our daughter. Please check into gluten free diet since you are a diabetic. check out celiac.com for more info on that.

BTW, what do you think about Congresswoman Nita Lowey introduction of H.R. 467?

[Gunrunner2]

Indeed.

[XBob]

47 - HR 467 - it is a good idea, sort of a strange, poorly written bill. It seems that it is written by a vegetarian, rather than someone truly concerned about allergic reactions. It emphasises animal additives, and then proceeds to list mostly vegetable additives as allergins.


"(3) These additives often contain derivatives of meat, poultry, other animal products such as insects, and allergens (such as peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, eggs, milk, soy, and wheat). "

[XBob]

thanks again. I previously reviewed gluten alergy as a problem, and don't think I am anything more than perhaps particularly sensitive to gluten, however, I have found that I have pretty much all the symptoms of Cushing's disease, one of the symptoms of which is diabetes.

If you have diabetes you should check out Cusing's Disease, particularly if you are or have been under a lot of stress. It is a disease of the pituitary gland, causing too much secretion of cortisol, the stress hormone secreted by the adrenal glands.

[Ditter]

XBob, I'm very glad you are closing in on your health problems. I have gotten my husband to cut out the massive amount of carbs he was eating every day & his Type 2 diabetes is under much better control. I have cut corn, in every form, out of my diet & I don't have a headache 24/7. Yea for us all!

[XBob]

thanks - take a close look at the information on Cushings Disease. You may find it useful.

Interesting about corn - I found out about corn and it's effects on my blood sugar level in 1980. It was the first food I noticed and correlated. And yet, in all these years, I have yet to have a single doctor, endocronologist, or dietician who is aware of it, or perscribes anything but high carbohydrate diets, and none would recommend high protein, or dr. Adkins, and none indicated any knowledge of the glycemic index of foods.

Do a google search for 'glycemic index' and you will find some very interesting things about how food impacts sugar levels. And look up 'fructose'. Amazingly enough, it is a sugar which actually seems to help lower your blood sugar level.

[StockAyatollah]

Please remove me from your ping list. There are few topics I care about less then Oprah. Thanks.