Did Paula Deen Deceive?

If you hadn’t heard, sixty-five year old celebrity cook, Paula Deen came out of the closet.

Known for cooking up indulgent dishes like “Chocolate Cheese Fudge” and “Sausage Pancake Egg Sandwiches” on her Food Network show, Paula Deen made it very clear on the Today Show with Al Roker that she was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes three years ago, and didn’t want to go public with it until now.  She also announced on this same show that she'd signed on as the face of a new diabetes health initiative sponsored by Novo Nordisk, the company that makes Victoza, a noninsulin injectable medication she now takes.

This appearance and announcement on the Today show has brought about an outrage about Deen cooking and promoting high fat cooking even though she’s living with type 2 diabetes. She’s being called a hypocrite, both for hiding her disease and for partnering with a drug company that provides relief for diabetics.

What has apparently rocked the world of those living with type 2 diabetes is that Paula Deen remains confident that it’s not her food or cooking that causes type 2 diabetes. Donna Shaft, a marketing consultant who has been battling type 2 diabetes for 20 years was quick to say, “It is hypocritical [for Paula] to have continued to very publicly promote entirely unhealthy food choices so vital to the management of diabetes.
Many of Paula Deen’s supporters have expressed outrage that she is capitalizing on her diabetes after keeping it a secret for so long.

“I understand she has an empire and a huge following to protect, but working with Novo Nordisk is just adding another revenue stream, and that is tweaking people like me who are in the diabetes education community,” said Carl Moore, a longtime fan of Deen’s who has her cookbooks in his home. Moore, a type 2 diabetic and an educator on diabetic issues, said the news didn’t come as a surprise to him and others with the disease.

Here’s the deal

In my opinion I agree with Paula Deen that it’s not her food that caused the type 2 diabetes. Also, I don't think her food is responsible for any challenges she has had with her weight. Here's the deal: Paula can continue using the ingredients she uses to prepare her meals. What I recommend she do is guide people on how to eat her recipes. Unfortunately, most people gain weight because they eat too much, too often.

If I shared the stage with Paula I would make sure people who watch her show understood how to eat the meal and/or snack (dessert) she cooks. One of the problems with many of the cooking shows is that there’s no take home – guidance on what makes for a serving. Unfortunately, many of us may become inspired, make the recipe and then eat everything that’s made.

I hope people stop beating up on Paula and concluding that she lied or is a hypocrite. What’s important is that she is great for television and if she doesn’t flip flop on her cooking style, but instead, demonstrate how being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes doesn’t mean you break up with your food favorites.

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Robert Ferguson is the CEO of Diet Free Life, author, television talk show host, motivational speaker and creator of the Diet Free Life Methodology. Ferguson also created the fat loss plan for the infomercial product, Food Lovers Fat Loss System, which he no longer endorses. All updates and current information on Ferguson's methodology is available only at www.dietfreelife.com and through certified Diet Free Life Coaches.

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