Very few people have the star power that Elisabeth Hasselbeck of ABC's The View commands, and among those who do have it even fewer put this power to positive use. Over the past two days Elisabeth has openly discussed celiac disease and the gluten-free diet extensively on ABC's The View, and on CNN's Larry King Live.

Elisabeth's appearances are timed to promote her new book: The G-Free Diet: A Gluten-Free Survival Guide, which is now a national best seller.

I have no doubt that millions of people who have never heard of celiac disease or the gluten-free diet will be made aware of both due to her promotional efforts, and this will lead to thousands of people getting diagnosed and treated—many who might otherwise have never discovered their problem—or discovered it too late.

I encourage everyone to support Elisabeth's decision to publicize her condition by buying a copy of her book.

I would also like to personally thank her for not doing what many stars with such a condition might do—hide from it. Thank you for hitting your problem head on—and for being brave enough to hit a home run on The View and Larry King Live!