Is Elisabeth Hasselbeck gluten-free? Yep, Elisabeth Hasselbeck is gluten-free. I had no idea that Elisabeth Hasselbeck has been dealing with celiac disease, which is a rather common autoimmune disorder triggered by a protein in wheat, called gluten.
Apparently, she knows a lot about this stuff. In fact, she wrote a book about it. The G-Free Diet by Elisabeth Hasselbeck is a complete guide for people who need to adopt a gluten-free diet. And here is a recent interview with her in which she discusses The G-Free Diet.
When did you find out you had celiac? I wasn’t given a formal diagnosis until 2005 (though I self-diagnosed years earlier). I have the gene for celiac disease, and it had basically “clicked on” after I suffered a bacterial infection in college. So it took about nine years.
What food was the hardest to give up? I don’t feel like I’m missing out on anything. People ask, “How do you live without bread?” I don’t. I have G-free bread, muffins and pasta. It’s not about elimination; it’s more about substitution.
Does the disease affect your pregnancy? Before I was diagnosed, I had a really hard time getting pregnant. Once I was able to go G-free, my body had a stronger platform to carry a child. And I have a more healthy relationship with food. Now I’m willing to try five different kinds of cookies when I’m pregnant!
How did you come to terms with living G-free? If you have celiac disease and you go G-free, you are a new person. I felt so much better. Once you get the diagnosis, it’s pretty much a road map for how to make yourself more healthy.
How many people live with the disease? Right now, one out of every 133 people are diagnosed. There are many, many more walking around who have it. If you have a family member who has it, then your chances are one in 22.
Are you worried that your kids will get it? Absolutely. I’ll have them tested for the gene. Every time my daughter says her tummy hurts, my brain automatically says, “Okay, she might have celiac disease.” They actually eat gluten-free treats because I think they’re better for them. I always say to people, just try it. You might actually like it! [via]