Elizabeth Hasselbeck Interview Author of the GFree Diet

Elizabeth Hasselbeck, author of "The G-Free Diet", was recently interviewed in Living Without Magazine's August/September Issue.

Hasselbeck is co-host of the popular television show "The View" and was a contestant on the television show Survivor, the Australian Outback.  At 32, Hasselbeck is married to former NFL player, Tim Hasselbeck.  Elizabeth and Tim have two children, Grace (4 yrs) and Taylor (18 months) and they are currently expecting a third child in the near future.

Like many Celiacs, Elizabeth struggled with health conditions for several years before being officially diagnosed with Celiac Disease.  Additionally, Elizabeth had to be diagnosed with Celiac Disease after she was already on a gluten-free diet.  Diagnosing Celiac Disease after an individual has been on a gluten-free diet is difficult.  Hasselbeck was diagnosed by Dr. Peter Green, a well-know researcher and authority on Celiac Disease and author of "Celiac Disease: A Hidden Epidemic" (If you're researching Celiac Disease and you haven't read this book, you should.)

According to Hasselbeck's interview, she is vigilant regarding her diet, but she realizes that 'mistakes happen'.  Her favorite places to eat out are PF Chang's, Outback Steakhouse and Wendy's (restaurants that have gluten-free menus, but that are not gluten-free facilities so the risk of gluten-contamination is still possible) and her favorite packaged foods are Pamela's cookies and Mary's Gone Crackers.  

Hasselbeck reports that she does not feel the least bit deprived, but at the end of her interview, she mentions that she is "in the process of developing a line of products that are more body friendly."  I am hoping that the new line of body-friendly products that she is working on are sustainably farmed and organically grown.  At our store, the Gluten Free Specialty Market, we specialize in gluten-free foods that are naturally based or organically grown. However, in the world of gluten-free product lines, there is a much larger ratio of un-healthy overly processed foods than there are whole grain, sprouted and organic options.