Elisabeth Hasselbeck is best known as the bubbly, but fiercely conservative talking head on the ABC show “The View.”
But behind her pleasing on-air personality, she has suffered for years from gastric distress. She discusses her battle against her ailment in her book, “The G Free Diet.”
Doctors told her that she was suffering from irritable bowel syndrome, which causes bouts of indigestion, cramps and diarrhea.
But it took her celebrated stint on the reality television show “Survivor” for her to realize the diagnosis was amiss.
The show was set in the Australian Outback, and contestants were forced to live off the land. Ironically, all of her symptoms vanished, and she realized her ailment was diet-related.
It turns out she was suffering from celiac disease. It’s caused by the body’s inability to properly absorb gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, oats and rye and commonly used in pastas and breads.
Instead of gathering nutrients from gluten, the body sends a signal to the immune system to attack, harming the small intestine in the process. The best way to avoid an attack is to change your diet and avoid certain foods.
Hasselbeck said it’s made all the difference in her life. She also discovered the going gluten-free can help with weight loss and increased energy.
“I found great diamond in the rough diet,” she says. “A lot of people wanted the information. I thought through my story I will be able to give pretty good resource.”
Where o where did anyone decide that E. Hasselbeck should/would be a celebrity? Survivor? She’s not someone that I would hold credible. Find a different spokesperson, and I’d be on board. I, too, have celiac and would prefer not to glom on to her socalled fame.
I hope that Elizabeth continues to speak out about celiac disease, a disease often misunderstood and misinterpreted by the public. Celiac disease is a special form of gluten intolerance (with “allergy” being a TYPE of “intolerance”). Celiac disease is characterized by a hereditary response to gluten that results in a very specific type of small intestine damage, known as villous atrophy. The common symptoms of celiac disease often mirror those of IBS, including: loose stools, constipation, fatigue, weight fluctuation, dermatitis, and more. With food allergies/intolerances being one of two major causes of IBS, tackling the problem with celiac may rid someone of many of their IBS symptoms. Elizabeth is correct in avoiding all sources of gluten in her diet, as this is the treatment for celiac disease. This can often be very difficult due to the immense amount of gluten found in our food, including many hidden gluten sources. Let’s hope that Elizabeth uses her celebrity status to spread the news of celiac disease, something that affects many more people in this nation than it may seem.
I am grateful Ms. Hasselbeck has brought celiac to mainstream media as well. Please be warned, however, that she’s small, and though she may have lost weight on this diet, not everyone does – this is misleading. Obese and regular-sized people get diagnosed as well, and DO NOT lose weight eating gluten-free replacement products. Many “g-free” people GAIN, so please don’t think it’s a weight loss diet. You may feel good enough to exercise though!
I am so thankful for Elisabeth Hasselbeck’s willingness to talk about this medical condition.