MEET ALICE BAST

Alice Bast is the founder and Executive Director of the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness (NFCA), which has become very visible in New York City in recent months. Just last weekend, the NFCA hosted the Winter 2006 Gluten-Free Cooking Spree in Chelsea and then became the honoree at a special gluten-free dinner at Centrico hosted by Redbridge Beer, attended by gluten-free celebs Heidi Collins and Elisabeth Hasselbeck, and blogged about beautifully by CeliacChick Kelly.

Like many of us, Alice only found out she had celiac disease after a long, drawn-out period involving many frustrating visits to doctors. As Alice herself puts it, she suffered diarrhea, fatigue, bloating, a general malaise, and the trauma of a full-term stillbirth as well as several early miscarriages. Her teeth began to deteriorate and her sister-in-law wondered if she had anorexia, though doctors often observed that she looked fine.

An interesting aspect of celiac disease is that, while the above-mentioned symptoms are common, the condition can be accompanied by symptoms that are markedly different. Or no symptoms might be noticed at all. That is why testing by a well-informed doctor can be crucial. Here's the NFCA on diagnosing celiac disease.

And here's Alice on Moms on the Move with Linda Swain.



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