Hassett Hassles Hasselbeck?

Lawsuit Breaks Out Over Books

When GFNYC last checked in on Elisabeth Hasselbeck's recently published book The G-Free Diet, it was topping sales charts. Now the book's in the news for another reason: Sue Hassett, author of a book called Living with Celiac Disease, is suing Hasselbeck for copyright infringement and plagiarism, according to TMZ.com.

I'm still making my way through The G-Free Diet, and I haven't read or even obtained Living with Celiac Disease (which Hassett claims was copyrighted in 2008), so perhaps I'm not in a position to offer much insight at the moment. And you know what? I think a lot of the media isn't either. It seems that, at the moment, reporters are basically making hay that anti-Hasselbeck allegations have been made in this letter, even though the allegations as stated don't strike me as very persuasive.

Many of the allegations simply seem to note that both books invoke vaguely similar phraseology without recognizing that the phraseology is common (or at least not surprising) in writings about celiac disease and dermatitis herpetiformus (DH). For example, both books use the phrase "Rome wasn't built in a day." But so does this 2005 message board thread about dealing with DH: "The DH will eventually clear up (especially with the assistance of Dapsone), but it takes time -- his body will take a while to clear up the 'histamine' reaction it has had for the past several years -- Rome wasn't built in a day."

Both books warn about possible cross-contamination from meat slicers. So does a 2005 message board thread: "I would say the thing for you to watch is contamination from the meat slicer in the deli. Even if the meat was gluten-free, you wouldn't be able to account for what was on the slicer, unless they totally cleaned it for you...[.]"

Both books offer lists of symptoms. Why shouldn't they?

Get the picture? Both books almost inevitably seem to repackage advice that was already "in the air" before their dates of publication.

Another example: The letter notes that Hassett's book observes that "Wheat-free is not necessarily gluten-free" while Hasselbeck's book observes "'Wheat-free' does not mean the same thing as 'gluten-free.'" But this truism precedes both books by many years: Jax Peters Lowell's 1995 book Against the Grain advises "wheat-free and all natural do not necessarily mean gluten-free." I am pretty sure that this citation is not the earliest that could be found. At any rate, it's another case of both books parroting typical and sensible information.

But the parroted information isn't always sensible: The Hassett letter also draws attention to the books' similar but unfounded warnings about anti-clumping agents in spices. According to the Hassett letter, her book says that "Some spices have a starch put in so it does not stick together you must find out where the starch is derived. Is the starch from a corn or wheat?" [sic], while Hasselbeck's book (misquoted in the letter) says "Spices: Beware the anticlumping agents added to many commercial herbs and seasonings (including those used at restaurants)—they almost always contain gluten." The problem with this can be found courtesy of the reliable resource Gluten-Free Living.

In comments expressing concern about Hasselbeck's book, Gluten-Free Living's Amy Ratner dismisses the spice advice by rhetorically questioning, "Is it a big deal to incorrectly tell someone struggling to figure out the gluten-free diet for the first time that the declumping agents in spices almost always contain wheat...?" Of course, Hassett and Hasselbeck's "declumping agent" warning (succinctly addressed here) also predates both books, as evidenced by this listserv summary post from 2000, which includes the advice that "one must be careful with spices and seasonings because often wheat-flour and other grains are used in them as fillers, to prevent clumping or as a flow agent, and aren't listed on the ingredients." So this instance strikes me as both books parroting typical misguided information.

Considering the weakness of the Hassett allegations, it's a shame that it has taken the mere launching of this lawsuit to return media attention to Hasselbeck and The G-Free Diet. For the moment at least, a far more important and sober (but less sensational) question would have to do with how reliable the information is in both books, how any errors and inconsistencies might have gotten into them, and how much either author might do to address and correct those problems. These are health-related books, after all!

An even more important question for the media to explore (completely in line with the current interest in health care reform) would be how to correctly diagnose the millions of people who unknowingly have celiac disease. But at present, much of the mainstream media merely seems to be sniffing around for the scent of celebrity scandal while giving relatively short shrift to a persistent and serious health concern that's virtually crying out to be addressed in such a way that positive and significant change will follow.

Thanks to Gawker for the lead.

UPDATE On today's The View, Elisabeth Hasselbeck made a brief statement that the allegations were without merit and that they were being handled appropriately.

Celiac Disease by Tori Winslow

Congrats to Tori Winslow for winning a Student Educational Video Award for this short documentary (2:35) about celiac disease. (For more on modified food starch, see this note from Gluten-Free Living.)

Vinegar Revisited. Again.

Distilled Vinegars are Gluten-Free, Just Check Others

The dietitian Tricia Thompson, who did the research that measured significant wheat contamination in oat brands including McCann's, recently collaborated with other gluten-aware dietitians in addressing concerns about the possibility of gluten in vinegar.

Their findings—summarized in Tricia's blog post, "Vinegar: When Is It Gluten-Free?"—were generally consistent with research published in Gluten-Free Living suggesting that the vast majority of common vinegars are gluten-free.

The main points:

Distilled vinegar is gluten-free, no matter what the source material may be, because (the ancient and medically reliable process of) distillation separates all proteins from the final product.

"Vinegar" simply listed as an ingredient can be considered safe—made from apples.

Check non-distilled and flavored vinegars. The most common non-distilled vinegar that would be of concern is malt vinegar; some Asian black rice vinegars might also merit concern.

The contributors to this recent statement are all dietitians notable for their expertise concerning celiac disease: In addition to Thompson, they include Cynthia Kupper of GIG, Melinda Dennis of Boston's Celiac Center at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (CCBIDMC), author Mary K. Sharrett of Nationwide Children's Hospital of Ohio (NCHO), Anne Lee (formerly of the Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University--CDCCU), and Pam Cureton of the University of Maryland Center for Celiac Research (UMCCR).

A Hasselbeck Bump?

Book to Debut on New York Times Best-Seller List

This post isn't about Elisabeth Hasselbeck's little baby bulge.

It's about the impact that the gluten-free View co-host (shown at right at recent Borders book event) might have in boosting awareness of celiac disease.

Consider the results for "celiac" and "gluten" on Google Trends. In both cases you can see spikes representing searches for those words in early 2007 and now. The older spike probably represents Hasselbeck's January 2007 "coming out" as being gluten-free on The View as well as the rollout of Anheuser-Busch's Redbridge beer and, ultimately, the very hot news story about melamine in gluten in pet food.

But how about the current spike, which coincides with the release of Hasselbeck's book The G-Free Diet? Granted, May is also a Celiac Disease Awareness Month, but I have a feeling Hasselbeck's book, currently number two on The New York Times Hardcover Advice best-seller list, has a lot to do with people searching for "celiac" and "gluten."

A week ago, I attended Hasselbeck's reading at the Borders at Park Avenue and 57th Street. Coffee was served...
















...and there were samples a-plenty of the new Starbucks Valencia Orange Cakes!


















Here she is speaking...

















...and here she is signing books.

















So how was the event? It reminded me of the old New York City CSA support group meetings, which have not been held for several years. About 60 people attended, filling the area of the bookstore set aside for the event. After Hasselbeck told her story and invited questions, the question-askers (one had just gotten diagnosed—and another had gotten a diagnosis after his autism spectrum disorder child tested positive for celiac disease!) sought guidance on subjects ranging from getting diagnoses to finding friendly restaurants. Hasselbeck fielded the questions reasonably well but the answers were not as comprehensive as they might've been had the gathering involved a panel of people sharing the wisdom of their pooled experiences. Yes, this was a book-signing, not a support group meeting—but this was a book event that attracted people looking for support and validation that is not as available in New York City as it is elsewhere in the greater metropolitan area.

I also note that Hasselbeck continued to offer useful and accurate information mixed in with remarks that weren't as useful and accurate. When asked about restaurant options in the Big Apple, she reeled off a bunch of options but never mentioned the Gluten-Free Restaurant Awareness Program (GFRAP)'s website (let alone the GFNYC restaurant listings) as as an up-to-date resource for that kind of information. When it came to vinegar, she basically warned against it despite the research by Gluten-Free Living that showed that, with the exception of malt vinegar, all simple vinegars are gluten-free. "Vinegar Contains Gluten" is actually one of persistent myths identified in Celiac Disease: A Hidden Epidemic, co-written by Rory Jones and Dr. Peter Green, Hasselbeck's own doctor (and mine):

Any vinegar that is distilled is gluten-free. Malt vinegar is not distilled and contains gluten. It is important to read labels to see what other ingredients may be in a product that contains vinegar. But the distilled vinegar itself is not an offending ingredient.

Spikes in interest about celiac disease and gluten-free dieting provide gluten-free support networks with opportunities to provide reliable answers to the public and find the many people who remain undiagnosed. Hasselbeck and The G-Free Diet represents one of those opportunities—but no single book or individual should be expected to provide all of those answers, which in some (or many) cases may evolve over time. Those seeking support in New York City might benefit from the resources listed here and here. I hope to see the resources grow as word spreads in the times ahead.

BONUS For more evidence of a Hasselbeck bump, check out this segment from Sacramento TV station KCRA.



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Photos: David Marc Fischer

Erin Gone Gluten-Free!

Have you been gluten-free in Ireland? I haven't—yet. At some point I'd like to pay a visit to the Emerald Isle and get a taste of the gluten-free food there.

Ireland has a reputation for having a high proportion of people with celiac/coeliac disease, but studies seem to suggest an overall rate of 1:120—perhaps slightly higher than average, although some localities might have significantly higher concentrations.

The Coeliac Society of Ireland (CSI) serves gluten-free people from its base in Dublin and its branches throughout the country. It offers lists of accommodating restaurants and lodgings, but so far it does not "vet" those places.

The Balleymaloe Cookery School, located on an organic farm in County Cork (the home of Delicious Foods) offers short healthy gluten-free cooking classes for people with coeliac disease. Owner Darina Allen co-authored the book Healthy Gluten-Free Cooking with Rosemary Kearney.

Getting back to Dublin, I still remember a profile of Roly's Bistro chef Colin O'Daly that appeared in the Fall 2002 issue of Gluten-Free Living, before the magazine went glossy or had a blog—which offers a St. Patrick's Day blog post featuring recipes for Irish Soda Bread and Irish Potato Candy.

Want more recipes? Nancy Lapid offers links to Irish (and Chinese?) dishes here.

More Extreme Fundraising!

What does one have to do to raise money (and awareness) in support of a gluten-free cause?

We've seen a walk on the Appalachian Trail.

We've seen a swim through the waters off Alcatraz.

And now Michele Wallick (who has written for Gluten-Free Living) and her husband Greg, of GF Adventures, are sailing 7,000 nautical miles across the Atlantic from Cape Town, South Africa to the Brazilian islands of Fernando de Noronha.

They hope to raise $14,000 for the Gluten Intolerance Group (GIG) and the University of Maryland's Center for Celiac Research (UMCCR) while raising awareness that an estimated 2,700,000 Americans with celiac disease remain undiagnosed.

Well, they certainly caught my attention. I wish them well!

Do you think sailing is a breeze? Consider this video, and remember that you can make donations here!



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CeliaCalendar: Westchester Events

Walking, Talking, and Eating in September

As mentioned previously, the third annual Colin Leslie Walk for Celiac Disease takes place at Rye High School in Rye, New York, on September 14, 2008. This is the third edition of a fundraising event that has earned more than $113,000 over the past two years, with the money going to the Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University (CDCCU).

Calling this event a "walk" doesn't quite capture its magnitude. There is indeed a walk—but there are also vendors and talks. The vendors currently include Everybody Eats, Gaga's Inc., Gluten-Free Living, and Joan's GF Great Bakes. The speakers include Suzanne Simpson, the new nutritionist at the CDCCU and Rory Jones, who co-authored Celiac Disease: A Hidden Epidemic with CDCCU director Dr. Peter Green. Lunches and snacks will be available for purchase from the Poughkeepsie GFRAP restaurant Soul Dog.

Pre-registration, which earns you a free t-shirt and saves you $5, ends on September 2.

A week after this event, Dr. Green speaks at the September 21 meeting of the Westchester Celiac Sprue Support Group (WCSSG) at Phelps Memorial Hospital in Sleepy Hollow, New York from 2 to 4pm. This is an opportunity to learn about celiac disease from an expert; some vendors should also be present.

More Distilled Wisdom

In my previous post I touched on distilled vinegar and its lack of gluten, the point being that, contrary to myth, distilled vinegar is appropriate on a gluten-free diet, and that any problems one might have with the vast majority of vinegars would not be due to gluten. Rather than assume that a vinegar has gluten in it, it is reasonable to assume that there's a good chance that any vinegar that is not a malt vinegar is free of gluten, and it would not be a hopeless gesture to check ingredients and contact food producers to clear up any lingering doubts you might have about any vinegar you'd like to try.

Anyway, today I figured that I might as well go ahead and say the same thing about distilled alcohol—spirits such as plain gin, vodka, and whiskey. The distillation would eliminate any gluten that might be in the ingredients of those hard liquors.

Gluten-Free Living states, "Distilled alcoholic beverages are gluten free because distillation effectively removes gluten from wheat. They are not gluten free if gluten-containing ingredients are added after distillation, but this rarely, if ever, happens."

And Celiac Disease: A Hidden Epidemic states, "The distilling process eliminates the gliadin fragment from spirits made from wheat, rye, and barley (e.g. bourbon, vodka, scotch). If spirits contain flavoring that is added in after the alcohol is distilled, it is not necessarily safe." (Gliadin is a fraction of gluten that is toxic for people with celiac disease.)

So, if such spirits make you sick, it's extraordinarily unlikely that the problem would be due to gluten or the smaller gliadin in the booze. Many people with celiac disease do drink hard liquor safely (and, of course, always in moderation). Perhaps your intestines are insufficiently healed from eating gluten elsewhere. Or perhaps there is a co-existing condition. Both scenarios are far more likely.

For instance, consider this, from the National Institute of Health: "There are no known foods that cause Crohn’s disease. However, when people are suffering a flare in disease, foods such as bulky grains, hot spices, alcohol, and milk products may increase diarrhea and cramping." Some people do have Crohn's disease as well as celiac disease.

And also remember that hard liquor, like vinegar, is a "strong" substance. Many people do react poorly to it—especially in large quantities. I don't use the stuff to clear drains, but just look at this list and this list of uses for vodka! Some of them have to be for real, right?



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Makeover for Gluten-Free Living

Magazine Famous for Debunking Myths about Vinegar, Other Foods

Congrats to Ann Whelan, Amy Ratner, Kendall Egan, and the rest of the Gluten-Free Living team on revamping their Westchester-based magazine's website. It's now got a more professional look (and an affiliated blog) while still offering reliable, well-researched information about gluten-free basics.

The website covers ingredients from amaranth ("Amaranth comes from an herb. Gluten free and high in nutritional value, it is puffed for cereal or ground into flour") to xanthan gum ("An ingredient used to give stretch to gluten-free baked goods in place of gluten. It is made by fermentation of glucose by xanthomonas campestris bacterium, from which it gets its name").

The magazine has a reputation for researching and debunking unsupported claims related to the gluten-free diet. So the ingredients page says this about vinegar: "Distilled vinegar is gluten free and has always been gluten free. There is no evidence that suggests vinegar might be dangerous for those who follow the gluten-free diet. The only vinegar to avoid is malt vinegar, which is made from barley and is not distilled."

Now, you might be among those who have a problem with distilled vinegar. No one is saying that you don't have a problem with it. However, the conventional, researched wisdom is that the problem isn't caused by gluten.

So if you feel that you have a problem with distilled vinegar that, unlike malt vinegar, is gluten-free, it is impossible (extraordinarily unlikely) that the problem is gluten, something that could accurately be called a "gluten reaction." Many people with celiac disease enjoy distilled vinegar without testing positive or feeling ill, so it might be that your particular system simply has trouble with distilled vinegar as well as gluten. You can still bring the problem to the attention of your doctor and feel free to keep vinegar out of your diet. There's no shame in that.

Vinegar is, after all, widely acknowledged as a strong, acidic substance. I myself have been known to clean drains with a mixture of vinegar and baking soda—an explosive combination!



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TELEPHONE TRICIA THOMPSON TODAY!

Tricia Thompson (right) is a dietitian with expertise regarding celiac disease and the gluten-free diet. Currently serving on the dietary advisory board of Gluten-Free Living, she notably studied cross-contamination in popular brands of oats. Today she's slotted to be interviewed at 3pm EST today on Get Fit Radio with Shannon and Rob Yontz .

Thompson welcomes questions via the toll-free number 866-472-5792. Even if you happen to miss the live webcast, it seems that you will be able to hear a podcast or read a transcript via the website.

MARTHA STEWART'S BIG IDEA WINNER(S)

Due to technical difficulties* as well as my wild and unpredictable social calendar, I missed Martha Stewart's announcement regarding her Big Idea contest, but it looks like the two top finishers were the publication related to food allergies and sensitivities and the publication related to pets.

CeliacChick Kelly posts about it here; Allergy Moms posts about it here; Go Dairy Free covers it here.

If it turns out that there won't be a regularly published Martha Stewart magazine related to food allergies and sensitivities, try not to be too disappointed. Not being a fly on the wall at Martha Stewart Inc., I can only imagine the in-house chatter about projected advertising revenue, subscriber base, and the very mainstream Martha Stewart brand. I figured that the best one could realistically hope for would be one or more special issues or supplements.

So I'll be interested to see what Martha Stewart does with the knowledge that people are really hungering for material related to their special diets, and I'll continue to take an interest in Gluten-Free Living, look forward to the new version of Living Without, and even enjoy reading the informative newsletter of the Westchester Celiac Sprue Support Group (WCSSG).

* me being stupid

FREE MAGAZINE SAMPLES!

Curious about the magazine Gluten-Free Living? Editor/Publisher Ann Whelan is offering free sample issues while supplies last. Here's the offer as posted at the international celiac disease mailing list:

The messages about Martha Stewart Living expanding into a specialized area, including food allergies, have been interesting. I've been in the magazine business for much of my career and have the greatest respect for Martha Stewart as a magazine editor and publisher.

I did want to make sure people know that my publication, Gluten-Free Living, is out there and has been for quite some time. We are the only publication that concentrates specifically on, as our name says, Gluten-Free Living. We have built our reputation covering every aspect of the gluten-free life, and we plan to continue doing just that.

Those of you who have subscribed for a while know we started many years ago as an eight-page black and white newsletter and now publish a four-color, national magazine. You also know we have been instrumental in correcting a lot of the misinformation that surrounds the gluten-free diet.

We have done this by seeking information the way a journalist would. We take nothing for granted. There is a saying in the journalism world that goes like this: "If your mother tells you, check it out!" And that's what we have been doing, checking things out relentlessly until we get to the bottom of the issues. Then we explain them to the best of our ability so readers, who still have to make their own decisions, make them with reliable information.

It has been an interesting journey and my primarily gluten-free staff and I have learned a lot along the way. We plan to continue on this specialized road and we are in the process of growing and expanding.

It sounds as if some of you are not familiar with Gluten-Free Living. To correct that, we'd like to offer a free sample issue to those who do not currently subscribe -- as long as supplies last. Send your mailing address to [gfliving2003 at yahoo dot com] and please indicate that you are responding to this message. We will get your sample copy into the mail as quickly as possible.

Best wishes,

Ann Whelan
Editor/Publisher
Gluten-Free Living

MAGAZINE NEWS

As you might have learned from a comment in the previous post, Martha Stewart has invited the public to consider seven staff ideas on what new direction Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia might take—and one of those ideas, from her deputy editor Alexis, is a "Special publication catering to those with food allergies and sensitivities that would include recipes."

That's "catering" in the figurative sense. As Alexis puts it:

To publish a special magazine that offers delicious allergy-friendly recipes, making life for people with food allergies and sensitivities easier and more delicious. Millions of people, including myself, can't eat nuts, dairy, wheat or gluten, and I’d like to empower people to make great recipes even if they can't use all the standard ingredients.

Right now this idea is neck-and-neck with an idea about launching a publication or a line of products for pet lovers. You can vote for your preference once a day here through Thursday, February 7, 2008.

It's exciting to see such an idea being considered by such a big name. But while the world awaits the results of the vote, I figured I'd mention two existing publications of interest to people with food allergies and sensitivities.

Of particular interest in these parts is Gluten-Free Living, which is entirely devoted to, um, living gluten-free. Published by Ann Whelan, this magazine continues to make a very significant contribution in terms of researching and clarifying many issues including food labeling and ingredients. It has really helped me navigate the diet over the years.

The magazine Living Without, founded by Peggy Wagener, aims at a somewhat more general audience, like the one described in the Martha Stewart proposal. Publication was temporarily suspended in recent months, but the magazine is due to reappear come spring as part of the Connecticut-based Belvoir Media Group, with Wagener staying on as publisher.

Have you noticed how all of these ventures share the word living?

GLUTEN-FREE LIVING LICKS STICKY SUBJECTS

I'm still making my way through the latest issue of Gluten-Free Living (Fall 2007), but it already strikes me as a keeper. I'm going to try to go over some of the highlights while not stepping on too many toes, and also take note of an opportunity to save on future issues of the magazine.

As you might recall, Gluten-Free Living has been in the forefront of using research to debunk myths about eating gluten-free, such as the unsupported fear of distilled liquor and most vinegars. In this issue of Gluten-Free Living, associate editor Amy Ratner investigates the issue of gluten in envelope and stamp glue. After contacting envelope glue manufacturers as well as the United States Postal Service, Ratner finds that both types of glue are gluten-free. So, if you're still using snailmail, worry no more about winding up like George's fiancée Susan on Seinfeld!

Elsewhere in the magazine, Ratner also covers opinions about the continuing issue of "gluten free" labeling. (I tend to concur with Bruce Ritter of Elisa Technologies, who favors identifying specific test results, such as "Contains less than 5 ppms of gluten," rather than simply using blanket statements such as "gluten free" or "low gluten," which are recommended by food industry interests including General Mills, as Ratner reports.)

The new issue also includes a remembrance of the late Bette Hagman, a mention of the New York City Celiac Disease Meetup Group (NYCCDMG), advice on fat in gluten-free diets from Tricia Thompson, cold weather recipes from Jacqueline Mallorca, and articles on "tricky" ingredients and healthy pregnancies by magazine founder Ann Whelan. Plus, there's a $1.50 coupon for Erewhon cereals!

Which brings me to the money-saving opportunity. The cost of the magazine is due to go up to $34/one year or $56/two years starting on January 1, 2008, so there's still time to subscribe at the current rate of $29/year or $49/two years. Supporting Gluten-Free Living supports its journalistic research, which plays an important role in addressing the day-to-day needs of gluten-free people. You might even want to bring the publication to the attention of area libraries that could add it to their holdings.

BACK ISSUE BARGAIN FROM GLUTEN-FREE LIVING

If you're familiar with Gluten-Free Living, you know how important it has been in shining a clarifying light on such concerns as vinegar. (To learn more about that, see Gluten-Free Living's Ingredients list.)

A one-year (four issue) subscription to Gluten-Free Living costs $29 and a two-year (eight issue) subscription costs $49, and now you can sample three recent back issues (Fall 2006, Spring 2007, and Summer 2007) for $20 by ordering the magazine's special "Catch-Me-Up Package." The letters column of the Spring 2007 issue fields the question "Is there gluten in either scotch or bourbon?" while both that issue and the Summer 2007 include Amy Ratner's research into labels, which explains what that "gluten free" on a package currently means (and doesn't mean), and what it could mean in the future. You might be surprised by what you learn.

There are two ways to take advantage of the Catch-Me-Up Package while supplies last. You can call 914-231-6361 to order by credit card or mail a $20 check to

Ann Whelan
Editor/Publisher
Gluten-Free Living
560 Warburton Avenue, 2nd Floor
Hastings-on-Hudson, NY 10706

Contact the magazine for more information.

BEST WISHES TO BETTE

About six hours after I posted in this space, word came that Bette Hagman had passed away. Cynthia Kupper of the Gluten Intolerance Group wrote the following:

It is with great sadness that I inform you that Bette Hagman passed away quietly this afternoon at home. I took her nearly a hundred good wishes messages yesterday. She was pleased to get them and she and the caregiver were reading them before I left. They brought smiles and tears to her. They were exactly what she needed. Any messages that continue to come in will be given to her daughter.

Thank you all for your kindness and support for Bette. I know both she and her daughter appreciated it very much. Bette inspired and helped more people than she will ever know. We will miss her.

Messages for Bette Hagman's daughter Karol can still be sent to any of the addresses listed below.

The work of gluten-free cookbook pioneer Bette Hagman (pictured in this article) has been celebrated by the CeliacChicks and Ellen Allard of I Am Gluten Free among countless others who have pored over her recipes and other writings over the years. Hagman's reach is far: A lecturer and longtime member of the Seattle-based Gluten Intolerance Group, she is also listed as a Contributing Editor of the Westchester-based magazine Gluten-Free Living.

If you have any favorite Bette Hagman recipes or anecdotes, this is a good time to share them with her, as per this letter from Cynthia Kupper of the Gluten Intolerance Group.

Dear gluten-free friends;

It is with sadness and a heavy heart that I share this news and ask for your support - one last time - for a dear, sweet lady - Bette Hagman.

Bette Hagman is seriously ill. She is trying to be strong by is weakening quickly by this illness.

We want Bette, the author of the Gluten Free Gourmet series of cookbooks, to know how much she has done to make a difference in the gluten-free diet by pioneering great tasting gluten-free foods.

Bette reads every card and note that comes to her. We want her to know she is not forgotten and her work is appreciated. Please consider sending your thoughts, emails and cards to Bette via the GIG office. We will deliver them to her daily. Please act now. Let her know how much we appreciate her.

Send your notes and cards to:

Bette Hagman
c/o GIG
31214 - 124 Ave SE
Auburn WA 98092-3667

Or send an email to: gig@gluten.net. In the subject line put: For Bette Hagman

You may also fax a note to: 253-833-6675

Please keep Bette and her daughter Karole in your thoughts and prayers.

Cynthia Kupper, RD, CD
Executive Director
Gluten Intolerance Group of North America

For related coverage, see Gluten Free Gobsmacked and Gluten-Free Fun.

AMERICAN CELIAC DISEASE ALLIANCE GROWS

The Westchester Celiac Sprue Support Group and Foods by George are among the eight new members of the American Celiac Disease Alliance (ACDA), the advocacy organization announced in a press release today.

Other ACDA members associated with the greater New York metropolitan area are Gluten-Free Living and the Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University. The group's President is Beth Hillson, founder of The Gluten-Free Pantry and a Vice President of Glutino USA/Gluten-Free Pantry.