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                      Living Well Without Wheat
                      -------------------------
                           by Bette Hagman

[Betty Hagman spoke at the Westchester (NY) Celiac Conference Day,
Sept.  21, 1997.  This talk was summarized in the Westchester Celiac
Sprue Support Group's Oct.  1997 newsletter.  Enclosed here are
excerpts from that summary.--ed.]

When Bette Hagman was diagnosed with celiac disease (CD) 25 years ago,
she didn't know how to cook.  In fact, she never imagined she would be
a role model for living well on a gluten-free (GF) diet and the author
of three successful cookbooks (The Gluten-Free Gourmet series).
Today, Bette's cookbooks have sold over 100,000 copies and have been a
valuable source of information for both newly-diagnosed and long-term
celiacs.

Bette spoke of the first 50 years of her life (prior to diagnosis).
As a child she missed playing because she was too sick.  So she would
lie on the window seat and watch the other children play.  As a
teenager she didn't date because she was too embarrassed at how often
she would need to stop at a restroom.  She didn't have people over
because it took her all day to do the housework that her neighbor
could do in two hours.  She was able to hold her jobs and work, but
she often skipped lunch so she would not be too sick to work in the
afternoon.

Diagnosis of CD came slowly to Bette, as is often the case.  She had
been having the same symptoms all her life:  stomach distress,
weakness, low weight, fuddled brain, anemia, and infertility.  After
many GI series, her medical chart was simply labeled "rapid transit"
because the food was going through her so fast.  Finally, at a pain
clinic she went through all the tests they had and was told that she
just wanted attention and should see a psychiatrist.  At this point
she was beginning to feel suicidal.  Fortunately, Bette received good
support from a friend who told her there was nothing wrong with her
mentally; she had a disease and the physicians had just not found it
yet.

Soon after, Bette was diagnosed with CD.  She left the doctor happy to
learn that it wasn't cancer, but a trip to the grocery store soon
brought her down to earth.  She quickly learned that all the things
she loved were on the "no-no" list.  She initially cut out a lot of
socializing, for fear of eating out.  Then she began exchanging
recipes with a group of other celiacs, although the exchange was
one-sided in the beginning as she didn't cook.  So that is how she got
started.  Some of the recipes in her first cookbook came from the
group.

Today, Bette encourages those with CD not to miss anything.  She
travels wherever she wants and can eat anything she wants, so long as
she makes it herself.  It doesn't take much to pack a bag that will
give you quite a bit of protein, fruit, and starch.  If the GF meal
she orders from an airline isn't GF, then she just digs out her bag.
For international travel Bette suggests carrying a letter from your
doctor stating that you have CD and that the only prescription for it
is your own food.  (In some countries food is not allowed to be
carried in without medical cause.)

Bette says to do whatever is necessary to make a meal at social
occasions.  She carries a dining card from the GIG of North America
that lists the diet restrictions, which she finds is effective when
eating out.  You can carry a little GF bread or food bag with you when
needed.  If you have to eat only an appetizer when everyone else has a
full meal, then go ahead; just talk with your friends and eat more at
home later.

Bette always keeps her food box packed, even for a shopping trip.  It
contains biscotti, raisins, and cheeses slices, and is kept in the
refrigerator.  She just takes it with her in her purse.  If she meets
someone and they want to go to lunch at a place she can't eat at, she
goes with them, orders coffee and salad, and nibbles out of her food
box while she talks.  In most restaurants this is not a problem if you
tell them why.

We are lucky now to have access to many wonderful GF food suppliers
and the addition of new flours such as bean and sorghum [jowar].  She
is working on two more mixes that can be used in the same way as her
original GF flour mix.  So the food choices available to celiacs will
continue to increase.

Besides being a successful author and speaker, Bette also promotes CD
awareness on a one-to-one basis.  "I want to shout it to the world,"
said Bette.  "I want to shout it to everybody who says it's a bad
diet, and tell them you don't miss a thing.  I even have a license
plate that reads, 'Living Well Without Wheat.'  I get a lot of
questions about it, and that's what I wanted.  That's what we need to
do--all of us need to talk about celiac disease.  Our researchers say
that probably only 10% of us have been diagnosed; all the rest of
those with celiac disease are out there still suffering."

"I really wish that my former doctors could see me standing here and
I'd shout to them, 'I'm diagnosed--I'm happy, I'm healthy--I'm living
well without wheat.'  I can honestly say that at 75 years old, I feel
better than I felt at 50.  So don't ever say you're too old to do
anything, and never get off this diet--please."