Your name: Teri Lee Gruss
A short bio: I’m the About.com Guide to Gluten-Free Cooking and a gluten and dairy free cooking nut. I love to cook! I have a MS degree in Human Nutrition and am very interested in bringing balanced nutrition to gluten-free diets.
1.How long have you been eating gluten free? 4 years
2. How did you discover that you were gluten intolerant? A Gluten Sensitivity Stool and Gene Panel Test.
3. What were your most prominent symptoms? Ataxia, multiple nutrient deficiencies (a severe vitamin D deficiency and signs of protein deficiency), chronic bloating, infertility, miscarriage and the development of hypothyroidism.
4. Do you have an official diagnosis of Celiac Disease? I have not had an endoscopic diagnosis. I do not possess the gene type for Celiac disease but do have the gene type for a particularly severe form of non-Celiac gluten sensitivity.
5. How long did it take for your major symptoms to disappear when you started on a gluten free diet? About 4 months but I felt almost immediate relief from the symptoms of bloating and general digestive malaise.
6. Do you have allergies or intolerances to other foods? Yes, I have lactose intolerance and casein intolerance.
7. Are other members of your family gluten intolerant? Yes. One son has non-Celiac gluten sensitivity and my husband and oldest son have the genotype for Celiac disease but have not developed it.
8. What do you miss the most since starting to eat gluten free? I miss the freedom of an unrestricted diet. Otherwise I have adapted to my restricted diet and think that it’s healthy and certainly makes me feel better.
9. What is the hardest part for you about eating gluten free? For me, eating away from home is the most challenging aspect of living gluten-free. This is getting easier as more and more gluten-free restaurant options and groceries offer gluten-free foods.
10. What is your favorite restaurant? PF Changs
11. Do you have a favorite gluten free recipe to share? Yes! I recently converted the original recipe for Morning Glory muffins to a gluten-free version of this delicious, healthy muffin. It contains about 1 quart of fresh carrots, apples, pineapple, coconut, raisins and nuts! Here’s the link to my Gluten-Free and Dairy Free Morning Glory Muffins recipe at glutenfreecooking.about.com..
12. What are your hobbies? Besides cooking, my husband and I grow a large garden and I’m learning how to preserve the vegetables and fruits that I grow. I’m also learning to brew gluten-free beer which is challenging but a lot of fun and this year I may learn how to be a beekeeper.
13. Where did you go on your last gluten free vacation? I went to Ireland with my brothers recently. We rented a house and cooked our own food. We really enjoyed the fresh Irish produce and beef. The grocery stores in Ireland are terrific. They offer similar gluten-free packaged foods as we find in the states.
14. How has eating gluten free changed your life for the better? I am so much healthier, with more energy and don’t succumb to seasonal illnesses that used to plague me.
mike dupuy says
I had no Idea that the stuff that we grew up on was the stuff that was killing us! No wonder the major food producers spend billions on advertising. They have to replace the people that they do in…