About Ellen

Ellen, known as GinevraP on the forums, is thirty-three years old. She and her supportive husband, Thomas, are raising their two spirited girls, aged eighteen months and almost four years. Ellen lives in Clarksville, TN, where she teaches math at the local university.

Ellen knew of her environmental allergies since childhood but remained oblivious to food allergies.

During her first pregnancy, Ellen had a couple of food reactions. She simply avoided the offending food. During childbirth, Ellen experienced hypertension for the first time in her life, swelling within minutes of the IV insertion. Allergies were never considered.

During her second pregnancy, Ellen became extremely fatigued, especially after lunch. After the birth, her symptoms lessened but did not disappear.

Over the next year, Ellen continued to experience fatigue and confusion after eating. She put off eating until she finished teaching in order to properly function. Even so, Ellen was still missing answers to simple questions, forgetful, and generally unable to function on the spot.

After discussing symptoms with a wheat-allergic friend, Ellen strongly suspected food allergies. She made an appointment with an allergist. The doctor was unmoved by descriptions of incredible fatigue, confusion, light-headedness and flushing that accompanied meals – all classic signs of chronic exposure to food allergens, according to clinical ecology. However, Ellen was tested and found allergic to corn and many other foods in August of 2006.

After noticing the widespread use of corn, Ellen turned to the Internet to learn more – not at all prepared for what she would find. Testing the truth behind Jenny's list of corn derivatives and the information found on the Avoiding Corn forum, Ellen soon discovered that the claims were true: corn was everywhere and in everything. Finding V’s list of safe foods was a godsend. Ellen has been struggling to research and eliminate corn ever since.