Fremes, Ruth 1930–

views updated

FREMES, Ruth 1930–

PERSONAL: Born January 19, 1930, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada; married Zak Sabry (a professor), May 10, 1984; children: Marji Rosenberg, Susan, Adam Shirriff, Jason Shirriff. Education: University of Toronto, B.A.; John F. Kennedy University, M.A. Religion: Jewish.

ADDRESSES: Home—Berkeley, CA. Agent—Andree Abecassis, Ann Elmo Agency, 756 Neilson, Berkeley, CA 94707. E-mail—[email protected].

CAREER: Canadian Broadcasting Corp., Toronto, Ontario, radio and television host, 1960–72; Canadian Television Network, Toronto, reporter and program host, 1972–87; freelance writer. Consultant to H. J. Kaiser Foundation, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and American Dietetic Association.

AWARDS, HONORS: Award from Association of Canadian Television and Radio Artists (now Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television, and Radio Artists), 1978, for television public-affairs programming.

WRITINGS:

NutriScore, Methuen (New York, NY), 1976.

What's Cooking: The Rate-Yourself Guide to Nutrition, five volumes, Methuen (New York, NY), 1982–87.

Down Home Healthy, U.S. Department of Agriculture (Washington, DC), 1990.

(With Nancy Carteron) A Body out of Balance: Understanding and Treating Sjogren's Syndrome, Putnam Publishing Group (New York, NY), 2003.

SIDELIGHTS: Ruth Fremes told CA: "Writing about matters of health and nutrition comes easily to me once I have knowledge that I believe others need. It is invariably helped by collaboration, usually with someone whose writing skills are inexpert but whose knowledge about a complicated subject is something the public needs.

"In the case of A Body out of Balance: Understanding and Treading Sjogren's Syndrome, the work sprang from the need of patients suffering with Sjogren's Syndrome to have current information and techniques for mastering their disorder. The coauthorship came about with rheumatologist Dr. Nancy Carteron, whose time was limited but whose knowledge and willingness were great.

"In the case of NutriScore, the work was designed to counteract the myths and claims for nutrition that were current in 1976. It was extremely successful. It became a best seller as well as a text for colleges in Canada.

"At present, I am resting, thinking, and deciding what will come next. As in the past, I feel certain that something will emerge from the process."