Distributing low FODMAP food to people in the USA
Hi everyone! My name is Randi Stecki. For 19 years of my life I suffered with constant stomach aches, bloating, and chronic constipation without a diagnosis. Besides the stomach problems, I was a healthy, athletic, and energetic kid. Multiple times every year I would go to the doctor to hear a new way to treat my unexplainable symptoms: eat more fiber, take more laxatives, drink more water, eat less fiber, don't take laxatives... The cycle was endless and nothing worked. Eventually after years of suffering, I was finally diagnosed with multiple stomach problems that explained all of my symptoms. With just three simple breath tests, I was told I had fructose malabsorption, SIBO (small intestine bacterial overgrowth), lactose intolerance, and IBS-C. While getting a diagnosis was relieving, the treatment was far from that. Treatment: follow a Low FODMAP diet. A WHAT?!? I was given a list of foods I could and couldn't eat and the list of foods I couldn't eat well exceeded the list of foods I could. It was the biggest challenge I have ever faced. All of the foods I thought I had been eating to be healthy like apples, whole wheat, and avocado were actually make me sick. My whole diet had to change and I had little guidance from doctors and nutritionists who are still learning about the diet themselves. Luckily, my research skills are great, and I was able to find a nutritionist who was well educated on the subject and could assist me. After 3 years, I was able to find safe foods that I can eat without stressing whether they will increase and develop symptoms. Almost everything I eat is homemade and everything else is closely examined and studied for unwanted ingredients. My grocery shopping list consists of the same 10 foods I am confident I can eat, and I almost never choose to explore other options simply because I don't want to risk getting sick and I don't have hours to spend in a grocery store. Its BORING, its STRESSFUL, and its simply INCONVENIENT. Luckily, Low FODMAP certification programs are labeling food products outside of the country to make it finding groceries for those suffering with IBS (10-15% of the US population) easier and safer. Although products are available in other countries for low FODMAPers, people with chronic digestive issues in the U.S.A do not have access to these products. This inspired me to import and distribute low FODMAP products into the U.S.A to give all of us struggling the opportunity to feel good and live symptom free with multiple food options. With your help, I will be able to import low FODMAP food and distribute it to people with chronic digestive problems all across the country. You will help me become the nation's leading representative and food distributor for the Low FODMAP community while spreading the knowledge of the diet to people unaware of its benefits and eventually increasing the number of manufacturers who certify their products. All of the sales will begin online and then I plan to expand to wholesale distribution to grocery stores.
