Roxanne Smithson was born in a Boston hospital in 1970 at 9:45 P.M. Her parents were well-known in their respective fields — her father a gastroenterologist, and her mother a nutritionist. Being an only child, Smithson was heavily influenced by her parents science-backed health and wellness principles and grew up in a warm, loving home with plenty of hot, delicious, well-balanced meals on the table each day.
Smithson took an early fondness for gardening, having cultivated her own thriving little orchard by the age of 12 years old. As a teenager, her love for gardening paved the way to her founding her high school’s first-ever garden club.
When she left for University, Smithson would constantly receive care packages from her former alma mater, filled with tons of fresh fruits and vegetables grown from the school’s garden.
In University, Smithson was keen to learn more about the application of nutrition in a clinical setting. During her days as a student, she quickly learned how to apply nutritional assessments in clinical contexts, and was transfixed with subjects that help figure out the role that metabolic demands and pathophysiology play in the nutritional management of illnesses and diseases.
After graduation, Smithson went on to travel around the United States as a research assistant, in search of ways to help manage the country’s struggle with obesity and irritable bowel syndrome. It wasn’t long before she became the go-to expert in these areas and quickly became a well-renowned expert in clinical nutrition and nutrition support.
Being an outspoken advocate for healthy eating, Smithson lets her passion for proper nutrition take the wheel and drive her to educate marginalized families and minorities in and around her city.
Her expertise proved useful for many clinics and schools all over the globe, which allowed her to travel as far as Asia to speak in international nutrition and digestive disease conferences, as well as study oriental diet and nutrition.
Her research also took her across Europe, primarily in Spain, to closely follow how their people’s lifestyle choices play a part in their high life expectancy and quality of life, health-wise.
Upon her return to the United States, she already had 15 years of experience under her belt and quickly delved into her own practice, specializing in digestive health and treatment. Today Smithson is one of the leading educators and experts in the management of irritable bowel syndrome, celiac disease, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, and inflammatory bowel diseas.
Over the years, she focused on the benefits of the Low FODMAP Diet and now advocates for patients with debilitating gut disorders. In a nutshell, “FODMAP” stands for: Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, and Polyols — short chain carbohydrates and sugar alcohols that are poorly absorbed by the body and often cause abdominal pain and distention, gas, pain, bloating, and diarrhea.
Following the Low FODMAP Diet requires going through three stages, namely Restriction, Reintroduction, and Personalization.
Phase One: Restriction entails a strict avoidance of all high-FODMAP foods for about three to eight weeks. Phase Two: Reintroduction involves systematically reintroducing high-FODMAP foods one by one for three days each, to identify which types of FODMAPs are tolerated and establish the amount that can be tolerated. And, finally, Phase three: Personalization – also known as the Modified Low-FODMAP Diet – involves the restriction of some FODMAPs, with the amount and type being tailored to every patient’s tolerance.
Using her vast knowledge in the Low FODMAP Diet, Smithson is able to help patients receive the best quality of life and health outcomes, using a collaborative, patient-centered care process, wherein patients are supported by a competent and innovative health care team.
During her free time Smithson lives a gluten-free lifestyle and enjoys practicing yoga, running, and swimming with her children and husband in their hometown of Boston, Massachusetts. Her parenting style consists of strict household diet rules, such as a prohibition of sodas and fast food, as well as a very limited intake of sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats.
Smithson still spends a significant amount of her weekends doing her first love — gardening. Once a month, Smithson sets up a small stall with her family in front of their home, and sells fresh produce to her community at significantly lowered prices to promote healthy eating habits and provide other families with fresh, mouth-watering, healthy, nourishing meals.
Despite being busy with her practice and family life, Smithson still spends a few weeks every year traveling to third-world countries and extending her help for free among communities who are in dire need of professional help with their gut health and overall wellbeing.
Smithson’s fruitful career doesn’t stop there. Amazingly, she also finds time to write and publish her own self-help guides, targeted to meet the needs of people who suffer from irritable bowel syndrome, so they, too, can achieve better nutrition and gut health. Her books have reached thousands of grateful readers all over the globe, and it’s time that you check her work out, too.
Her book, “The Ultimate Low Fodmap Diet ”, is now available on Amazon for you to purchase, download, share, and enjoy.
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