Hi! I'm MeG, I'm the Founder of NOGO Sauces, WELCOME!
If you are a foodie and looking for delicious, mouth watering sauces, then you've come to the right spot! We are multi-award winning and absolutely delicious.
My journey began 13 years ago when I lost my husband and was under tremendous stress. Soon after, that’s when all my mysterious symptoms started.
Doctor visits with no answers to my health issues, intense reactions to food and not knowing why, indigestion, bloating, skin colour changes, upset tummies, lethargy and just not being able to function.
And my head was tormented by mood swings and a foggy brain. Everything I ate upset my stomach and how I felt.
In fact, I could count all my “safe foods” on just one hand. They were iceberg lettuce, turkey, chicken and not much more… It was horrible.
I had all the classic symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).
Doctors couldn’t figure out what was wrong with me...
The doctors and specialists I visited for help thought I had all these really chronic conditions like Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Crohn’s disease, which thankfully I didn’t have.
But what really happened was this event triggered something in me that I had my whole life but wasn’t quite aware of…
Finally, I was diagnosed with Fructose Malabsorption, Gluten Intolerance and I was to later learn an Amine Intolerance. In other words, I had food allergies. A big dose of IBS.
I felt like my world really took a turn...
Up until this point, I loved eating out and cooking was one of my greatest passions in life.
I’m a foodie to the core, having attended cooking schools in Italy, Thailand, Switzerland, France, Indonesia, Morocco, Vietnam and Australia. This passion to learn and improve has always been a big part of me.
So when I got the diagnosis, I initially thought that flavour was lost to me... everything I could eat was bland and tasteless.
I was devastated. But that quickly turned into frustration, and then curiosity… I thought, no way was I ready to give up and let the joy of food be taken away from me!
Now, anyone who's gone shopping for low-FODMAP foods will know that it’s no easy task...
It was more challenging for me because I was adamant about avoiding the whole “cheap and cheerful” range of sauces on offer… no preservatives and additives were on my list with flavour and high quality ingredients a must, especially when suffering from IBS.
I know I’m lucky I LOVE cooking. From where I stood, about 95% of this diet called for it, but not while I’m in pain and feeling terrible.
Then, I had a bright idea!
What if I modify the recipes of my all-time favourite foods and created a handful of “go-to” recipes and sauces that were FODMAP-friendly as well as free from garlic and onions or at least FODMAP friendly. Keep them at home in the cupboard for days when I wasn’t up to cooking.
They’d be stored in the cupboard, perfect for days where I wanted quick, easy and tasty meals to whip up in a matter of minutes. I’m already spending most days wasting time uncomfortable and in pain.
Looking back, I have to say... my sauces saved me from ruining my diet many times because
1) They’re low FODMAP
2) It takes no time at all to prep a meal as they are an easy meal in a jar
3) They’re my comfort foods so I enjoy them enough to suppress any high-FODMAP cravings…
And I did it! Coming out victorious as I completed the elimination part of the diet and graduated to the reintroduction period, which is scary as well.
But knowing my triggers now and how much of something I can eat before I have to forfeit (because serving size matters) has helped me tremendously.
I truly believe the only way of sustaining a FODMAP diet is by eating foods that are healthy, flavourful and above all, satisfying! It should make you happy. You should also be able to share it with anyone, not just your IBS friends, they’ll love it just as much as you!
It was amazing, everyone who tried my sauces ended up loving them, and that’s when friends and family convinced me that this was something I could actually pursue and make a career out of…
These sauces made a real difference for people with busy lives who want to attempt eating low-FODMAP but don’t have the time to do it.
Instead of eating out, they could have safe and hassle-free sauce while staying on-the-go...
This brings us to now… 6 years on and NOGO is now a National food company, growing strong and loved by so many like-minded foodies.
My wish is for more people to eat healthily and safely, to happily share their food with family and friends and to truly love what they eat...
I understand from my own journey towards finding “safe foods” just how crippling a disease like IBS can be…
One that’s too quick to be waved away by naivety and incapacity of doctors even when you’re experiencing chronic pains and symptoms.
It shouldn’t have to be this difficult…
My mission with NOGO is to help others avoid going through this same sense of helplessness… and to remind you all that you’re not alone. We are here to help.
Eating well is an act of self-care that can be as easy as twisting a jar, heating it up, and enjoying a satisfying meal without worrying that your body will turn against you…
I hope you get as much joy as I do every time I hear the lid pop when I open a jar, I still eat my own sauces daily and get as much joy from them as they day I started. I hope you do too!
Because here at NOGO we just love your guts!
Cheers,
Meg
