Meatstock 2026 is a carnivore health event where real healing stories take the stage. This year, Jessica Roman brought one that no one will forget. Her daughter Riley, born with a terminal genetic disease called MMIHS, went from intestinal failure and 16 surgeries in one year to a thriving, healthy little girl, all through a carnivore diet.
Early Diagnosis
Three days after Riley was born, the nurses noticed something was wrong. No wet diaper. She was rushed to the NICU, and after a battery of tests, the diagnosis came back devastating. Riley had MMIHS (Megacystis Microcolon Intestinal Hypoperistalsis Syndrome), a rare terminal genetic disease that had left her intestines severely malformed.
The doctors didn’t soften the blow. Riley wouldn’t live past a couple of years. Her life would be defined by constant surgeries, possible multi-organ transplant, and a short death.
“My husband and I refused to accept it.”
Holding Onto Hope
Every night, after tucking Riley in, Jessica and her husband got down on their knees and prayed. They had no medical evidence that their daughter could heal. They only had faith, and they chose to hold onto it.
For a while, things seemed manageable. While breastfeeding, Riley did well. However, the moment solid foods were introduced, everything the doctors had warned about came true. Her stomach became distended. She was put on TPN, IV nutrition delivered through a port in her chest. Her liver began to fail. She was diagnosed with intestinal failure and underwent 16 surgeries in a single year.
The family lived in a state of constant emergency. Night after night, they would wake to Riley vomiting and rush her to the ER. She was life-flighted many times.
“Every night, we got on our knees and prayed for an answer.”
The Diet Change
Then one day, something shifted. Jessica felt a clear message: it was the gas.
Riley’s condition causes her intestines to move food incredibly slowly. Food goes in, doesn’t come out, sits, ferments, and rots. Jessica became convinced that stopping the fermentation could improve Riley’s intestinal motility. The problem was that almost every food ferments. Almost everything except meat.
Her husband already knew this from his bodybuilding days. He looked at Jessica and said:
“You don’t need bread to live, and I’m Italian.”
It was a revelation. Jessica had never considered that meat alone could sustain a person, let alone heal one.
The Turnaround
At nearly 3 years old, Riley weighed just 26 pounds. She wasn’t speaking, walking, or smiling. One more emergency surgery could be the end. Through prayer, the family found a naturopath named Becky Potter, who introduced them to the GAPS diet. When Jessica explained that Riley couldn’t tolerate any plant foods, Becky had a simple answer:
“Try no-plant GAPS.”
Using Riley’s G-tube, they blended meat and bone broth and fed her that way. Within two months, the transformation was undeniable. The little girl with visible ribs and hollow eyes was now playing, climbing, walking, and talking.
Shortly after, her central line was removed. She came off TPN entirely. Her liver healed. As a result, her doctors declared her out of intestinal failure.
Words of Encouragement
Since sharing Riley’s story, Jessica has connected with families across the world facing the same diagnosis. Six children have now come out of intestinal failure after switching to carnivore. Her message to anyone sitting on the fence is clear:
“You cannot be in worse shape than terminal, progressive, genetic, multi-organ failure. If carnivore could heal that, it can help you too.”
You’ve got this.