Working with families who have allergies to milk protein - APLV, gluten, nuts, among other dietary restrictions, guiding a healthy diet and lifestyle, allowed me to observe that in these cases the changes are much faster and deeper. Despite all the difficulties and suffering for abandoning old habits and especially a large part of industrialized products, the well-being of the baby and/or child is what motivates these parents to continue. My job is to make it easier for them. That's why I conducted a conversation circle with more than 70 people to share useful information and tips on this subject.

Among several issues debated in the wheel, one of the most highlighted was the increase in the number of cases of food allergies and intolerances. Among the causes of this increase are the excess of poor quality food (processed and refined), excess of chemicals such as heavy metals, pollutants and pesticides, which damage the intestinal surface and the microbiome.

Thus, the apparent allergy brought a new awakening to healthy eating. After the initial period, when everything is suddenly restricted, a new world opens up with foods that were not part of the diet and different ways of preparing food. All the mothers who were present reported that even if the allergy improves in the future, they feel much better now and do not want to go back to the old style of eating, as they much prefer a natural and wholesome diet.

"Even if my 4 children no longer have food allergies in the future, I never think about going back to eating the way I was before."

For those who did not participate in the conversation round, I will share the main tips here:

• Planning: helps to avoid problems on trips, parties and other occasions. Many mothers shared that they bring home frozen meals for a week in a cooler to ensure allergen-free food when traveling.
• Awareness: this is what Mariana, Douglas' mother, highlighted in her testimony. Douglas, a great little warrior who conquered a battle against autism through healthy and allergen-free food (for him milk, gluten and soy) combined with physical activity, today leads a normal life. For her, the most important thing is to emphatically explain to him that those foods are not good for her. Thus, she feels safe when someone offers her something, as he always asks what ingredients are present in the food and refuses if he knows it contains something that is bad for him. Click here to learn more about its history.

• Quality: opt for organic and natural foods, obtained through family farming in fairs, home gardens, farms, etc. Direct contact with producers is important in order to obtain information about what is being used in the crop. It is also the best way to avoid food additives and other chemicals that can intensify the allergy picture.
• Community: participating in groups, whether a personal participation or even on social networks or via whatsapp, is a tool that has helped a lot those mothers and fathers who go through this. Share your story and have someone to talk to about what's going on, exchanging information is learning.

We also had the collaboration of several partners, who are making the lives of those living with dietary restrictions easier with healthy, allergen-free products. Here is the list of participants:

• Grandmother's Paddock
• vegan
• NaPlay

As we had a lot of demand for this first round, we are organizing the next one for next year. If you are interested in holding a conversation circle at your school, work or even at home, please contact us by on here for more information.

I hope this post helped, after all, it's not easy to live with restrictions! Is that you? Do you have any allergies or intolerance? Share your experience and favorite tips here!