96: How to Take a Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Vacation with Laura Falzon

Soaring Child: Thriving with ADHD

How do you stay gluten-free when you're away from the comfort of your own kitchen? That's the question we'll dive into today.

Laura Falzon, the creator of the popular YouTube channel Five Hungry Travelers, joins the show to share practical tips and strategies to make travel less stressful and more enjoyable for families who are prioritizing health conscious choices. Laura shares ways to travel without compromising on dietary restrictions. She has worked for years in the travel industry before starting her own business as a birth doula.

When her child needed to adapt his diet to manage his ADHD symptoms, their whole family learned to trust their bodies and heal themselves through a gluten free and dairy free diet. As a result, Laura developed an approach to take their diet on the road and continue their family adventures around the world. Now, she shares this expertise on her YouTube channel, Five Hungry Travelers, to help families confidently travel with kids with dietary restrictions.

Link mentioned in the episode:

The ADHD Symptom Reduction Tool: https://adhdthriveinstitute.com/tool

Key Takeaways:

[5:07] Why Laura created 5 Hungry Travelers

[7:01] How Laura’s son is doing today

[8:06] Common challenges families face when traveling with dietary restrictions

[11:55] How these challenges change when traveling internationally

[15:35] Tips for parents to effectively communicate dietary needs on the go

[18:59] Where to go to find information about eating on the go with dietary needs

[21:38] What Laura travels with, in case her meal options don’t go as planned

[23:30] Tips for managing airport travel with dietary restrictions

[23:47] Laura’s favorite destinations that cater to dietary restrictions

[30:44] Laura’s advice to a family who feeling scared to take her family on a trip because of dietary restrictions

[32:05] Where to find Laura online

Memorable Moments:

”This diet has made a difference in us even being able to travel. So of course we’re going to stick with it because I, myself, having been gluten free for a couple of years, know when I get some gluten and how badly I feel. And the last thing I want is to feel that way on vacation…and the same is true for my child.”

”We’re not going to fudge it. People are always like, ‘You have to live a little bit. You’re on vacation.' Absolutely not. That’s the worst piece of advice.”

”I strongly recommend that you practice before you go…what you need to say to keep your family safe.”

”I really want to encourage folks not to be apologetic and afraid to speak up. We’re so afraid of being a hassle, being a bother. But many people who work in the food industry…they love to make their guests happy…So give them the opportunity.”

”You go from overwhelmed, ‘I can’t possibly do it. It’s too hard,' to ‘I can do it, and I feel better.’ It’s so worth it!”

”ADHD kids thrive on routine…That is still true on vacation.”

”It’s not the vacation you used to have….There’s still a lot of mental load involved in planning.”

How to Connect with Laura Falzon:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FiveHungryTravelers

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/5hungrytravelers/

Dana Kay Resources:

Website: https://adhdthriveinstitute.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ADHDThriveInstitute/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adhdthriveinstitute/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ADHDThriveInstitute

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/adhd-thrive-institute/mycompany/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ph/adhdthriveinstitute/

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@adhd_thriveinstitute

International Best Selling Book, Thriving with ADHD – https://adhdthriveinstitute.com/book/

Free Reduce ADHD Symptoms Naturally Masterclass - https://bit.ly/3GAbFQl

ADHD Parenting Course – https://info.adhdthriveinstitute.com/parentingadhd ADHD Thrive Method 4 Kids Program – https://adhdthriveinstitute.com/packages/