Camilla’s story: From constant restrictions to food freedom
Written by: Alba Health team
Last updated: 2026-02-10
Camilla is a mother of three: Alma (6), Otto (5), and Livia (1.5). Like many parents, she expected early childhood to be filled with milestones: first foods, playground adventures, and relaxed family dinners.
Instead, those years became defined by stomach pain, eczema, and restless sleep.
"It was tough from the start," Camilla says. "Not just physically for them, but emotionally for us as parents. When your child doesn't feel well – and you don't have clear answers – you feel powerless."
The challenge: Three children, one shared struggle
Camilla’s children each faced unique but overlapping challenges. Alma
struggled with constipation and stomach pain as soon as she started solids. Otto dealt with reflux, unsettled sleep, and severe eczema. Even baby Livia showed early signs of discomfort until cow’s milk protein was removed from her diet.
In each case, Camilla noticed that diet was a trigger. She began eliminating milk, gluten, egg, and soy. While the eliminations helped, the mental load was overwhelming. "It becomes a constant mental load," she explains. "Birthdays and school meals become stressful.”
Camilla describes this period as living in "permanent planning mode." Every outing required a cooler bag of safe foods and a map of potential triggers.
"There was pressure all the time. We cooked everything from scratch. We planned every situation. It’s exhausting – and you just want your children to be able to live like everyone else."
The frustration of negative tests
Despite the clear reactions, standard allergy tests often came back negative. This is a common experience, as many gut-related sensitivities are associated with the microbiome rather than a classic IgE-mediated allergy.
One memory stays with Camilla. She was alone with 2 kids when a doctor called her and told her to stop removing gluten and milk to ensure future testing accuracy. "I remember feeling so overwhelmed. I was trying to help my child feel better – and it was clear that symptoms were triggered by those foods – and suddenly I was told I was doing it wrong."
It wasn't just the physical symptoms that weighed on the family; it was the isolation of the "unknown." "You want someone to guide you in a way that feels realistic, safe, and tailored to your child," she says.
Finding Alba: A science-backed explanation
Camilla discovered Alba Health through an Instagram ad. Having an interest in a holistic lifestyle and preventative health, she was drawn to Alba’s scientific pedigree, co-founded by world-leading microbiome scientist Prof. Willem de Vos.
She started by testing Otto, her most sensitive child. She wasn't looking for a miracle; she was looking for clarity on why his body couldn't tolerate what other kids could. "I wanted to understand what was actually going on in his body," she explains. "Why was he reacting to so many things?"
The breakthrough: The missing microbe
The report revealed a clear pattern: Otto had very low levels of a beneficial bacterial strain essential for immune support and gut barrier function in early life.
"It was like... oh. This makes sense," Camilla says. "And there’s something we can actually do." Following Alba’s personalized plan, she introduced targeted probiotic support and specific dietary changes to "feed" the friendly bacteria. "It felt realistic and like a very easy solution. It fit our family life – unlike some advice we’d received earlier through healthcare. This felt like support that actually understood us."
Three months later: A transformed life
The shift was significant. Within months, Otto began gradually tolerating foods he had avoided for years. By five months, the family reached a milestone: they told the school he no longer needed a special diet. His skin also cleared completely. "The improvement was markant," Camilla notes. "The rashes were completely gone."
When Camilla later tested Alma and Livia, a similar microbial pattern appeared. All three children began targeted support. The most dramatic transformation was seen in Otto, while Alma and Livia also experienced clear improvements.
“Livia still has some sensitivities,” Camilla shares, “but just this weekend she accidentally had milk protein – and there was no reaction at all. That would have been impossible before.”
Looking back, she feels a sense of relief mixed with reflection: "I truly wish we had known about Alba earlier. You don’t want your children to suffer. And you don’t want to spend years guessing."
A family pattern: The same missing microbe
After testing her children, Camilla eventually tested her own microbiome too. Her results showed she also had low levels of the same beneficial strain. “That made me think: maybe this is bigger than just the kids,” she reflects.
Emerging research shows that a child’s early gut microbiome is influenced by maternal microbial patterns through birth, breastfeeding, and a shared environment. By identifying this shared gap, Camilla was able to see the health of her entire family through a new, science-backed lens.
From restriction to rebuilding
Camilla’s strategy shifted from "what to avoid" to "what to add." Their daily routine now includes more:
- Increased fiber variety to support microbial diversity.
- Inulin-rich foods like onions and chicory fiber to feed beneficial microbes.
- Fermented foods like sauerkraut to support gut homeostasis.
Reframing the journey: From guessing to guidance
Camilla’s journey reminds us that while standard tests are vital, they don't always capture the whole picture of a child’s health. By looking at the microbiome, she was able to move beyond the frustration of negative results and identify a specific microbial gap that was driving her children's sensitivities.
This shift from restrictive dieting to actively rebuilding the gut barrier through targeted nutrition and strain-specific support changed everything. Today, the "permanent planning mode" has been replaced by the simple joy of birthday parties where her children can eat like everyone else. It is a powerful example of how science-led insights can lighten the mental load of parenting and give children the freedom to just be kids.
"Now the kids can go to birthday parties and eat everything," Camilla says. "Life is just... lighter."
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