Welcome back to Gut Talk! If you're new here - hi, we're so happy to have you.
In this episode we sat down with functional nutritionist Micaela Riley (@bebalancedbymicaela) to talk about everything women need to hear about gut health, hormones, metabolism, and why so many are still feeling off - even when doing "all the right things."
Micaela opens up about her own journey of feeling dismissed by doctors, struggling with symptoms like hair loss, weight gain, acne, and burnout - only to later build a thriving wellness practice helping women get real answers.
We cover:
- The biggest mistakes women make when trying to “get healthy”
- Why 1,200-calorie diets and endless cardio aren’t working
- Over-supplementation and how it might be hurting your liver
- Mikayla’s glowy skin routine (and her take on the sunscreen debate!)
If you’ve ever felt dismissed, confused, or like something’s still not right, this one’s for you!
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction & Guest Intro - Micaela Riley from Be Balanced
01:23 The Skin Routine, Wellness in Austin, and Gluten-Free Living
05:04 Micaela’s Personal Health Journey & Being Dismissed by Doctors
08:52 The Problem with Traditional Medicine and Women's Health Dismissal
11:52 Why Functional Testing Matters (DUTCH, GI Map, Bloodwork)
14:06 Over-Supplementation, Liver Stress & TikTok Wellness Culture
17:02 What Lab Testing Reveals: Hair Loss, Hormones, and Chronic Symptoms
19:48 PCOS, Perimenopause & Common Hormonal Patterns
23:44 Metabolic Health, Weight Fluctuations & Cortisol Confusion
26:22 Blood Sugar, Insulin Resistance & Tools to Track It
30:00 The Under-Eating Epidemic & Cardio Overload in Women
33:16 Lifting Weights vs. Endless Cardio: The Metabolism Myth
35:00 Supplement Overload & How It’s Harming, Not Helping
38:22 Jill’s Melanoma Story & Sunscreen Controversy in Wellness
42:46 Healing Through Slowing Down: Letting Go of Over-Exercising
45:11 Skin Health, Retinol, Barrier Repair & Micaela’s Full Routine
49:18 Acne, Insulin Resistance & Why Zinc Isn’t a Cure-All
51:03 Blood Sugar 101: What It Is, Why It Matters, and How to Fix It
54:35 Macros, Protein, Fiber & Tracking for Long-Term Health
58:10 Eating More to Build Muscle & Reverse Dieting Real Talk
Follow the Gut Talk Girls on socials:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/guttalkgirls/
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@guttalkgirls
Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/gut-talk-with-jill-and-jenna/id1597804122