Andrea Ballenthin Nutrition

01/07/2026

Big news in nutrition today! The U.S. just unveiled a brand-new inverted food pyramid for 2025-2030, flipping the script on healthy eating. Unlike the old 1992 pyramid (heavy on grains/carbs at the base) or the MyPlate era, this one puts protein (meat, eggs), full-fat dairy (cheese!), veggies, and fruits at the widest top section – with ultra-processed foods, added sugars, and refined carbs minimized at the bottom.

It prioritizes whole, nutrient-dense foods and protein intake at every meal. To support hydration it emphasizes water and unsweetened beverages while limiting alcohol consumption.

This change can support better metabolism, reduce inflammation, and tackle chronic diseases like obesity and diabetes. Real food over processed is a game-changer for population health!

What do you think of the upside-down pyramid?

12/18/2025

✨ Festive Gut-Healthy Mocktails ✨
If you want to celebrate this season without the bloat, blood sugar crashes, or next-day inflammation… give these festive mocktails a try. 🎄🥂

Each one is packed with functional ingredients like ginger for digestion, pomegranate for polyphenols, kombucha for probiotics, citrus for liver and immune support, and mineral-rich sparkling water to keep you hydrated.

A great easy option to enjoy a fun + festive drink without sacrificing how you feel.
Your gut (and hormones!) will thank you. ✨

Which one are you trying first?

12/10/2025

If you’ve been treating eczema only on the surface, this is your reminder that the real root cause often lives much deeper - in the gut. 👇🏼✨

Research shows that people with eczema commonly have intestinal permeability (“leaky gut”), dysbiosis, and immune activation in the GI tract. When the gut barrier becomes compromised, it can trigger inflammation throughout the body… including the skin.

This is why eczema often overlaps with bloating, food sensitivities, irregular digestion, or feeling inflamed after certain meals. Your skin is simply reflecting what’s happening internally. 💛

When you strengthen the gut barrier, support the microbiome, and identify hidden triggers like Staph aureus, H. pylori, yeast, or low beneficial bacteria, the skin barrier becomes calmer, stronger, and less reactive.

Healing eczema from the inside out is possible and stool testing gives us the roadmap.

If you’re ready to take a root-cause approach to your skin (instead of chasing flare-ups), I’d love to guide you.

✨ Click the link in my bio to learn about stool testing + gut-focused eczema support with a free strategy call.

Your gut and skin are always talking — let’s help them heal together. 💛

12/09/2025

Is your skin barrier broken?

Redness, sensitivity, dryness, breakouts, or that “everything burns when I put it on” feeling are classic signs your barrier is damaged — and it often starts deeper than the skin.

Chronic stress, low essential fatty acids, gut dysbiosis, and intestinal permeability can all weaken that protective layer.

Your skin barrier can heal with the right approach both inside and out.

Here are my favorite barrier-supporting products I recommend often:
✨GentleClean and Hydraberry (Clearstem) — deeply hydrating + calming, perfect for rebuilding moisture
✨ SIV — supports barrier repair + reduces inflammation beautifully
✨ After The Rain (Elaa) — soothing ozone balm that nourishes and calm reactive skin
✨TAHNYC - Oilless Oil Free Moisturizer
✨Body Bio Balance Oil and PC

And remember: healing the skin barrier isn’t just topical.
It’s gut health, stress support, nutrient density, + gentle skincare working together.

Do you have signs of these?

Support it, and it will rebalance!

Share this with someone who’s struggling with their skin. Follow for more information coming soon from my skin barrier sequence.

See link in profile for product discounts.

11/28/2025

Looking for holistic holiday gifts? Here are some of my favorites. Most have great sales through the weekend. Giving the gift of health is an investment that lasts longer than this season. Visit https://www.andreaballenthin.com/marketplace for a full list of my favorites.

The GI bundle is great for digestive support, especially for those with bloating and discomfort around meals.

Are there any gift ideas you would add?

11/26/2025

The holidays can be magical… but if you struggle with gut issues, they can also feel stressful, unpredictable, and hard to navigate.

You don’t need to avoid all your favorite foods or feel anxious around every gathering — you just need a strategy. 💛

These are some of the top tools I teach to navigate this time of year: regulate your nervous system first, keep blood sugar stable, bring a “safe” dish, support digestion intentionally, and give yourself permission to slow down. Small habits truly make the biggest difference in how your gut responds.

What have you tried?

11/03/2025

🌿✨ Thanksgiving Pomegranate Rosemary Mocktail ✨

This is a favorite seasonal mocktail that can be made in a bigger batch to keep things easy. It blends gut-loving and antioxidant-rich ingredients that include pomegranate, citrus, and rosemary for a refreshing drink that is just as nourishing as it is beautiful 🍹💫

🍊 Recipe:

1 cup 100% pomegranate juice
½ cup fresh orange juice
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp maple syrup (optional)
1 cup sparkling water or plain kombucha
A few fresh rosemary sprigs
Pomegranate arils for garnish

Instructions:
1️⃣ Mix juices + maple syrup in a pitcher.
2️⃣ Add rosemary sprigs and let infuse 5 mins.
3️⃣ Pour over ice, top with sparkling water or kombucha.
4️⃣ Garnish with rosemary + pomegranate arils.

Why your gut loves pomegranates:

Pomegranates are packed with polyphenols, natural plant compounds that feed beneficial gut bacteria and support a healthy microbiome. They act like prebiotics, helping increase gut diversity and reduce inflammation in the gut lining. Plus, their antioxidants help calm oxidative stress — a key player in gut and skin inflammation. I love adding them in whenever I can!

10/16/2025

Have you noticed that when your digestion feels off, your mood often does too? The gut and brain are constantly communicating — and when that connection is disrupted, it can affect everything from focus to emotional resilience.

Common signs your gut may be influencing your mood include:
- Bloating, constipation, or diarrhea
- Brain fog or poor concentration
- Feeling “wired but tired”
- Heightened stress sensitivity
- PMS mood swings
- Low motivation or unexplained anxiety

The gut does far more than digest food — it helps regulate neurotransmitters, hormones, and inflammation that directly shape how you feel each day.

In this new post, we’ll explore how gut imbalances can influence mood and simple ways to start restoring balance from within.

If you’ve ever had a “gut feeling” that something was off with your mood, you might be onto something more than intuition. Emerging research continues to affirm what functional medicine has known for years: your gut and brain are deeply connected. So if you’re struggling with mood swings, an...

08/19/2025

Getting sunlight exposure within 30–60 minutes of waking is one of the most powerful ways to realign your rhythm and support whole-body health.

Here’s what morning light does:

- Resets your circadian rhythm to help you feel alert in the morning and sleepy at night
- Regulates cortisol, your main stress hormone, so it peaks at the right time (in the morning!)
- Boosts melatonin production later in the day – setting you up for deep, restorative sleep
- Triggers vitamin D production, essential for hormone health, immune support, and bone strength
- Improves blood sugar regulation and reduces insulin resistance
- Activates the parasympathetic nervous system, helping you feel calm and centered

This is why many people feel better after a vacation with lots of outdoor time they’ve unintentionally reset their body’s light cues.

But the truth is:
You can’t out-supplement a dysregulated circadian rhythm.

05/20/2025

Herbs are an easy yet powerful way to enhance the flavor of your meals while delivering a range of natural health benefits, from supporting digestion to reducing inflammation.

Summer herbs like oregano, basil, and cilantro aren’t just kitchen staples—they’re powerful allies for gut health and blood sugar balance 🌿.

Oregano is rich in natural antimicrobials that help reduce harmful gut bacteria and support microbial balance that can help with conditions such as SIBO and candida.

Basil contains compounds that support insulin sensitivity and stable blood sugar. It also contains flavonoids that protect cells from oxidative stress to help protect the immune system.

Cilantro is a natural detoxifier and known for its ability to bind to heavy metals like mercury and lead, helping the body eliminate them through detox pathways. It supports liver function which is key for clearer skin and a healthier gut.

Add them to salads, dressings, sauces, smoothies or infuse them in water and turn your meals into medicine—deliciously.

05/02/2025

When we talk about healing, we often think of supplements or strict diets—but true healing begins with supporting your body’s natural pathways. Three underrated yet powerful ways to do that this spring:

✅ Getting outside – Sunlight helps regulate your circadian rhythm, boosts vitamin D, and encourages lymphatic movement (key for detox).

✅ Eating seasonal foods – Spring produce like leafy greens, asparagus, and radishes support liver and digestive function. Nature provides exactly what your body needs this time of year.

✅ Building community – Social connection lowers stress hormones like cortisol, which when elevated it can keep insulin high.

This season, support your body by syncing with nature + finding inner joy!

03/06/2025

🧠✨ Unlocking the Gut-Brain Connection: How Microbes Influence Anxiety ✨🧠

Recent research from Duke-NUS Medical School and the National Neuroscience Institute reveals that gut microbes play a crucial role in regulating anxiety-related behaviors. The study found that microbial metabolites, specifically indoles, directly influence brain activity linked to anxiety. This discovery opens the door to potential probiotic-based therapies for mental health shifting the focus from anxiety medications as the only course of treatment.

In experiments, mice without gut microbes exhibited heightened anxiety and increased activity in the basolateral amygdala, a brain region associated with emotions. Introducing indoles from gut bacteria normalized this activity and reduced anxiety behaviors.

This research highlights the impact of our gut microbiome on mental well-being and suggests that nurturing our gut health could be a natural strategy to combat anxiety. This is just one of many reasons you need to be prioritizing your gut health!
For more details, check out the full study:

https://www.embopress.org/doi/full/10.1038/s44321-024-00179-y