Before she was the founder of Live Healthillie, Iliriana Balaj woke up every day with cystic acne, debilitating migraines, and a bloated, inflamed body doctors claimed was “normal.” A former personal trainer with a seemingly healthy lifestyle, Iliriana was ticking every health box—macro counting, protein supplements, strength training—but inside, her body was breaking down.
“Everything looked fine on paper. But I was exhausted, in pain, and covered in acne. That disconnect was my wake-up call.”
We sat down with Iliriana to unpack her deeply personal health journey—one that led her from fitness burnout to founding Live Healthillie, a curated, clean-living platform helping thousands ditch greenwashing and shop smarter for wellness.
The Wake-Up Call: When “Healthy” Made Her Sick
Iliriana’s symptoms were impossible to ignore—eczema so bad it peeled under makeup, 15+ migraines a month, and chronic digestive issues that left her looking “eight months pregnant” after eating. But despite countless visits to dermatologists, endocrinologists, GI specialists, and neurologists, she kept getting the same answer: “You’re fine.”
Instead of answers, she was handed prescriptions: Accutane, Percocet, stool softeners. She was 23. “If I’m ‘fine,’ why am I being given all this medication? That moment flipped a switch for me.”
The Start of Non-Toxic Living
Iliriana began questioning everything—from her pre-workout to her shampoo. She discovered how many so-called “health” products were packed with artificial dyes, sweeteners, and endocrine disruptors.
She started swapping products one at a time, healing her gut, cutting out fragrances, and eventually eliminating supplements not serving her. Slowly, her skin cleared, her energy returned, and she began to feel like herself again.
The Birth of Live Healthillie
As she shared her journey on Instagram, followers started asking: “Where do you buy your products?” People were overwhelmed trying to vet labels, avoid greenwashing, and find non-toxic options across multiple sites.
That’s when Iliriana and her husband launched Live Healthillie—a curated marketplace where every item is vetted by her, from skincare and supplements to protein powder and home goods, all in one place. Today, it’s served over 75,000 orders and counting.
“Your supermarket might not have these brands. Amazon might be selling counterfeits. I wanted to create a place people could trust.”
Rethinking Diet Culture: Fat, Fertility & Food as Energy
One of the most powerful parts of Iliriana’s story is how she reframed her relationship with food. From fearing fruit sugar and demonizing fat to embracing full-fat dairy, nutrient-dense meals, and intuitive nourishment—her mindset shift has been pivotal in supporting her hormone health, metabolism, and fertility.
“We’ve been trained to fear fat and sugar, but they’re essential for hormone health, brain function, and metabolism. Most people are overfed and undernourished.”
Iliriana now advocates for women to stop chasing low-calorie trends and start eating for their energy, cycles, and recovery. She’s candid about the impact of chronic dieting, stress, and the overconsumption of “healthy” processed foods on fertility and hormones.
Fertility, Burnout & The Power of Root-Cause Healing
When Iliriana started trying to conceive, she quickly realized how broken the fertility system is. Despite “normal” results from her OB-GYN and fertility clinic, she trusted her gut and ran her own functional testing—including a Dutch hormone panel and bloodwork.
The result? Low leptin, a key hormone that regulates satiety and signals energy availability to the brain—aka, her body didn’t feel safe to carry a pregnancy. “If I had gone straight to IVF, I would’ve been forcing a body that didn’t have the reserves. I had to thank my body for protecting me.”
Her message? Unexplained infertility is not a diagnosis—it’s a signal. And if you’re not being tested for inflammation markers, mineral balance, gut health, and hormonal rhythms, you’re not getting the full picture.
Minerals, Movement & Managing Stress
Years of high performance and low nourishment left Iliriana dealing with burnout and HPA-axis dysfunction (a clinical term for “adrenal fatigue”). A Dutch test revealed her cortisol levels were in the tank, and she was starting every day exhausted.
“I was sleeping 8 hours and waking up like I hadn’t slept at all.”
To support her stress response and restore depleted minerals, she began taking adrenal cocktails—but couldn’t stand the taste. So, she created Minerals & Chill, a blood sugar–friendly blend of vitamin C, magnesium, sodium, and potassium to help restore balance at the cellular level. She also shifted her workouts, ditching intense bodybuilding in favor of strength training, Lagree, and Pilates to support her nervous system and hormone balance.
“You can’t pour from an empty cup—and stress doesn’t just mean being busy. It’s what your body feels at a cellular level.”
The Takeaway: Redefining What It Means to Be “Healthy”
Iliriana’s story is a reminder that real wellness isn’t about doing more—it’s about doing what actually matters. It’s not about chasing perfection, obsessing over every ingredient label, or jumping from one trend to the next. It’s about tuning into your body, questioning the status quo, and creating space for a version of health that feels sustainable, nourishing, and real.
If you’ve ever felt dismissed, overwhelmed, or unsure of where to start, know this: you don’t need a perfect plan. You just need a reason to begin. Watch the full episode here!
