Daisy Ridley Reveals Recent Health Diagnosis & How She’s Coping

Daisy Ridley Reveals Recent Health Diagnosis & How She's Coping

As a movie buff with a keen eye for the lives behind the silver screen, I must say that Daisy Ridley‘s courage and resilience truly shine through her latest revelations. Being diagnosed with Graves’ disease added another layer of complexity to her already challenging health journey, but she continues to push forward with grace and determination.


In a recent interview with Women’s Health magazine, Daisy Ridley, the rising star known for her role as Rey in the latest Star Wars trilogy, has openly discussed her health struggles. Last September, she was diagnosed with Graves’ disease, an autoimmune disorder that primarily impacts the thyroid and frequently results in hyperthyroidism. Despite this diagnosis, Ridley is currently promoting her new film, Young Woman and the Sea, and chose to use this platform to share her story.

In the article, Ridley admitted experiencing persistent issues such as a rapid heart rate, weight loss, fatigue, and tremors in her hands last year, prompting a visit to an endocrinologist. Previously open about managing endometriosis and polycystic ovaries, the actor now faces another challenge. Her symptoms intensified during recent film projects, and she’s astounded by her own strength: “I didn’t realize how poorly I was feeling before. Then I looked back and wondered, ‘How on earth did I pull that off?'”

After receiving Graves’ diagnosis, the actor found herself facing a significant life change. To maintain her health even further in an already healthy lifestyle, she started to pay more attention to her dietary needs. Although she had been vegan for quite some time, she also chose to eliminate gluten completely due to issues with inflammation in her body. She’s not too rigid about it, but overall reducing gluten makes her feel better.

It seems that many women are experiencing symptoms without proper diagnosis, which often leads to them acknowledging their discomfort by saying, ‘I really don’t feel well,’ instead of insisting they’re okay with repeated ‘I’m fine’ statements. This state of feeling unwell has unfortunately become a norm for some.

What Is Graves’ Disease, the Thyroid-Related Condition Daisy Ridley Has?

Daisy Ridley Reveals Recent Health Diagnosis & How She's CopingDaisy Ridley Reveals Recent Health Diagnosis & How She's CopingDaisy Ridley Reveals Recent Health Diagnosis & How She's Coping

Graves’ disease shares characteristics with hyperthyroidism and can manifest symptoms such as unexpected weight loss, fatigue, and difficulty sleeping. While it can be effectively managed, the exact causes are yet to be fully understood; some experts suggest a possible genetic link might be involved. The diagnosis of this condition is frequently linked to hyperthyroidism due to their overlapping symptoms.

Notable figures such as Rodney Dangerfield, Missy Elliott, Marty Feldman, Sia, Wendy Williams, and George H. W. Bush, among others, have battled Graves’ disease in the past. Ridley, too, has been diagnosed with this condition, and she has chosen to drastically alter her workout regimen. In conversations about her trainer Matt Bevan, Ridley expresses: “He’s incredibly skilled. He knows bodies; he understands fatigue. I do a variety of reactive and functional exercises.”

During her preparations for her recent movie, Ridley found herself spending a great deal of time swimming, which was quite similar to the arm workouts she did when using a lightsaber. In an interview about her training regimen for Young Woman and the Sea, a true tale of the first woman to swim across the English Channel, Ridley discusses her routine.

The initial attempt at swimming for the role happened in a 20-meter pool. I managed to swim half the distance, but then I became anxious and thought to myself, “I can’t pull this off. I truly can’t.”

Subsequently, she needed to swim for approximately 90 minutes, roughly three to four times every week, over a span of about two-and-a-half months. As the project progressed, she boosted her sessions to five times a week, with Olympic swimmer Siobhan-Marie O’Connor overseeing all these workouts. You can watch our conversation with Ridley and her fellow actor in Young Woman and the Sea here:

Ridley’s latest film,
Young Woman and the Sea
, is available to
stream on Disney+
.

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2024-08-06 23:01