In addition to opening up about her family's battle with the chronic disease, the daughter of Yolanda Hadid talks about her own struggle to live with Hashimoto's disease.
- Feb 8, 2019
AceShowbiz - Gigi Hadid felt "a lot of guilt" over her health when she was younger, because it meant she couldn't understand what her poorly relatives were going through.
Gigi's mother Yolanda Hadid, and her model siblings Bella Hadid and Anwar Hadid, all suffer from Lyme Disease. And seeing her nearest and dearest going through the illness was difficult for the fashion star, who didn't have any health concerns when she was growing up.
“I come from privilege, and I recognize my privilege,” @GiGiHadid tells @ninagarcia for her first U.S. ELLE cover. “My mom moved to the States to send money back to her family in Holland. My dad was a refugee and worked his way up in every way. I work hard to honor my parents.” pic.twitter.com/W3nBO4TmE6
— ELLE Magazine (US) (@ELLEmagazine) 6 February 2019
"Growing up, having three of my family members sick made me very independent," she told U.S. Elle magazine. "My mom couldn't drive or get out of bed some days, so I took my brother to school with me, or I made lunch. But I also felt a lot of guilt for being the one person in the family who didn't understand what they were going through. It's hard when your whole family is in pain and you don't know what to do."
Shortly after Gigi moved to New York to pursue a modelling career, she was diagnosed with Hashimoto's Disease - which often leads to an underactive thyroid gland. She's learned to deal with the condition over the years, and is always up for experimenting with holistic treatments which may help her.
"Most people get Hashimoto's when they are middle-aged," the 23-year-old explained. "I got it very early. In high school, I had a lot of water retention. Even after extra workouts, I had bloat that wouldn't go away. And I was always tired. That was tough."
"But it's about learning about your body. As a 17- and 18-year-old, I was prescribed a medication that many people start taking when they are 50, and it can lead to bad things if you take it for too long. So my mom looked into some holistic treatments. Also, in California, I went to see a doctor for CBD (cannabidiol) treatments. You can make a life for yourself in ways that won't hurt your body."