Gigi Hadid Opens Up About Hashimoto's and Its Impact on Her Body

“To those of you who are determined to come up with reasons why my body has changed over the years, you may not be aware that when I started modeling at 17, I hadn't yet been diagnosed with Hashimoto's disease,” Gigi wrote. “Those who labeled me ‘too big for the industry’ were actually seeing inflammation and water retention caused by the condition.” She added that following her diagnosis, she has been on medication and has worked toward a healthier lifestyle.

For those of you so determined to come up w why my body has changed over the years, you may not know that when I started @ 17 I was not yet diagnosed w/Hashimoto’s disease; those of u who called me “too big for the industry” were seeing inflammation & water retention due to that. — Gigi Hadid (@GiGiHadid) February 11, 2018

Over the last few years I’ve been properly medicated to help symptoms including those, as well as extreme fatigue, metabolism issues, body’s ability to retain heat, etc … I was also part of a holistic medical trial that helped my thyroid levels balance out. — Gigi Hadid (@GiGiHadid) February 11, 2018

How Hashimoto's Altered Gigi Hadid's Physique

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Addressing concerns that she has intentionally become thin, she wrote: “My eating habits have stayed the same; my body simply processes food differently now that my health has improved.” While she acknowledged that she finds this “skinny” look not ideal for herself, she noted that she feels healthier and that she is “still learning and growing with my body every day, just like everyone else.”

Although stress & excessive travel can also affect the body, I have always eaten the same, my body just handles it differently now that my health is better. I may be “too skinny” for u, honestly this skinny isn’t what I want to be, but I feel healthier internally and (cont) — Gigi Hadid (@GiGiHadid) February 11, 2018

(cont) am still learning and growing with my body everyday, as everyone is. — Gigi Hadid (@GiGiHadid) February 11, 2018

And to make sure everyone gets the message, Gigi stresses that this will be the final time she explains her body to others. “Please, as social media users and human beings in general, learn to have more empathy for others and understand that you never truly know the full story,” she tweeted. “Use your energy to uplift those you admire rather than being unkind to those you don’t.”

I will not further explain the way my body looks, just as anyone, with a body type that doesnt suit ur “beauty” expectation, shouldnt have to. Not to judge others, but drugs are not my thing, stop putting me in that box just because u dont understand the way my body has matured. — Gigi Hadid (@GiGiHadid) February 11, 2018

Please, as social media users & human beings in general, learn to have more empathy for others and know that you never really know the whole story. Use your energy to lift those that you admire rather than be cruel to those u don’t. — Gigi Hadid (@GiGiHadid) February 11, 2018

Gigi Hadid first disclosed her Hashimoto's diagnosis in December 2016. “My metabolism changed dramatically this year,” Gigi revealed at Reebok’s #PerfectNever event in New York City, as reported by People. “I have Hashimoto's disease. It's a thyroid condition, and I've now been on medication for it for two years.”

Her illness influenced how she got ready for the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show. “I didn't want to shed any more pounds,” she said. “I just wanted to build muscle in the right spots, and if my butt could get a bit perkier, that would be great.”

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According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Hashimoto's disease is roughly seven times more prevalent in women than in men, and those diagnosed often have relatives with thyroid or other autoimmune disorders. It can affect teenagers and young women but is more frequently seen in middle-aged women, the organization notes. (That said, Gina Rodriguez and Victoria Justice have also said they suffer from the condition.)

Watch a medical expert explain how to help manage a thyroid disorder:

A person develops Hashimoto's disease when their body produces antibodies that attack their thyroid gland, explains Melanie Goldfarb, M.D., an endocrine surgeon and director of the endocrine tumor program at John Wayne Cancer Institute at Providence Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica, Calif. People might not even notice symptoms—such as constipation, feeling cold and exhausted, and trouble concentrating—at first because they're not very obvious, says Goldfarb. Eventually, however, your thyroid won't work as well as it should, and as a result, you'll likely start noticing some seemingly unexplained weight gain, she adds.

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That often prompts people to visit the doctor, where diagnosis occurs through a blood test that measures levels of thyroid hormone and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) in your body, says Supneet Saluja, M.D., an endocrinologist at Baltimore's Mercy Medical Hospital. (Heal your whole body with Rodale’s 12-day power plan for better health.)

Sometimes, doctors take a watchful-waiting approach with Hashimoto's disease. “Having the condition itself doesn't necessarily mean you'll have symptoms or that your thyroid isn't functioning,” Goldfarb explains. Doctors typically give patients a yearly blood test to monitor their thyroid hormone levels, and if they begin to drop, they'll prescribe medication like levothyroxine to help restore balance.

And yes, experts say it's entirely possible to have Hashimoto's disease and still be healthy. “Once [your body is producing] the right amount of thyroid hormone, [everything] should return to normal,” says Saluja. Additionally, any weight gain that occurred due to imbalanced hormone levels should disappear once they're back in proper working order.