Daisy Ridley’s Rey Skywalker is one of the most badass female characters in Hollywood history. As a protagonist in the Star Wars universe, Rey is a symbol of strength, resilience, and loyalty. While sometimes stubborn, she has a headstrong personality which solidified her place in the list of fierce and bold female characters in cinema history. Daisy Ridley is not unlike her character either.
Daisy Ridley has had a series of health complications ever since she was a wee teenager. However, nothing stopped her from going out and accomplishing the goals she set for herself. Recently, the actress was diagnosed with Graves’ disease which was as unexpected as rain on a hot summer day. Despite this setback, Daisy Ridley is striving to make her life better, one change at a time, and focusing on her well-being.
Daisy Ridley’s Health Faces Another Curveball
When Daisy Ridley was in her teenage, she was diagnosed with endometriosis, something which a lot of women struggle with. Soon, Ridley was in her twenties when the doctors diagnosed her with polycystic ovaries. Overall, the actress’ health has not been kind to her.
Unfortunately, she was diagnosed with Graves’ disease last year in September. For context, Graves’ disease is an autoimmune condition that affects the thyroid gland. As a result, a person’s body makes way too much thyroid hormone than the healthy required amount.
Speaking to Women’s Health about the condition for the first time, Ridley recalled the day she was diagnosed. The actress was experiencing hot flashes and fatigue when her general practitioner made her pay a visit to an endocrinologist. There, she listed out her symptoms – weight loss, racing heart rate, fatigue, hand tremors, etc. – the endocrinologist suggested Graves’.
It all began when she was filming Magpie. Ridley told WH, “I thought, Well, I’ve just played a really stressful role; presumably that’s why I feel poorly.”
After the diagnosis, Ridley thought to herself,
It was funny, I was like, ‘Oh, I just thought I was annoyed at the world,’ but turns out everything is functioning so quickly, you can’t chill out.
An autoimmune disease is no joke and Ridley, rightfully, felt heartbroken. However, along with sadness came bouts of irritation as she has always taken really good care of her body and health. It was as if like she felt betrayed by her body.
Instead of sulking and taking a backseat, Ridley decided to change her lifestyle for good. While she was already vegan, she switched to a gluten-free diet immediately after the diagnosis.
I am not super strict about it, but generally cutting down on gluten makes me feel better.
What’s more, is that the diagnosis has given Ridley a new perspective on life. Mundane things like birds chirping in the morning and the beautiful blue color of the sky are not so mundane for the actress anymore. She has a newfound appreciation for the little things in life.
Daisy Ridley is Shifting Her Focus to Her Well-Being
Anyone who has been a fan of Ridley for some time knows just how conscious she is about her health. She has always been pretty outspoken about it all which has helped many women around the world come to terms with their own health issues and take the driver’s seat.
While always health conscious, Ridley has now decided to work towards being well-being conscious.
I’ve always been health conscious, and now I’m trying to be more well-being conscious.
She has decided to slow down, pay more attention to what her body is telling her, and give importance to her time to rest. Apart from all of this, she is adding infrared saunas, cryotherapy, massages, and acupuncture to her well-being plan.
Into crystals, Ridley always carries a rose quartz with her which is said to help with emotional balance, self-love, and peace.
She added,
We all read the stats about women being undiagnosed or underdiagnosed and sort of coming to terms with saying, ‘I really, actually don’t feel good’ and not going, ‘I’m fine, I’m fine, I’m fine, I’m fine.’ It’s just normalized to not feel good.
The Star Wars actress has made it her mission to help women understand that it’s okay to not feel fine all the time and to pay more attention to their health. In a world where women are often undiagnosed/underdiagnosed and their worries about their health are chalked up as over-reactions, Ridley encourages women to understand and help their bodies without feelings of guilt.
Even a character as headstrong as Rey Skywalker would bow down to Ridley’s strength.
Stream Ridley’s Star Wars films on Disney+.
