Samantha Ruth Prabhu has been battling a rare autoimmune disorder for a couple of years now. In a recent conversation with food pharmer, aka Revant Himatsingka, the Citadel: Honey Bunny actor said that following her diagnosis, she has stopped endorsing junk food and passed up on plenty of brand advertisements.
“When I entered this industry in my 20’s, the symbol of success was based on the number of projects you have, the number of brands you endorse and how many brands want your face on their products and I was very happy that all of these big multinational brands wanted me as their brand ambassador,” she said, adding, “I have given up and said no to more than 15 brands just last year, and of course that’s crores and crores of money”
She added that every time there is an endorsement now, “I vet my brands with three doctors before I agree to endorse them.”
But what led to this mindset shift?
Samantha was diagnosed with myositis, an autoimmune condition, back in 2022. “When I was diagnosed with my autoimmune condition, I was in a very helpless and lonely place with my health. I didn’t know where to begin. When you get sick and you get a pill for a week, you feel that you would be fine. However, this is not like that. It’s chronic, and you’re told that it’s incurable. You’re told that it’s lifelong and it’s going to get worse,” she continued.
Myositis is a condition that causes muscle inflammation, resulting in pain and soreness, fatigue, trouble swallowing, and breathing difficulties. Dr Santosh Kumar Agrawal, senior consultant in Internal Medicine at Marengo QRG Hospital Faridabad, told indianexpress.com that while it is usually treated with steroids and immunosuppressive drugs, an anti-inflammatory diet can help tackle its symptoms.
C V Aishwarya, a clinical nutritionist and lecturer at Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, added that an anti-inflammatory diet focuses on whole, nutrient-dense foods rich in antioxidants, healthy fats, and fiber, while minimising processed foods, sugars, and unhealthy fats — what is generally known as ‘junk food’.
This health condition made her realise that her previous decisions came at a long-term cost—her influence had a negative impact on younger generations’ consumption patterns. “Today, I feel that my younger self should apologize to my older self for doing all the nonsense, and that’s exactly why I want to appeal to my younger followers not to think that they are invincible in their 20s. I have learned the hard way that it is not!” added the Family Man actor.
DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.
