TV star Gemma Atkinson has revealed her six-year-old daughter Mia has been diagnosed with epilepsy.
Gemma shares Mia and son Thiago, two, with her partner Gorka Marquez, who she met in 2017 while competing on Strictly Come Dancing. The pair announced they were dating in 2018 and went on to get engaged in 2021, although they are yet to tie the knot.
Over the years, Gemma has been open about parenting struggles and health scares with her children. And now, in a heartbreaking update, she has revealed Mia is being treated for epilepsy.
Gemma Atkinson reveals daughter Mia has epilepsy
Speaking on her Just As Well, The Women’s Health Podcast, Gemma opened up about Mia receiving treatment for epilepsy. And she revealed the changes she has made to try and make things better for the youngster.
Gemma was joined by author Davinia Taylor, who was sharing how a keto diet could help with brain health. And this was something Gemma had become aware about recently, admitting that Mia has “absence seizures”.
She said: “It’s interesting you say about keto for the brain health. My daughter, she is under treatment for epilepsy. She has the absence seizures. She doesn’t fit or anything. It’s just like a stare out.”
But thankfully, over the past year, Mia has been improving. And Gemma believes changing to a keto diet was part of the reason as to why.
The actress said: “The seizures have gotten so much better a year in. I obviously, when I was told that, was immediately like ‘I need to research, research and research’. I went down a rabbit hole, and found that keto diet was designed for patients with epilepsy.”
Gemma explained that diet helps “rewire” functions in brains, admitting: “The doctor said to me: ‘If you can get her on a keto diet, you can reset it and rewire her brain for life.'”
A keto diet is a very low-carb, high-fat eating plan that shifts the body into a metabolic state called ketosis.
Mia has been ‘improving’ over the last year
Gemma immediately began a keto diet for her daughter, and found she’s had huge improvements – and hasn’t had a seizure in a while.
She said: “The improvements we have had… I mean, we are constantly monitoring. In the last six months, she’s had none. Touch wood. School has reported none. We have not seen anything.”
As for what changes Gemma is actually making, she revealed that Mia has a set breakfast every day.
“It’s an omelette every day for breakfast. At first she was like: ‘No, I don’t want it.’ But we were like: ‘Nope.’ I’m putting collagen in her yogurts and stuff without her knowing. When I read about it, it said it was given to epilepsy patients back in the day.”
Read more: Gemma Atkinson and Gorka Marquez announce joint podcast, Lost in Translation
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