Victoria Justice Opens Up About Hashimoto's Disease Diagnosis

Victoria Justice looks extremely happy and healthy on the November 2015 cover of Health magazine.

The 22-year-old actress opened up to the glossy about her Hashimoto’s disease diagnosis, which is a a thyroid autoimmune disorder that can interfere with thyroid function and affect metabolism.

“This Korean acupuncturist put me on a super-strict diet, where I was a pescatarian [eating fish but no other meat]. I also couldn’t eat any sugar, wheat or dairy. I did that for about two months, and it was so intense,” Victoria shared about her extreme diet.

She continued, “I think it made my skin clearer and glow more. They had put me on this thyroid medication, and I think the levels were too high for me because it caused my skin to break out. All my life I’ve always had great skin, so it was really devastating. Also, at first, I was losing a lot of weight, then I went on tour and I started gaining weight, and it was the most I’d ever gained in my life. I was, like, 115 pounds. Then when I filmed a movie last summer, I actually went under 100 pounds. It was crazy, but things have leveled out, and I’m back to normal.”

Victoria added, “It definitely did affect my confidence, and it made me a little bit more self-conscious. But at the end of the day, I had the support of my family and friends. I knew that the people around me had my back. Now I really empathize with people who have issues with their skin, because it can get you down.”