Gisele Bündchen criticized for comments about overcoming anxiety with strict wellness plan: ‘Completely out of touch’

Goop CEO Gwyneth Paltrow isn’t the only celebrity whose approach to wellness has some folks fuming.

In a new interview with the Observer, supermodel Gisele Bündchen opens up about the lifestyle she says makes her “happier in my life,” from adhering to a strict, primarily plant-based diet (no caffeine, alcohol, sugar or carbs, with snacks like pumpkin seeds as a treat) to practicing yoga and meditation. But her remarks about having the “discipline” to commit to an extreme wellness overhaul — which she credits with curing her anxiety and panic attacks — have riled up critics who say she’s shaming those who use antidepressants or lack the resources to follow her lead.

“They just have to make the decision of working at it,” the Brazilian beauty says. “That’s the problem with today’s society, people want instant gratification where it’s you know: ‘I want to do something and [when] I wake up I want to look like this.’ I’m like, ‘er, well, you know for me to cure my panic attacks, it took months. I could have taken a pill, but I decided no. I’m going to wake up every morning and I’m going to meditate and do breath work.’ It took months.

“Everything starts with discipline,” she adds, when asked about how others might maintain a regimen that, according to the Observer, begins with stretching and meditating, detoxifying the teeth by swilling oil for several minutes, and working out.

Bündchen says her 2018 book, Lessons: My Path to a Meaningful Life, was a way to help bring more “awareness” to the practices she swears by.

“The whole point is more awareness, the more people get things like yoga, it’s a positive thing,” she says. “The more people become awakened and conscious of the very decisions they’re going to make, then you don’t have a bunch of people, like, half asleep, you know?

“I do it because it makes me feel better,” the mom of two also shares. “It makes me happier in my life. I make those choices because it gives me something right back. And I’m happy that more people are getting access to that because the more people who know about it, the more it’s going to make them happier. And if you have a happier world, the better it’s going to be.”

The 39-year-old also opens up about her marriage to quarterback Tom Brady (“they want a lot of attention,” she says of men) and her commitment to the environment.

“I do everything I can do,” she shares. “We compost. We have a garden. Yes, I could probably live in a smaller house, but we have solar panels. I tell my children it’s about the three Rs: reduce, reuse, recycle. If you go into my closet, for example, you’re not going to believe it, because I have, like, the jeans I wore three years ago.”

Bündchen also addressed the controversy that came after she underwent cosmetic surgery on her breasts despite espousing an all-natural lifestyle.

“I think, for me, it’s more about the way I feel, you know what I mean? It’s like, I breastfed my kids for three years each because I felt it was the most important thing I could do and I wanted to give my children and myself that experience — you’re not going to have that again,” she says. “Yes, it’s going to make your body change, yes, I can work out to be fit and feel good and rejuvenated, but I can’t change the fact that both my kids liked the left boob.”

“When I did that, I felt like I was trying to please,” she continues, in reference to disguising herself at the plastic surgeon’s office. “Because I was ‘the Body’ and … Look, I think if you do something because it is what you feel is your truth, then there is no problem. Then whatever you do is going to bring you joy. But if you do it because it’s somebody else’s idea of you, that’s the problem. So that was another lesson that I’ve learned the hard way. I feel like today, where I’m at with my life, I don’t really care what anyone thinks. I care about living my truth. I care about being a great mother.”

While the supermodel is undeniably passionate about her lifestyle, her comments about not resorting to medication to treat her anxiety are being slammed as irresponsible.

“Oh get to f*** Gisele,” writer Bella Mackie tweeted. “You’re not better than other people cos you didn’t take antidepressants. You didn’t become less anxious in a ‘better’ way than those who need meds.”

“LMFAOOOO I CANT JUST WILL MY ANXIETY AWAY GISELE, SCIENCE DOESN’T WORK LIKE THAT,” added another commenter.

“Gisele mate, you don’t ‘just take a pill,’” read another tweet. “You spend months working to find one that helps fix the chemical imbalance in your brain without making life even more unbearable because of side effects. Sod the insinuation that taking meds is an easy option for the weak-minded.”

“This makes me rage,” added a commenter who shared their experience with finding the right medication.

Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:

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