Through her bold fashion statements and striking performances, Miley Cyrus gives off the vibe that she is fearless and invincible. In her career so far, she’s faced endless criticism and backlash from the media and her fans for everything from her wardrobe to her songs to her dancing to her lifestyle, but she never lets hate-filled opinions bring her down. While the former Hannah Montana star seems unstoppable, she surprised fans when she announced in her memoir that she actually suffers from a heart condition.
Since opening up about her heart health, Cyrus has also been honest about other struggles she faces in her personal life, such as the pandemic-related anxiety she has been facing in the wake of COVID-19. Behind the scenes, Cyrus has taken several steps to look after her health, including following a healthy eating plan and incorporating lots of exercise and activity into her routine. Here’s the truth behind the pop star’s heart condition and how she looks after herself when the cameras are off.
Opening Up About Her Health In Her Memoir
In her memoir Miles to Go, Miley Cyrus opened up about a lot of personal information that she had never shared with fans before. One of the biggest revelations was that she struggles with a heart condition called tachycardia, characterized by an irregular heart rate.
Cyrus assured fans that, fortunately, the condition isn’t life-threatening. But it does bother her: “The type of tachycardia I have isn't dangerous. It won't hurt me, but it does bother me," she penned in her autobiography. "There is never a time onstage when I'm not thinking about my heart."
Fans have praised Cyrus for making candid confessions in the past and her admission about her heart condition was no different.
What Is Tachycardia?
Tachycardia is a condition where the heart beats more than 100 times per minute. By comparison, a normal resting heart rate for an average adult human being is between 60 and 100 beats per minute. There are several heart rhythm disorders that can result in tachycardia.
As Cheat Sheet reports, there are multiple types of tachycardia, each differentiated by which part of the heart causes the irregular heartbeat. In general, a fast heartbeat can actually be considered regular as long as it’s in proportion to a person’s age and the level of activity that they’re doing.
Health Issues From Her Vegan Diet
Cyrus has also opened up to fans about her other health issues, including those stemming from the strict vegan diet she followed from 2013 to 2019. “I was vegan for a very long time and I’ve had to introduce fish and omegas into my life because my brain wasn’t functioning properly,” Cyrus said in an interview with Joe Rogan on The Joe Rogan Experience podcast (via Indian Express).
While many people who follow a vegan diet are healthy due to monitoring the nutrients they get from plant-based foods and taking supplements, this lifestyle choice can cause health issues for those who undertake it without speaking to a doctor first.
Cyrus also revealed that she experienced intense hip pain and was overall “pretty malnutritioned” when following the diet. Since incorporating meat and gluten back into her diet, she feels that she is “much sharper.”
From an ethical perspective, the singer found it very difficult to come off her vegan diet, recalling that she cried the first time her ex-husband cooked her fish on the grill.
Keeping Healthy With Pilates
The ‘Wrecking Ball’ singer also takes care of her health by keeping up an active lifestyle and varied exercise regime. According to Elle, she started a Pilates practice back in 2013 and has maintained it ever since.
She reportedly works out for half an hour when doing Pilates, doing a broad range of exercises including ab crunches.
A Yoga Routine
Cyrus is also believed to be a fan of yoga as a form of healthy exercise and practices up to two hours a day, six days a week. She loves Ashtanga yoga, in particular, and has been known to post about her practice on Instagram.
This type of yoga focuses on strength and cardiovascular fitness through the practice of breathing exercises.
Staying Clean
In addition to her informed diet and exercise choices, Cyrus has also made the decision to follow a clean lifestyle to look after her health. That means staying away from illicit substances including alcohol and drugs.
In the past, Cyrus has talked openly about using marijuana and ecstasy drugs, but reportedly quit that lifestyle in 2017. “I'm not doing drugs, I'm not drinking, I'm completely clean right now!" she said (via Elle). The pop star is also said to have given up smoking in an effort to lead a healthier lifestyle.