How Sushmita Sen fought back illness

'The dark circles under my eyes can't even begin to explain the dark times I endured for four long years.'

Sushmita Sen has opened up about her struggle with the autoimmune condition called Addison's disease (external link), which she fought overtime through nunchaku workout sessions.

She was diagnosed with the condition that affects the body's adrenal gland in September 2014, the former Miss Universe revealed in a video.

Sushmita said the diagnosis left her feeling like she 'had no fight left' in her.

'A fatigued body filled with immense frustration and aggression. The dark circles under my eyes can't even begin to explain the dark times I endured for four long years,' she said.

'To have steroids substitute cortisol and to live with its innumerable side effects took its toll,' she explained.

Sen, 44, said nothing is more tiring than to live with a chronic illness and she finally took to nunchaku workout training, used to strengthen her body.

'Enough was enough, had to find a way of strengthening my mind, allowing my body to follow suit. I meditated with nunchaku. Aggression out, fight back in and pain turned into an art form,' Sushmita said.

'I healed in time, my adrenal glands woke up, no more steroids, no withdrawals and no auto immune condition as of 2019,' she added.

The movie star said the lesson she learnt through this ordeal was to listen to one's body.

'There is a warrior in all of us, never give up! Thank you to my teacher Nupur Shikhare for being my rock through this journey. I love you guys.'