SUSANNA Reid has opened up about a health scare which led her to drastically overhaul her lifestyle.
The broadcaster said she drank large amounts of coffee to help her cope with her 3:45am alarm for Good Morning Britain.
It was only following a health fright earlier this year which saw her make a series of changes, after being taken to hospital and seen by doctors.
Susanna, 53, said: “Losing my voice earlier this year was a bit of a scare. Everyone gets a bit croaky from time to time, but I could not get any noise out of my vocal cords and that’s never happened before.
“I went very quickly to see a specialist, who stuck a camera down my throat, for which I needed a nurse to hold my hand because I found it quite intrusive.
“The specialist said maybe I had a virus that I didn’t realise I had. Unless we’re properly ill, we all carry on working, don’t we?
“I’m not doing anything to boost my immunity, and I should be.
“The doctor was quite surprised that I don’t drink more water and that I drink quite a lot of coffee, so I have tried to cut down a bit.
“One morning we worked out that I had eight coffees. But I don’t drink the whole cup – I have a few sips. But I now try to intersperse it with ginger tea.”
Susanna also revealed she’d continued to cut down on her alcohol consumption and said that after losing weight this summer she was determined to keep it up.
Speaking in the February edition of Woman&Home, Susanna explained: “I don’t know how much weight I’ve lost, but I feel a bit better.
“Eamonn Holmes once said that when you’re on breakfast television, it feels like you have six breakfasts a day.
“You’re awake for so much longer, you can end up eating more, and because you’re so tired in the afternoon – I’m not playing the violin for myself here, it’s just facts – mid-afternoon munchies can involve a lot of carbs.
“In the summer, when I wasn’t presenting Good Morning Britain, I said to myself, ‘You’re not getting up at 3.45am, so you can cut down on how much you’re consuming’.
“As a result, I lost some of the weight that I’ve been hanging on to. Since going back to work, I’ve had to try not to fall back into the same habits.
“Essentially, it’s about not snacking. I’m trying, trying, trying not to.”
The February issue of Woman&Home is on sale Thursday January 4.
James Parker is a UK-based entertainment aficionado who delves into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry. From Hollywood to the West End, he offers readers an insider’s perspective on the world of movies, music, and pop culture.
