Millie Mackintosh has been struggling with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) since she was 18 years old, and is often open with fans about ways to help and control the condition.
Despite her candid front, the former Made In Chelsea star, who shares two children with husband Hugo Taylor, has now opened up about the 'shame' and 'embarrassment' of talking about the battle – admitting that it isn't always easy to be so upfront.
"At first it felt quite shameful to talk about some of my IBS symptoms. I understand not wanting to talk about poo, how regular you are, what it looks like. It can be really embarrassing," explained Millie, 34, during a new interview with The Mirror.
First noticing IBS symptoms such as bloating and stomach pain while travelling in her teens, Millie has been dealing with the condition for 16 years and has got to a point where she can help and educate others.
While difficult at times, the star admits that this is outweighed by the amazing response from fans, including her 1.4M Instagram followers.
"The harder something is to talk about, the more I find there’s a massive response," continued Millie. "They say hearing me talk about the issue has encouraged them to find other resources and support – and it helps as I’m connecting with other people going through the same thing."
Finding ways to manage her symptoms, the star now focuses on diet, exercise and meditation – often sharing workout and daily routines to social media.
Millie is now a mother of two and shares daughters Sienna, two, and Aurelia, 18 months, with beau Hugo. And recently, she has opened up about the "best thing she's done for herself" since becoming a mum.
The star recently underwent a breast enhancement, deciding to have the procedure after 'not feeling like herself' after breastfeeding both her children, giving her a "boost of confidence".
Talking about the reason behind the surgery, Millie recently told Instagram, "It was something that I had always wanted to do, since being about 18. When I realised that the breasts I had always dreamed of weren't going to show up for me.
"I thought. 'okay, I can work with what I've got' and I wore padded bras and I made peace with that. When I was in my twenties and I was on the pill, they were a B, but quite perky and then after breastfeeding both of the girls the skin just got so stretched."
"When I was breastfeeding they were enormous and when I was pregnant as well. Then what I was left with afterwards was a completely different, deflated, empty sack of skin that just did not make me feel like me anymore."
She added, ""It's given me a boost of confidence. I've really enjoyed wearing swimwear again this summer and it definitely made me feel much freer.
"I've found confidence in my body again and it was just something I did for myself as a kind of reward for having babies."
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