Gisele Bündchen revealed Monday that since her very public divorce from Tom Brady, she has also been struggling to take care of her ailing parents.
“It’s been very tough on my family. It’s been a lot — in every area of my life,” Bündchen, 43, told People. “I feel like whenever it rains, it pours. With all the different twists and turns that life takes, all we can do is the best we can given what happens in our surroundings.”
The Brazilian model and the famed quarterback were married for 13 years?before calling it quits last year after the pair had an “epic fight”?over his?shocking decision to “un-retire”?from the NFL.
Bündchen and Brady are parents of son Benjamin, 13, and daughter Vivian, 10. The model has also remained close with Brady’s eldest child, 16-year-old son Jack, whom he shares with Bridget Moynahan.
She refused, however, to elaborate on the state of her parent’s health during the interview.
According to Bündchen, she got through the difficult time by prioritizing exercise, proper nutrition, meditation and time outdoors.
“I think if I didn’t have all the different tools that I have to support me during these times, it would’ve been very hard,”?admitted Bündchen. In an effort to cleanse her body, she’s also completely cut out alcohol.
“Right after I turned 40, actually, I felt a huge difference between when I had the glass of wine and when I didn’t have the glass of wine,” she explained.
“It’s socially accepted to have a glass of wine. And people even say,?‘Oh, it’s healthy for you.’ Well, it is not healthy for?me,” she continued. “If you want to ask of your body what I ask of my body, which is a lot, I can’t be having all these things (alcohol, caffeine) because they add up.”
Since giving up alcohol, Bündchen says she’s become more “clear,” “sharp” and “present.” Additionally, she’s “sleeping much better”?and has noticed things “[she] didn’t notice before.”
The wellness guru has also taken up meditation, which allows her to take a step back and “observe” her emotions so she can “come in from a place where it’s not reactive, but it’s more proactive.”
“When you feel good, you’re a better mom, you’re a better friend, you’re calmer, you’re more patient, you’re more loving, you’re more grounded,” stated Bündchen. “No one is going to do it for you.”?
“The only person that’s going to make those choices is you,” she added. “Because ultimately, you’re the first person who’s going to be impacted by it. But then, it’s your children, it’s your husband, it’s your family. You got to put the oxygen mask on you first.”
Bündchen’s health conscience efforts have paid off after she took NYFW by storm appearing at the star-studded Frame Dinner Party?in head-to-toe denim.
The supermodel sauntered into the recent event wearing stacked wooden clogs, a sheer black top and an oversized jean jacket zipped halfway — just enough to cover her hips.
Bündchen’s appearance at the event comes shortly after she announced that she would be authoring a brand-new cookbook.
“I am so excited to announce my new cookbook, ‘Nourish!’” she said in an Instagram post alongside the handbook.
“People are always asking me what I eat and how I stay fit. Great food is something I am passionate about, and it is vital for living a healthy lifestyle,” the mother of two went on. “In ‘Nourish,’ I share my family’s favorite simple, nutritious, and delicious recipes and some self-care rituals that help me so much in my life, especially as a busy, working mom.”
The cover of the book also features the model looking fresh-faced and rocking a cream-colored tank paired with jeans while an assortment of delicious-looking plates lay before her. Some of the tasty plates in the book include?Banana Dream Pies, Papaya-Almond Smoothies, Carrot Muffins, Brazilian Cheese Bread and Ramen-Style Soup.
“From breaking cycles to journaling and setting intentions, minimizing waste, meal planning, and preparing healthful meals for your kids, ‘Nourish’ is as much about living with mindfulness as it is about cooking,” the book description read.
Amid Bündchen’s new venture and divorce from Brady, she and her kids have settled into their new Miami home. She’s also wrapped her final year of home-schooling. “I love the sunshine. Wherever the sun is, I feel like the happiest always,” she told the outlet. “Just feeling the sun, just taking a dip in the ocean, just running on the sand and just feeling the grass on my feet. Just being in nature just gives you energy. It just makes you feel good.”