Mia Fevola reveals her secret health battle with coeliac disease

Mia Fevola has revealed she’s just been diagnosed with coeliac disease.

The 21-year-old, who is a rising star in the world of Melbourne footy WAGs, received the diagnosis after getting a blood test.

The stepdaughter of AFL great Brendan Fevola said on Thursday she’ll have to make significant lifestyle changes to manage the disease.

Health battle: Mia Fevola has revealed she’s just been diagnosed with coeliac disease

‘I never realised the seriousness of coeliac disease, I always thought it was just a gluten free diet,’ Mia wrote on Instagram Stories. 

‘I was actually really upset after finding out it is a huge lifestyle change for me,’ she added, noting the diagnosis had ‘freaked her out’. 

Mia then explained that coeliac disease is an autoimmune disease where the lining of the intestines is damaged from gluten. 

Shock news: The 21-year-old, who is a rising star in the world of Melbourne footy WAGs, received the diagnosis after getting a blood test 

This means your body can’t digest nutrients as effectively as usual, and Mia said this was why she struggles to gain weight.

‘This reason this is such a shock to me is because my whole teenage years I’ve been eating an intense carb-loading diet,’ she said. 

‘I would eat six pieces of bread a day, pasta etc. in an effort to gain weight when in reality it was doing the opposite effect and causing nutrient deficiencies.’ 

New normal: The stepdaughter of AFL great Brendan Fevola said on Thursday she’ll have to make significant lifestyle changes to manage the disease

She concluded by saying the diagnosis explained her fluctuating moods and low energy levels, and encouraged her followers to get checked for coeliac disease too.

Meanwhile, Mia is dating rising AFL star Jamarra Ugle-Hagan, following her split from Richmond premiership player Daniel Rioli in February last year.

She has faced abuse online because of her penchant for dating footy players, and last week decided to name and shame her trolls on Instagram.  

Love life: Mia is dating rising AFL star Jamarra Ugle-Hagan (left), following her split from Richmond premiership player Daniel Rioli in February last year

Abuse: She has faced abuse online because of her penchant for dating footy players, and last week decided to name and shame her trolls on Instagram

She said she was ‘sick of staying silent’, arguing that doing so ‘normalised’ bullying.

‘Every single day I wake up to messages like this. I dread checking my phone because I know what messages and comments await me,’ she said.

‘I now don’t check my phone in the morning because whenever I do, it ruins my day. It’s been months of this. I’m so sick of staying silent and hoping that it will just eventually die off.’   

Had enough: ‘It’s been months of this, I’m so sick of staying silent and hoping that it will just eventually die off,’ the model said. Mia then urged the trolls to be ‘quiet’ if they have nothing positive to say, and said she is ‘so ashamed’ at how ‘normalised this bullying is’ 

Mia is the eldest child of Carlton legend Brendan Fevola’s long-time partner, Alex.

Brendan adopted Mia as his own daughter when he married Alex in 2005, and they remained close even during times when the couple were separated.

Aside from Mia, Brendan and Alex share three daughters: Leni, 12, Lulu, eight, and Tobi, two.

Doting dad: Aside from Mia, Brendan and Alex share three daughters: Leni, 12, Lulu, eight, and Tobi, two (all pictured)