Briana Culberson has lost weight on the high-protein, low-carb keto diet — and she’s eager to share her health news with fans.
On Monday, January 14, the daughter of Real Housewives of Orange County star Vicki Gunvalson joined the ranks of celebrities who have lost weight on the sometimes controversial diet plan when she posted a side-by-side comparison photo of her face on her husband’s Instagram.
“The face on the left is of an average American diet, never felt good, having constant lupus flares, and on and off steroids for almost a year,” she wrote in the caption. “The face on the right is strict Keto, steroid free, and lupus flare free! I’ve lost 45 lbs on keto so far but most importantly my health has greatly improved!” Hashtags on the post included #ketolifestyle, #lupusawareness and #lupuswarrior.
The North Carolina-based nurse, who married Ryan in 2011 and shares two sons with him, has been open about her lupus diagnosis, which she revealed on an RHOC reunion episode in 2016.
Since her diagnosis, viewers of the Bravo show have seen the 31-year-old suffer through inflammation and multiple surgeries due to complications of the disease, including a procedure last April. Gunvalson revealed in July 2017 that Briana had “almost died” during a surgery due to a dirty scalpel.
According to the Mayo Clinic, “lupus is a systemic autoimmune disease that occurs when your body’s immune system attacks your own tissues and organs. Inflammation caused by lupus can affect many different body systems — including your joints, skin, kidneys, blood cells, brain, heart and lungs.”
Gunvalson, 56, last updated Us on her daughter’s condition in July 2018. “She’s good,” she told Us at the time. “She’s got lupus, as everybody knows, and I’m really proud of her. She lives out in the middle of the country now … life is going by fast, but she’s an incredible mother, and she’s just, I’m really proud of her.”
