Gwyneth Paltrow reveals heartbreaking reason behind her healthy lifestyle

Gwyneth Paltrow is probably more recognised now for her healthy approach to living than she is for her movies – but she hasn't always been the wellness advocate she is today. The Avengers actress revealed that her passion for health and fitness stems from a place of sadness, admitting it was her late father's throat cancer diagnosis in 1999 that prompted her journey. "His treatment was so brutal," the 47-year-old told Town & Country magazine.

Gwyneth Paltrow with her late father Bruce

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"I was thinking, almost out of desperation, that we had to be able to do something else to help him. That’s when I started to research food and nutrition." She continued: "I really believe that being alive is just a process of — if you’re not wasting your (expletive) life — figuring out how you can impact the world positively. You can choose to engage in your life and participate in it, or you can back out and criticise everybody else in your arena."

Gwyneth's dad Bruce Paltrow sadly died in 2002 after suffering a heart attack following complications from throat cancer and pneumonia. Speaking about his death in 2005, Gwyneth told the Evening Standard: "I wasn't adamant enough in cleaning up his diet and getting rid of the cancer." She said she felt partly to blame for his tragic death, adding: "Now I really feel I could have extended his quality of life. But I wasn’t as strong as I should have been."

Gwyneth Paltrow now runs successful wellness brand Goop

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The Goop founder is now convinced she is on the right track when it comes to wellness and has a message for her critics. She added to the magazine: "You can keep resisting it, but I’m on the right side of this. I’m watching the market. I’m watching what’s happening. I think what this wellness movement is really about is listening to yourself, tuning into what interests you, and trying things. Find what makes you feel better and go from there."

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