Missy Elliot Update: “Graves’ Hasn’t Slowed Me Down”

Just a few days after it was revealed that rapper Missy Elliott has been secretly suffering from Graves’ disease for three years, the soon-to-be 30 year old singer has issued an official statement to squash any false rumors and update her loyal fans regarding her status.

“There have been some inaccuracies reported in regards to my diagnosis with Graves’ Disease, so I wanted to clear things up,” Elliott said in a statement on her website. “I was diagnosed with Graves’ disease about three years ago, but it really hasn’t slowed me down at all.”

In case you didn’t know, Graves disease is caused by a hormonal imbalance in the thyroid gland which causes it to produce excess levels of the thyroxin hormone. The abundance of thyroxin, which has a function in controlling the rate of metabolic processes, normally results in a change in appearance and energy level. Although the condition has no known cure at this time, the symptoms can be controlled with medication and healthy living.

Under her doctor’s close supervision, she has been off medication for some time and is following the rules of a healthy lifestyle to help hold back the symptoms.

“I’ve been off medication for about a year and I’m completely managing the condition through diet and exercise.”

To find out more information about Elliott’s condition, tune into a special taped interview in which the singer will give more details about Graves disease and her dealing with it. The interview is set to air in VH1 on June 29, during the “Behind the Music” show.

Missy is currently working on her seventh studio album, tentatively called “Block Party,” with producer and rapper Timbaland.

Check out Ching-A-Ling, one of Ms Elliot’s most watched music videos on Youtube.