Bethenny Frankel Reveals Health Struggle

Without a doubt, Bethenny Frankel is one of the highlights of every episode of Real Housewives of New York City. From the very first season, she was immediately my favorite cast member, and that's never changed (though I do have a soft spot for Countess LuAnn and Ramona). I admired Frankel's IDGAF attitude and her unabashed ambition — ambition which led her way beyond Bravo and into endeavors such as releasing her own line of low calorie alcoholic drinks, hosting her own talk show, and writing several books. Thankfully, it eventually brought her back to reality TV, and it was in the Real Housewives of New York City Season 8 trailer that we learned some rather troubling information: Frankel is dealing with an unspecified health issue that seems to be pretty serious.

While the clip didn't go into the details of Frankel's condition, it was serious enough that she was said to be considering a living will — an admission that admittedly left fans worried and a bit confused. After all, Frankel is a picture of health and seems to place great importance on maintaining a healthy diet and fitness routine. That doesn't preclude you from experiencing illness, of course, but it did make Frankel's revelation more of a shock.

Frankel isn't willing to share the particulars of her health struggles publicly, but she hopes her insistence on being proactive in managing her condition will encourage other women to do the same, telling People, "I'm facing a women's health issue that many women can relate to. I'm dealing with it head on and viewers will understand how I personally deal with matters such as this. I hope women can relate, learn and support each other in life moments like this."

She may be a public figure, but it's understandable that Frankel would want to keep something so personal to herself. The fact that she's willing to share her struggle at all is important. There's a chance that Frankel might open up more as time goes on in order to further encourage women to take control of their health, but even if she doesn't, one thing's for sure: Frankel won't take this lying down, that's for sure.