Gisele Bündchen: Glamour and Goodwill

FROM THE VIBRANT STREETS OF HORIZONTINA, BRAZIL, TO THE GLOBAL RUNWAYS AND THE GLAMOROUS LIFE OF A SUPERMODEL, GISELE BÜNDCHEN’S JOURNEY IS AN AWE-INSPIRING TALE OF PERSEVERANCE, SUCCESS AND THE DELICATE BALANCE BETWEEN FAME AND FAMILY.

Born on July 20, 1980, in the small town of Horizontina in the Rio Grande Sol region of Brazil, young Gisele Caroline Bündchen grew up in a large, nurturing family with five sisters, including her twin Patricia. Early life was a tapestry of shared dreams and tight-knit bonds. Little did she know, this Brazilian beauty would ascend to the pinnacle of the fashion industry.

Gisele’s journey into modelling began after her mother enrolled her and her sisters in a modelling course to help increase their self-esteem. The course included a trip to São Paulo, and it was on that trip that Gisele was unexpectedly discovered by an Elite Model Management modelling scout at the São Paulo shopping mall. Gisele was just 14 years of age at the time.

What started as a casual encounter soon transformed into a whirlwind career that would define an era.

Gisele’s arrival on the global fashion scene marked a paradigm shift. Her tall, athletic frame and sun-kissed beauty challenged traditional standards, and particularly the so-called ‘heroin chic’ look popularised at the time by models like Gia Carangi and Kate Moss, ushering in a new era of diversity and natural allure.

Despite a slow start, by the late ’90s, Gisele Bündchen was featuring in major campaigns for fashion houses Versace, Missoni, Valentino, Dolce & Gabbana and Ralph Lauren, and gracing the covers of prominent fashion magazines such as Vogue, all while strutting down fashion show runways with an effortless and incomparable grace.

Her iconic walk (known as the horse walk) and vivacious spirit set her apart, earning her the moniker “The Body”. Gisele’s star continued to rise in the 2000’s when she signed on to what is arguably one of her most famous gig’s as a Victoria’s Secret model, where she famously modelled two of the brands fantasy bras - the Red Hot fantasy bra worth and eye-watering $15,000,000 and the Sexy Splendour fantasy bra worth $12,500,000.

Gisele’s appeal and level of fame overflowed from the fashion world and into popular culture when she began dating Hollywood heart throb Leonardo Dicaprio in 2000. The pair dated for five years before calling it quits in 2005.

When asked about the relationship in a 2016 interview with People magazine, Gisele said,“It brought a lot more attention to me, which is something I didn’t feel very comfortable with. To this day, I still haven’t gotten very used to it.”

After she and DiCaprio parted ways, Gisele’s popularity continued to soar, and it was not long after the break-up, the supermodel met NFL superstar quarterback Tom Brady.

After meeting Brady, Gisele’s personal life underwent a transformation that would become the subject of public fascination for years to come. In 2009, she tied the knot with NFL quarterback Tom Brady, forging a union between two high-profile figures in the sports and entertainment realms.

The power couple quickly became a symbol of success, grace, and wholesome love. Gisele’s public image, once synonymous with the runway, seamlessly blended with her role as a supportive partner to one of football’s greatest quarterbacks.

The birth of their two children, Benjamin and Vivian, further solidified the Brady-Bündchen family as a beacon of warmth and unity. Gisele embraced motherhood with the same passion and dedication that defined her career. Balancing the demands of international fame with the joys of family life, she offered the world a glimpse into the harmonious blend of glamour and authenticity that was the Brady-Bündchen family.

“Family is everything to me. It’s the anchor that keeps me grounded in the midst of a whirlwind career,” Gisele once shared, echoing the sentiment that has guided her choices both professionally and personally.

Which is why the announcement that Gisele and Tom Brady were parting ways in late 2022 came as a shock to the world.

“When I was 26 years old and he was 29 years old, we met, we wanted a family, we wanted things together. As time went by, we realised that we just wanted different things, and now we have a choice to make. That doesn’t mean you don’t love the person. It just means that in order for you to be authentic and truly live the life that you want to live, you have to have somebody who can meet you in the middle, right? It’s a dance. It’s a balance,” Gisele told Harper’s Bazaar magazine in a recent interview.

As the pages of Gisele Bündchen’s illustrious career turn, the present moment sees her embracing new roles and ventures. While she officially retired from the runway in 2015, she has recently returned to her roots starring in a new campaign for Louis Vuitton and hosting an event at New York Fashion Week for denim brand Frame.

Gisele has always had a passion for the environment and continues to channel her energy toward environmental activism, leveraging her platform to champion sustainability and conservation. As a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Environment Programme, she advocates for causes close to her heart, emphasising the urgency of protecting our planet for future generations.

“Being a mother has made me more aware of the impact we have on the environment. It’s a responsibility we owe to our children and their children,” Gisele passionately states, underscoring her commitment to effecting positive change.

In addition to her environmental advocacy, Gisele has explored entrepreneurial pursuits. From her line of eco-friendly skincare products to her best-selling autobiography, Lessons: My Path to a Meaningful Life and now her new cookbook, Nourish launching in 2024, she continues to diversify her portfolio with ventures that align with her values.

With a foundation built on resilience, authenticity, discipline and a deep sense of purpose, Gisele remains an enduring force in the realms of fashion, family, and philanthropy—a testament to the transformative power of a woman who lives her extraordinary life authentically and beautifully.

WHAT LIES BENEATH: CORONARY

Calcium Ct Scoring And Your Heart

WHETHER YOU APPEAR TO BE IN GOOD HEALTH OR NOT, IT IS ALWAYS WISE

Coronary Artery Calcium (CAC) CT Scoring is a noninvasive imaging technique that plays a crucial role in assessing an individual’s risk of developing coronary artery disease (CAD). This medical imaging test provides valuable information about the presence and extent of calcified plaque in the coronary arteries. Your overall risk guides GP’s and Specialists in determining the most appropriate preventive measures. The procedure involves using a computed tomography (CT) scanner to obtain detailed 3-D images of the coronary arteries. The CT scan detects the amount of calcium deposits in the arterial walls, specifically for the coronary arteries that supply blood to the heart. These deposits, or calcifications, are indicative of atherosclerosis—a condition characterised by the buildup of plaque composed of fat, cholesterol, and calcium. As atherosclerosis progresses, it can narrow and stiffen the arteries, reducing blood flow to the heart and increasing the risk of heart attacks (known medically as ‘myocardial infarction’ events).

The coronary calcium CT scoring system assigns a numerical value to the amount of calcified plaque detected during the scan using the Agatston score. Developed by Dr. Arthur Agatston, it is the most widely used scoring method accounting for both the density and area of the calcifications. Overall, this score provides a comprehensive assessment of the amount of plaque in the patient’s coronary arteries. One of the key advantages of coronary calcium CT scoring is its ability to identify early signs of atherosclerosis.

Often, individuals with risk factors for heart disease, such as high blood pressure (hypertension), high cholesterol, or a family history of CAD, don’t have any symptoms. However, the presence of coronary artery calcifications indicates an early stage of atherosclerosis, and if discovered through the coronary calcium CT scoring imaging, it enables doctors to recommend timely interventions and risk reduction strategies for asymptomatic patients.

The results of coronary calcium scoring are categorised into different risk groups based on the Agatston score. A score of zero suggests no detectable calcifications and a lower likelihood of significant coronary artery disease in the future. Low scores indicate minimal plaque is present, while higher scores are associated with an increased risk of heart attack and other cardiovascular disease related events. Doctors use this information to tailor treatment plans and lifestyle interventions according to each patient’s level of risk. Coronary calcium CT scoring has proven to be a valuable tool in refining risk prediction models. Combining traditional risk factors with the results of a calcium score enhances the accuracy of cardiovascular risk assessments.

This integrated approach allows treating doctors to make more informed decisions about the initiation of preventive therapies, such as statin medications, aspirin therapy, or lifestyle modifications. Coronary calcium CT scoring is a powerful tool in cardiovascular risk assessment. By identifying and quantifying calcified plaque in the coronary arteries, it offers valuable insights into the presence of atherosclerosis and helps guide preventive strategies. Integrating this information with traditional risk factors enhances the precision of risk assessments, enabling tailored interventions for individual patients.

As technology advances and research continues, coronary calcium CT scoring will continue to play a prominent role in cardiovascular disease prevention and management. Gold Coast Radiology provide CAC CT scoring at their Surfers Paradise practice.