At twenty-three, Ji Youyou started dieting.
At twenty-four, her family discovered for the first time that she wasn't eating.
Her weight was plummeting, and her ribs had even begun to protrude through her clothes.
People around her grew more and more shocked by her appearance, but she thought she looked wonderful.
Ji Youyou was always clever about hiding her condition and deflecting attention.
For instance, she would tell people she wasn't dieting anymore.
But when she went out with others, she would order different dishes and then have everyone try a portion to reduce her own intake.
She also spent a great deal of time exercising every day to burn calories.
At twenty-six, her health began to deteriorate.
She missed numerous rehearsals and performances because of problems with her immune system, which caused her to fall ill constantly.
She also became addicted to laxatives. To burn more calories, she started taking ten times the recommended dose of thyroid medication.
