Candace Cameron Bure, 49, Opens Up About Her Lifelong Battle with Bulimia
At 49 years old, actress Candace Cameron Bure recently got deeply candid on The Candace Cameron Bure Podcast, discussing a health challenge she still lives with: bulimia. While she no longer actively binges or purges, she emphasized that the intrusive thoughts remain, leading her to identify, both mentally and emotionally, as “still bulimic” People.com+15People.com+15New York Post+15.
A Struggle That Began Young
Candace traced her vulnerability back to childhood. Though she didn’t encounter body-image pressure during her Full House years in her teens, she noted that her family’s dieting mindset planted early seeds of disordered thinking. “Everyone in my house was always on a diet,” she recalled: her mother and sisters, and even herself, were regularly dieting—not to lose weight necessarily, but in a “preventative” way meant to stave off future criticism. Candace now recognizes how that mindset shaped her early body image in damaging ways People.com+1New York Post+1.
But it wasn’t until age 18, after moving to Montreal to support her husband Valeri Bure’s hockey career, that the disorder truly took hold. Isolated and struggling with an identity crisis, she began using food for comfort. What followed was a cycle of bingeing and purging, culminating in full-blown bulimia in her early twenties Fox News+4People.com+4New York Post+4.
The Long Road of Recovery
Candace admits that self-denial and secrecy marked much of her early battle. She initially hid her disorder from family and friends, even from her husband, until an emotional confrontation prompted her to seek help. Conversations with her pastor and meeting someone in recovery helped her realize she needed support beyond her own willpower Delish+1Fox News+1.
Now in recovery for over two decades, she gratefully credits faith, therapy, and a robust support system, including her husband Valeri, as pillars of her healing. Still, she acknowledged: “I don’t engage in bulimic behaviors, but I still need the tools… because the thoughts… never leave me.” People.com+3People.com+3New York Post+3.
Mental Health, Faith & Fitness: Keys to Sustain Wellness
Beyond eating disorders, Candace has spoken publicly about depression. In earlier interviews, she described how physical exercise—especially regular workouts and strength training—helps stabilize her mental well‑being: “enduring when I don’t exercise… it can really affect me mentally,” she said, calling fitness critically important to coping with depression The Epoch Times+2People.com+2Prevention+2.
Her Christian faith also plays a central role. In one particularly moving reflection, Candace shared a spiritual dream inspired by a biblical passage (Numbers 22) in which her body spoke back, prompting her to treat it with kindness and gratitude. Since then, she has committed to speaking to herself with compassion—something she admits she never did before Beliefnet+1pagesix.com+1.
Why She Still Considers Herself “Bulimic”
Despite years of progress, Candace continues to call herself bulimic—not as a declaration of ongoing behavior, but as a recognition of her mental reality. “I still say I’m a bulimic,” she shared. The reason: she still wrestles with negative thoughts and urges, and recovery doesn’t mean forgetting the past—it means having the tools to face it each day People.com.
Speaking Out to Destigmatize & Support Others
Candace hopes her transparency helps others feel less alone. She praised today’s more inclusive, body-positive cultural landscape, saying that it makes raising confident daughters—and sons—even easier. And while she wishes people didn’t have to talk about these issues at all, she believes the act of sharing helps break stigma New York Post.
In her podcast conversation with Lisa Whittle (broadcast July 22, 2025), she doubled down on the message: eating disorders aren’t just about body image or weight—they’re rooted in emotional pain, often tied to identity or loneliness. And though the disorders may fade, the healing work continues for a lifetime People.com.
A Continuing Journey of Hope
Today, Candace practices moderation, embraces a mostly plant-based Mediterranean diet, and prioritizes overall wellness—without shame or perfectionism. She experiences good days and bad ones but sees every small act of self-care as a victory. She says: “Recovery is possible… you’re not alone… every body is beautiful in God’s eyes” Fox NewsThe Epoch TimesPrevention.
Her vulnerability offers hope to many who continue to grapple with similar battles. By naming her struggle so honestly, she offers a vital reminder: recovery is not a destination, but a daily commitment—even decades into it.
About Candace Cameron Bure
Best known as D.J. Tanner from Full House, Candace has since built a prolific career with the Fuller House series, numerous Hallmark films, and leadership roles including Chief Content Officer at Great American Family. She is also a mother of three and a devoted Christian, and the author of multiple books blending faith and fitness Wikipedia+1pagesix.com+1.
Key Takeaways:
-
Candace’s eating disorder began at age 18, but mental struggle persists at 49.
-
Her battle is rooted in childhood dieting culture at home, not public pressure.
-
She uses faith, therapy, community, and mental tools to manage persistent thoughts.
-
Exercise helps support her mental health daily.
-
She speaks openly not just for herself, but to help destigmatize eating disorders and support others.
