Miriam Quiambao has always been nothing short of radiant. However, like many of us, she has also had her moments of darkness. The beauty queen had long ago admitted her fight with depression. In an article from the archives of PEP.ph, she was once quoted saying, “Kung ‘yung sarili ko lang, ‘di ko talaga makakayanan.”

Now, she uses her experiences to help women who are also fighting the same battle. In the recent Nestle #OptToBeActive Round Table Discussions held at the Diamond Hotel, Miriam was candid about her struggles.

“I understand many women who have experienced depression because I was also in that state not too long ago,” she began. “I was almost suicidal. In fact, I was a mental case... What really helped me during that time was positive thinking and a lot of gratitude.” She explained how keeping a journal and writing down the things she was grateful for every night helped her move forward. Moreover, she attributed her healing to her faith.

“It was 2006 when I had depression, but it took me two years to experience healing,” she shared. “The word that I would give it is ‘supernatural’. It was a supernatural healing of my depression. I’ve known a lot of people who have experienced emotional, mental, and even physical healing as a result of their improved spiritual life.”

Aside from this, she also shared how she keeps herself in tip-top shape, especially after recent gym trip that made her realize that she wasn’t as healthy as she thought she was. “Thirty-three pala ang body fat percentage ko, and that was may pagka-obese na, so even if I look skinny and I still look okay in my clothes, I realized that I had to build on muscle pala… Skinny-fat daw ako.” Wanting to keep active, she tried improving her eating habits as well as boosting her exercise routine which included running and swimming.

“The plate that was shown earlier (1/2 vegetables, ¼ carbohydrates, ¼ proteins), that’s what I strive to have… I also do my best to exercise three to four times a day.”

PHOTO: Charlene Owen/FemaleNetwork.com