Technically speaking, celebrities have their fans to thank for the fame they have. But it seems like actress turned reality television star Denise Richards have more to be grateful for because of her fans.

Sudden Diet Change

Richards took to Instagram to update people about her diet and to thank the concerned ones who pointed out her enlarged thyroid

Thanks to some eagle-eyed 'The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills' fans and viewers, the 48-year-old star was able to address the fact that her thyroid was enlarged. The observations were made during Richards' appearance on the show's reunion episodes. Apparently, some of them even went further and even messaged the star to voice their concerns.

With these in mind, the mother of three proceeded to change up her diet and eliminate food with gluten from it. She then shared the positive results of the decision on her Instagram and told her followers how she's already doing better since she decided to go gluten-free. Richards also admitted how she didn't really know how much one's diet can affect the body and how gluten can be toxic.

What An Enlarged Thyroid Means

Richards during 'The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills' reunion aired last July. Notice the slight bump just below her chin

According to Mayo Clinic, an enlarged thyroid, also called a goiter, is relatively harmless except for the possible discomfort that a person who has it may feel. It could also cause some pain when coughing or swallowing. But in other cases, an enlarged thyroid may signify a more serious disease like thyroid cancer, Hashimoto's disease and Graves' disease. Meanwhile, women aged over 40 are said to be more likely to develop a goiter such as in Richards' case.

Luckily, goiters can be treated in a variety of ways. For mild cases, they can be left completely alone in case they heal on their own. But surgery and hormone regulation medication may also be prescribed to those with more serious cases.

And while switching to a gluten-free diet, as Richards did, is a piece of popular advice on online forums, its effectivity on goiters hasn't actually been backed by scientific studies yet, according to experts. It's worth noting though that a gluten-free diet has been found to help women who suffer from autoimmune thyroid disease.

Eagle-Eyed Viewers

The television personality underwent surgeries and a couple of other treatment methods to cure his cancers

While Richards' health wake up call is interesting, it isn't the only case when a television viewer helped a celebrity identify a possible illness. Back in 2013, 'Flip or Flop' star Tarek El Moussa got the surprise of his life when he received a warning from a nurse who spotted a suspicious lump on his neck. Apparently, the viewer emailed the show's production company to relay the information.

The lump ended up being stage 3 thyroid cancer. Worse, the television star was also diagnosed with testicular cancer the same year. Six years and numerous treatments later, El Moussa is now cancer-free.