Heart Evangelista

It was hard to believe that someone as beautiful and talented as Heart Evangelista used to be insecure about being chinita, would deny herself man’s basic need which is food, and miss her appendix, that is.  But it’s true.  This much she revealed during a recent meeting with members of the press.  She was radiant, stunning and glowing with a new found dictum in life - to remain in the pink of health after being hospitalized last year.

“A lot of people thought that appendicitis is caused by eating and then running or moving too swiftly.  It’s not true.  Mine was caused by lack of water in the body,” Heart relates.

In medical literature, appendix is a narrow tubular pouch attached to the intestines.  When the appendix is blocked, it becomes inflamed and results in the condition known as appendicitis.  If the blockage continues, the inflamed tissue becomes infected with bacteria and begins to die from lack of blood supply.  An inflamed appendix will likely burst if not removed which could lead to death. 

The cause of appendicitis is generally due to a blockage inside the organ. However, in most cases there is no clear reason behind it.  “After last year’s operation, I told myself I have to drink a lot of water and eat more fruits like pomelo and papaya.”  She adds, “I used to think that vitamins will make me gain weight.  But now I take a lot of vitamins.  I have six tablets to take everyday to build up my immune system.”

Relevantly, Heart admits to going through a phase where she went on a diet.  It even went to the point that she’d deliberately not eat at all.  It was ironic since her family is in the food business.  “You know how it is in show business where you have to be thin.  But I’m through with that, now I’m more of eating what’s right. I don’t starve myself but I try not to eat after 7 p.m.”

A self-confessed pasta lover, Heart chooses to eat whole wheat pasta with Spanish sardines.  “I also try to limit eating chips and cookies to a few times a week.  The rest of the time, I’ll have healthy snacks like tomatoes with cheese or celery.”

Heart’s new motto is now coupled with a daily routine of brisk walking for 30 minutes in the morning.  She also makes sure to incorporate exercise in her day-to-day activities.  “I don’t like going to the gym so what I do is that I try to make normal activities a workout.  Like while I’m walking I’ll suck in my tummy and flex it.  Or I’ll combine exercises with activities that I enjoy, like walking my dog or going on the treadmill while watching my favorite shows,” Heart shares.

Natural beauty
   
“I used to feel too Asian looking.  Imagine when I was starting in the business, I was the only chinita and that made me feel different.  But now I embrace it and I realize that it’s a blessing.”

She has graced the cover of numerous fashion magazines and billboards.  Her name makes it to the Most Beautiful List year after year.  She even landed the role in Mano Po 6 that gave her the Best Supporting Actress Award.  And who can forget her character Jessie Asuncion in the Filipino remake of Full House.  Wait, there’s more!  Heart is the newest brand ambassador for Olay’s Natural White.

Olay Natural White contains skin vitamins to help women achieve a glowing, even-toned fairness that radiates from within.  It has a Triple Vitamin System that contains Vitamin B3, Pro-Vitamin B5, and Vitamin E, similar to vitamins that are naturally found in the body.

“I have always believed that true beauty starts from within.  Just like when we want to have a beautiful body, we have to start by eating healthy; if we want beautiful skin, we need to feed it with the right products,” Heart tells.

“I vividly remember growing up in the States and sneaking into my Mom’s room to steal some of her Olay because I had dry skin.  We even used to have those small pouches you get when you buy the product. To this day I still use Olay products for other purposes.  Because I like the tint, sometimes I would use it on my skin during photo shoots and it works wonders!”