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June 4, 2004
By Jennifer LeClaire
Source: Better Nutrition, March 2004
Jennifer Beals has enjoyed a healthy career in show
biz for the past two decades. The diverse performer has
worked alongside stars such as Denzel Washington,
Dustin Hoffman and Faye Dunaway--but the accomplished
actress didn't always enjoy perfect health along the
way.
While Beals was physically fit, she was also
physically ill during the late 1990s. That's when the
thespian endured a non-publicized health challenge
that would forever change the way she viewed
nutrition.
Daunting Diagnosis
Beals was diagnosed with the Epstein-Barr virus and
chronic fatigue syndrome, which drained the "Flashdance"
star's energy levels for months. Beals also suffered
from thyroiditis, an inflammation of the thyroid gland
that contributes to fatigue. She even tested positive
for lupus, a chronic inflammatory disease that can
affect various parts of the body and typically causes
achy joints, arthritis and fatigue.
"I went to one of the top endocrinologists in New
York, and he couldn't figure out how to help me," says
Beals, who has since fully recovered her stamina. "The
doctor told me I was fluctuating so rapidly between
two poles that he didn't know what to give me and
suggested that I see an alternative doctor."
A weary Beals took the doctor's advice and sought out alternative approaches to fix her fatigue. The first step was shunning sugar and weaning herself from wheat, an experience Beals reckons is similar to the experience of withdrawing from drugs. She admits that she was "unpleasant to be around" during that time, but the bigger disappointment was her lack of recovery.
"I went to Vancouver to do a film, and I was still
really tired all the lime," says Beals, who was
starting in a Paramount TV film series called Amanda
America at the time. "I thought to myself, 'How am I
going to get through this?'"
Life-Changing Results
She was pondering this question in a hotel lobby in
Canada when sire saw a book on a coffee table that
offered her some hope. That book was Eating Alive by
Dr. John Matsen. Matsen proclaimed the body's natural
ability to heal itself by attaining homeostasis, or
balance. His theory' is that our bodies are wise, self-adjusting organisms capable of monitoring and correcting imbalances, fighting invaders and repairing damage. So when homeostasis reigns, the body is healthy, but when there is imbalance, the body is prone to sickness and disease. According to Matsen, it boils down to digestion.
"I started reading Dr. Matsen's book in the hotel
lounge, and I thought, 'Wherever this doctor is in the
world, after this movie, I'm going to see him'"
explains Beals. As fate would have it, Dr. Matsen was
in Vancouver, and she booked his next appointment.
Three weeks later, she was feeling like herself again.
"I completely changed the way I ate, and I also took supplements," she says. "It was amazing. That experience made it so clear to see how the digestive system is such a huge key in wellness and health."
Healthful Lifestyle
The health challenge was a turning point in Beals'
attitude toward nutrition. She still avoids sugar,
wheat and caffeine, three of the culprits responsible
for her ailments. She has substituted these things
with healthier options such as oats, fruits and green
teas. Beals no longer eats as stringently as Dr.
Matsen recommended because her digestive system began
working so well that her metabolism skyrocketed, and
she was losing weight too quickly.
But her nutrition habits aren't the only filing that
Beals has changed over the years. Her fitness
philosophies have also evolved since her Flashdance
days when she was 19 years old and dancing in torn
sweatshirts and legwarmers. Beals' maturity is
displayed in both her acting roles and her exercise
routines.
"When I was younger, I enjoyed being strong, and I
loved it when my heart was very strong, but I think it
was also about submitting to the cultural idea that if
you're a 22-year-old woman, you have to look a certain
way. I'm not into that anymore. But I do appreciate it
when my clothes fit."
When it comes to exercise, Beals likes variety. One
staple of her fitness program, however, is yoga,
because she believes stretching helps muscles work
more efficiently. She's also a big believer in
cross-training. Hiking with her dogs, running on the
beach, doing Pilates and skating also bold periodic
places in her activities, but swimming is her current
aerobic activity of choice because it's fun, quiet and stimulates right-left brain integration.
Better Nutrition
Of course, the actress, who now stars in the Showtime
Original Series, "The L Word", has had to make her share
of fitness and nutrition sacrifices during her career.
The slender Beals gained 20 pounds for her leading
roles in both Devil in a Blue Dress and A House
Divided. While she says losing the weight "wasn't a
problem" after Devil in a Blue Dress, shedding the
pounds after A House Divided proved more difficult.
"It was hard. It was really, really hard," she admits,
noting that she tried several different diet regimens
at the time.
Eventually, she returned to the diet prescribed by Dr.
Matsen, which relies heavily on food-combining
theories. She also started running 3-4 miles along the
Malibu beach near her Los Angeles home almost every'
day with her dog. The diet and exercise helped her
lose the first 10 pounds in 6 weeks. The next 5
pounds, however, were a little bit more stubborn.
Beals eventually conquered the extra weight by running
2 hours a day for several weeks, and says she kept the
last 5 pounds on because she felt more comfortable at
that weight.
"For me, staying in shape means having some kind of cardiovascular ability and flexibility," says Beals. "But being in shape doesn't mean that I have to be a size 4 or a size 6 anymore. For me, it's more about being healthy."
Looking Forward
Beals has always been about being healthy and fit.
Growing lip with two brothers, she says being adept at
sports was a "matter of survival." But Beals isn't
hung up on age any more than she is on weight. As she
enters her 40s with a new husband and two
stepchildren, she isn't longing for the days of her
youth and hopes other women aren't either.
"There's no point in wishing for something that you
can't have," she says matter-of-factly. "I would
recommend meditating. I think that's the single most
important thing that I do. More than stretching, more
than the way I eat, there's something about
understanding who you truly are. The essence of
everyone is so beautiful that it's startling."
(distributed via Co-Cure)
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