How LT maintains her blooming health and career

CEBU, Philippines - "It's been emotionally, mentally and physically draining," said veteran actress Lorna Tolentino of her primetime family drama Pahiram ng Sandali, which will air its final episode tonight.

Lorna's role as a newspaper editor-in-chief who dealt with a philandering husband and a May-December affair with her daughter's boyfriend proved to be very taxing, that she plans to get a much-deserved vacation now that her first come-back project with GMA-7 has ended. It's a respite the Grandslam Actress needs after squeezing her tear ducts dry in the critically-praised soap opera.

Lorna had said during a recent Cebu visit with castmates Dingdong Dantes and Max Collins, "'Pahiram ng Sandali' is like a film already. Parang maraming istorya sa pelikula na pinagsama-sama sa isang istorya. Ang daming pinagdadaanan ng character kong si Janice -- yung relasyon niya sa asawa niya, sa anak niya at sa iba pa. It tackles a lot, so it's harder."

Directed by Maryo J. delos Reyes, the ensemble cast also included Christopher de Leon, Mark Gil, Sandy Andolong, Alessandra de Rossi, Neil Ryan Sese, Kristoffer Martin and Diva Montelaba.

After signing a two-year exclusive contract with the Kapuso network middle of 2012, expect to see Lorna display her multi-awarded acting chops in another project with the station anytime this year.

On how she's managed to still be very much around in showbiz, Lorna said, "Maybe because I started out as a child actress. That could have been my edge when it comes to longevity. There are others who started young also, but they didn't stick to the profession. But mas marami sa industry who really started young at nandito pa rin hanggang ngayon."

To today's generation of actors, Lorna urged them to treat acting as a profession if they hope to similarly last. "It's really more about studying your craft. This is not easy work. Para sa iba kasi, for the sake lang na maging artista sila. There are schools, there are workshops. You should have dedication and love for the work."

Asked what requirements an actress of her stature and caliber requests for when accepting acting jobs, Lorna revealed, "Sixteen hours of work is fine, but more than that, parang hindi na puwede. Hindi ko na kaya. Medyo mahirap na, lalo na kung umaga pa lang pina-iiyak ka na. Pagdating ng gabi, umiiyak ka pa rin sa eksena."

Aging gracefully

Lorna may not be as physically tolerant as she was during her prime years, but who could guess she's now at the golden age of 51 with how youthful she still looks? She, of course, credits it to the facial clinic she's been endorsing and to the wonders of Dr. Vicki Belo's hands, but adds that exercise, a detox program every now and then, and a commitment to take care of one's self are her other secrets.

"You should also listen to your body, because what you take in depends on what your body needs. Especially after what happened to Rudy [Fernandez, her late husband who succumbed to cancer in 2008], kailangan na alagaan ko na din yung sarili ko," said Lorna.

Her extra vitality these days, she also attributes a great part of it to what seems a growing fad among celebrities and the uppity --- stem cell therapy.

According to the web, stem cell therapy, which is also known as regenerative medicine, "is the replacement of diseased, dysfunctional or injured cells with stem cells or their derivatives. It's somewhat similar to the organ transplant process but uses cells instead of organs."

Lorna and her manager Lolit Solis flew to Villa Medica in Germany last July 2012 to go through the medical procedure together in hopes of rejuvenating their vital organs.

According to her, the fresh cells injected into her body came from the embryo of black mountain sheep that are bountiful only in Germany.

"Me and Manay Lolit will go back this June for another round of stem-cell therapy. It's been a bit controversial because they say hindi daw okay dahil hindi galing sa sarili mo, galing sa hayop. But since 1947, ginagawa na nila ito, so siguro naman, it's effective. Eh ang mga nakasabay ko rin, mga bata na may autism," she explained.

"I have scoliosis, so more of my joints yung naging okay after the treatment. Sometimes, kapag sobra yung trabaho, sumasakit ng konti, but not as bad as before," Lorna said of her health improvements.

More than for career or vanity's sake, Lorna's efforts of achieving a sound mind and body is so she can spend more, more years with sons Raphael and Renz, her one-year and four-month old granddaughter Lyl Victoria and the other future grandkids she'll be blessed with. Photos by JOY TORREJOS (FREEMAN)