‘There’s nothing wrong with me, I’m healthy’

In spite of her cholesterol level — described by her doctors as just above average — President Arroyo says she’s healthy.

"Maybe it’s because I eat a lot of fatty food during meetings at Malacañang," she said when asked about her health during an informal luncheon with Malacañang reporters yesterday.

"And in my last check-up, it’s still there," she said, referring to her cholesterol level.

At the luncheon, Mrs. Arroyo had clear soup, beef steak, a small serving of vegetable salad and a glass of Coke. For dessert, she had a small slice of banana cake and tea.

Mrs. Arroyo had an executive medical check-up at St. Luke’s Medical Center in Quezon City on Oct. 8 when she joined her husband, First Gentleman Mike Arroyo, who was hospitalized for a minor rib fracture due to a surfing accident last month.

She happily squelched unconfirmed reports that she had thyroid problems.

"No, I’m quite healthy. I had my annual check-up and the only shortcoming I had, I had a little bit of cholesterol – only that," the 55-year-old economist said.

Known for her "workaholic" pace, Mrs. Arroyo was earlier advised by her doctors not to tire herself too much and get at least five hours of sleep.

She said in an interview on her health in June that she made it a point to sleep right after the late evening television news program. Mrs. Arroyo aaid she wakes up around 6 or 7 a.m. and hear her daily Mass at Malacañang chapel before going to work.

The President said she suffers no sleepless nights at the presidential palace despite being a new grandmother to Mikaela Gloria, born last week.

Mrs. Arroyo’s daughter-in-law Angela moved in with her baby two days ago and occupies one of the presidential palace’s many rooms.

"She’s a very good girl," said Mrs. Arroyo. "She only cries when she’s hungry and she does not cry much because they give her milk."

Despite her dreaded temper flares, Mrs. Arroyo, however, does not suffer from hypertension, or high blood pressure.

After being catapulted to office by a military-backed popular protest in January 2001, Mrs. Arroyo highlighted her economics background and clean and healthy lifestyle in contrast to the image of her predecessor, Joseph Estrada, whose life was surrounded by women, liquor, gambling and health problems.

Estrada was ousted due to allegations that he took bribes from illegal gambling bosses, pocketed tax money and profited from insider trading.

Detained in a Quezon City military hospital, Estrada is currently on trial for plunder and other corruption charges.