4 weeks ago
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Nathalie Tomada - The Philippine Star
February 16, 2025 | 12:00am
Vice Ganda knows that staying healthy is just as important as entertaining people and making them laugh. The TV host-comedian makes it a priority to take care of himself — whether through healthy living or therapy.
The STAR was able to speak to Vice recently on the sidelines of his latest organic health brand endorsement, Santé Barley. His decision to use Santé Barley came upon the advice of his sister, who is a medical doctor. “OK yung barley and sinabi niya talaga, it’s okay for your constipation. At saka din siya. Parang pamilya kami ng constipated (laughs). Since we were kids, that’s always been our complaint. ‘Yun ang pinaka-problema lang namin. Other than that, I don’t have any health problems. I don’t have maintenance (medicines). I’m not really sickly. I’m also not the type to get hospitalized often.”
Despite the demands of his career, Vice feels fortunate when it comes to health. “Of course, with our work, it can be hazardous to health because there’s no fixed schedule. Then there are big meals… I’m exposed to people… but our family doesn’t get sick often. So, I feel it’s also in the genes.”
Sante International CEO Joey Marcelo with Vice, the latest celebrity endorser of the health and wellness brand’s Sante Barley product, during the launch of the #LiveForMore campaign.
Vice is also mindful of his overall diet and lifestyle. “I love to eat, but not a lot… It’s also a big deal that your partner also has a healthy lifestyle. Healthy pati pagkain niya. Tinitimbang, may calorie count.”
But beyond natural health products, genetics and diet, Vice also credits his overall well-being to laughter and joy, saying: “It’s a big thing that I always laugh and just be happy.”
For Vice, maintaining mental health is just as crucial as taking care of the body. Right now, he admits he’s undergoing therapy, acknowledging the mental toll of the pandemic and how it somehow changed people’s behavior. “In terms of mindset, it’s a big help that I’m doing therapy. Especially after the pandemic, parang ang sikip ng mga utak natin. Ang daming nangyayari sa katawan natin at may mga behavior tayong parang kakaiba na, ‘di ba? And it seems like people have become more irritable and short-tempered. So I’m addressing that.”
Vice on family relationships: ‘More valuable than fame or money.'
He continued, “I’ve been anxious about a lot of things that I need to know what triggers my being anxious and what I have to do whenever I feel this way… So, I’ve been anxious. I’ve been depressed. So, I needed to seek help from a professional.”
Vice goes to therapy “anytime I want to.” Sometimes, it can be three times in a month. “It depends on how I feel. At tsaka yung doctor ko, mabait naman. ‘Do you need me now?’ Sabi niya, yung therapy natin hindi lang natin ginagawa ‘pag ngarag na ngarag ka or if you’re not OK.
“Even if you’re OK, most especially when you’re really OK, dapat tini-therapy so we can understand our behavior. Or especially in times of success. Sometimes, you lose your way when you become too successful. So, para siyang life coach, best friend, constant listener, psychiatrist — everything.”
Meanwhile, self-care is an important lesson he learned from his late mentor and manager, Deo Endrinal.
Vice said, “He said, as much as you can, you have to keep reinventing. You have to keep on learning new things and doing new things. Kasama din diyan sa pag-reinvent mo ang sarili mong brand at ang pag-aalaga mo sa sarili mo.
“Takot na takot akong tumaba. Takot akong magmukhang losyang… Kailangan ko kasing alagaan ‘yung sarili ko. Isa sa mga kabilin-bilinan sa akin ni Deo Endrinal, ‘You have to take care of your body. You have to take care of how you look and how you present yourself as much as you can and as hard as you can. You have to be the Peter Pan in comedy.’”
According to Vice, it wasn’t easy to take this advice to heart. “Yung dati ngang challenge, you have to be unkabogable (unbeatable). Ang hirap nun, ‘day! Nangarag talaga ako nun. Yung parang hindi ka pwedeng natatalo.”
But he now embraces a more balanced mindset. “We have to accept the fact that we can’t win all the time. We can’t win every day. There are times when they’re not meant for us, right? But you can still win in instances where you’re not No. 1.
“During those losses, it’s an opportunity to think and rethink, to do and redo, to plan and replan. Because if you’re used to winning, life won’t be exciting. Those imperfections of life — those are the things that make life more exciting and beautiful,” Vice added.
Now at a point in his career where he can afford to be selective, Vice has learned to say no when needed. “Buti na lang din, kahit papaano, nakapag-ipon. Because that’s the hard part. One of the biggest challenges for me is when to say no and when to let go of an opportunity.”
In the past, he found it difficult to turn down projects, fearing missed opportunities. But now, he prioritizes his well-being and personal life. “Now, I can say, ‘Sige, palampasin natin ‘yan. Babawi na lang ako sa susunod.’”
Vice said it’s because he now values relationships and time more than fame or fortune. “I’m now able to say no because I’m also able to see now the people and things that really have value. More valuable than money and fame — like my family, partner and time for myself.”
