Susan Lucci has undergone two successful heart surgeries in the last five years, and to maintain her health, she eats salmon, blueberries, and kale every day. “My doctor told me, ‘You keep doing what you’re doing because something good will come from that.’ It started with superfoods,” she told Fox News in a recent interview. “I do have the occasional pasta and carbs. But the key is moderation.”
The 77-year-old was prompted to get checked when she experienced chest pain and pressure on her rib cage. She assumed it was a minor issue until test results showed a 90% blockage in the main artery to her heart. “I didn’t realize how close I came to a fatal heart attack,” she revealed last year.
Susan Lucci eats healthy after two heart surgeries and a ‘widower’ heart attack
Lucci follows a strict Mediterranean diet consisting of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains as opposed to her eating habit when her Europe-trained chef husband, Helmut Huber, was alive. “I remember I would eat everything that he was cooking. It was like monopoly food, and I did build up cholesterol,” she admitted. “It’s not about being trendy, it’s about being your best self.”
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In addition to eating right, Lucci also prioritizes physical activity by doing “Pilates every day…at least five days a week. I sometimes add weights for part of it or work out on a Pilates chair, which gives you a cardio workout as well,” she added. “Pilates may look easy, but it requires a lot of strength.”
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Lucci admitted to going against her words when she refused to see a doctor prior to her diagnosis. “I couldn’t believe it. And after telling women for three years to not be afraid to call the doctor and to put themselves on their to-do list, I reverted back to all those things,” the Devious Maids actress confessed.
After her first surgery, Lucci was “was so ashamed of myself” and “almost wasn’t going to speak about it … but it’s a reminder to be vigilant.” Two months later, her partner of over five decades died from a stroke, which sent her into a spiral about her health. “After that, nothing seemed important, my health or anything else. I didn’t care about anything else,” she recalled. “But I have friends who make me laugh and keep me out and about, and I’m determined to keep putting one foot in front of the other.”