Marg helgenberger's - The Christ Hospital

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Fighting hardship, onscreen and off
Helgenberger’s world includes her role as mom to
19-year-old Hugh, her son with actor Alan Rosenberg
(the couple separated in 2008). She splits her time
between family, friends and a successful career in
which she’s won the hearts of TV viewers, shared in
CSI’s Screen Actors Guild award in 2005 and earned
an Emmy for her portrayal of a
tough prostitute in “China Beach”
in 1990. “I like edgier material
because it suits my nature better.
Bad girls or complicated women are
always more fun to play than good
girls,” she says. “I feel an affinity
for people who’ve been through
hardships but keep going.”
On top of that list is
Helgenberger’s mother, a breast
cancer survivor. “My mom’s always
looked on the bright side of life; I
respect that type of person.” In part because of her
mother’s experience, Helgenberger donates her time
to various cancer charity events, hosting her own
Helgenberger and “CSI” co-stars Laurence
Fishburne (center) and Robert David Hall.
annual Celebrity
Weekend to fight
breast cancer in
Omaha, Neb.,
since 1997, and
attending last
September’s
“Stand Up To
Cancer” event put
together by the
Entertainment
Industry Foundation.
On a more
personal level,
Helgenberger’s preventive measures include her
annual physician visit. “I’ve been getting yearly
mammograms for a long time,” she acknowledges.
“And I do self-examinations regularly.”
Taking care from the inside out
Helgenberger knows the importance of nutritious
eating: Yogurt, fresh berries, salad greens,
tuna, sliced turkey, milk, orange juice and teas are
among her nutritional staples. “I’m big on drinking
“ Edgier material
suits my nature
better ... I feel an
affinity for people
who’ve been through
hardships going. but keep
”
lots of water and teas,” she says. “I start my day with
a protein-packed smoothie made with yogurt, rice
milk and fresh fruit like berries or papaya.” But she’s
not a sergeant with the food police. “I love chocolate
chip cookies too much,” she laughs. “And those Girl
Scout Thin Mints … soul food like fried chicken
with macaroni and cheese … let’s see, I like Italian
food ...” Helgenberger continues,
ticking off her list of guilty pleasures.
“I mean, who doesn’t enjoy
a great pasta or pizza? Thin crust
and not too cheesy!”
Growing older gracefully
But that doesn’t mean
Helgenberger can simply ignore
the pressures Hollywood’s ageism
places on women. “I certainly want
to look the best I possibly can, and
I’ve always been a disciplined and
motivated person. But I really have to work with
what I’ve got and grow older gracefully. I don’t
wear some of the clothes I wore 10 years ago—and
certainly not the ones I wore 20 years ago.”
To keep her 5-foot-6-inch figure in shape,
Helgenberger attends twice-weekly yoga sessions,
hikes with her dog, Henry, and meditates daily.
“Stress in general is bad for your health and wellbeing.
That’s why I do yoga and meditate for
20 minutes every morning,” says Helgenberger.
“Being out among nature also reduces my stress in a
visual way. A long walk, hanging out at the beach or
just appreciating the outdoors does wonders.”
Singing a simple song
A new element of calm for Helgenberger is a local
book club she started a few years ago. “Good reading
material’s always important. But I’m not one of those
readers who can plow through a novel every week
because I get distracted from all the things on my plate.”
Helgenberger’s distractions come in many
forms. So what would this self-described “loyal,
hard-working, fun-loving” woman do with an extra
hour in a day? “I’d probably play my guitar. I’d sing
songs I’ve learned or want to learn. I guess you
could say that’s just another distraction,” she smiles,
“but I’d say it’s simply another stress reducer.” WHT
© 2009 CBS Photo Archive/Gettyimages
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Women’s Health Today