Neri Naig shares how Chito Miranda changed his rock star lifestyle
MANILA, Philippines — Former Kapamilya actress and now businesswoman Neri Naig revealed that her rock star husband Chito Miranda almost quit his band Parokya ni Edgar upon knowing that he had high bad cholesterol levels that could lead to heart problems.
When Chito turned 44 last February 7, Neri dared him to go the doctor for an executive checkup.
“Sabi n’ya, ‘Ma, I’m healthy,’ wala pa s’yang nararamdaman, sabi ko, ‘No!’ Kailangan ka magpa-executive checkup. Sasamahan kita.”
She said Chito told her: “Sige, just to prove to you that I’m healthy.”
So, she pulled him out of his busy schedule and brought him to the hospital.
Upon confirming that he was high in bad cholesterol, the cardiologist prescribed a number of things Chito should change from his lifestyle and diet, especially those that include being a member of a rock band.
“The doctor told him: ‘Nasasa’yo ‘yan kung gusto mo pa makasama ‘yung family mo nang matagal’,” Neri shared.
“Sabi ni Chito, ‘Sige, ‘di na ko magpa-Parokya,’ Sabi ko, ‘Wag!” Neri enthused.
At home, she serves her family usually fish and vegetables.
“With food naman wala naman sa history ng family ko na inaatake sa puso, sa side ni Chito ‘yun, mas more on mababa ‘yung baga namin, mga ganon lang. Pero nagkakasundo kami sa food, mahilig kami sa fish, since pinanganak ako sa Subic kaya mahilig kami sa seafood and sa vegetable kasi mahilig akong magtanim-tanim, so natutuwa siya sa mga pinagkakaabalahan ko. Aside sa mga negosyo, kinukuha ko lang ‘yung mga ginigisa so organic talaga, ‘yun yung mga trip ko,” she narrated in an exclusive interview with Philstar.com.
But when Chito is in the road with Parokya ni Edgar, he indulged in high-cholesterol food such as red meat, chicharong bulaklak, sisig and papaitan.
“Alam mo naman ‘yang mga boys!” she said.
“So, masyado kasi syang focus sa work niya kaya hindi na niya nararamdaman ‘yung pain or kung ano. Kaya sabi ko sa kanya, ‘You should take care na kasi 44 ka na, hindi ka na ‘yung ano kumbaga binabawi na ‘yung mga kalokohan mo nu’ng alam mo ‘yon, ‘yung nag-smoke siya, inom, puyat and kain ng kung ano-anong food.”
Neri said that her rock star husband needed to adjust to her because she doesn’t smoke, drink and go on night outs.
“'Yung lifestyle niya nag change into 360 degrees because ako hindi ako nag iis-smoke, hindi ako umiinom, hindi ako lumalabas. Hindi naman sa healthy lifestyle, hindi lang talaga ako palalabas kapag gabi or gimikera. Mas gusto ko sa bahay matulog or magbasa ng libro,” Neri said.
Since Chito has given up smoking and drinking, the challenge is on his diet modification.
“So ‘yung food na lang at saka ‘yung rice n’ya, sobrang parang maliit na kaldero, isa-isa sila. Totoo, ang lakas n’yang kumain! Kaya pagod na pagod sila. Tapos may dessert pa ‘yan, tig-iisa silang leche flan… Meron naman silang vegetable pero isa lang, hati-hati pa sila d’un!” Neri quipped.
“Ang hirap pa nito kasi gabi sila tumutugtog… Kulang na sila sa tulog tapos heavy meal pa, talagang bad combination.”
So now, Chito has changed his diet. He now measures his rice and made bitter gourd and salad a part of his daily diet.
Instead of snacking on junk food, Chito grabs on oats whenever he is hungry, said Neri, who was recently a guest in Quaker’s launch of its new Smart Heart Challenge, developed in 2004 in the Philippines to demonstrate how adding oatmeal to your daily diet helps reduce bad cholesterol.
“Oats is a common cereal noted for its heart benefits, owing particularly to its high soluble fiber content called beta-glucan,” said Dr. Rodolfo F. Florentino, Immediate Past Chairman-President of the Nutrition Foundation of the Philippines, Inc. “Scientific studies have shown that beta-glucan is capable of lowering the cholesterol level in the blood, particularly LDL-cholesterol.”
Since February is not only Love Month but also Philippine Heart Month, Neri emphasized that apart from being loving wife, her role in Chito’s life is as private nurse.
“Kasi matigas ‘yung ulo n’yan e. ‘Pag sinabi ko na i-check mo nga ‘yung ganon, alam mo na hindi niya inaano ‘yung sakit... So ‘pag nagsabi na siya parang dati nag-ka-UTI na s’ya tapos naospital siya, do’n palang niya nalaman na may UTI na s’ya, hindi niya nararamdaman, parang gano’n,” she said.
Now that the Parokya ni Edgar frontman is on the road to a better lifestyle, Neri assured that he will not quit the 27-year-old band anytime soon.
“Ay hindi, hindi pa pwede, marami pa kaming bayarin!” quipped the former Star Magic talent. — Video by Deni Rose M. Afinidad-Bernardo, Reports from Jan Milo Severo
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