MANILA, Philippines—It may be cliche, but the saying “Health is wealth” holds true for former politician turned television personality and stroke survivor Kim Atienza.
It was in 2010 when the news broke that Atienza, known as Kuya Kim, suffered a mild stroke.
The stroke affected a part of his brain, the area that stores memory and knowledge. But even at the hospital bed, Atienza realized what was important and knew exactly what he wanted.
“When I was in the ICU [intensive care unit], all I wanted was to walk, run.. Wellness, it’s so important,” he said at a press conference where he was launched as the ambassador of the Wellness section of Robinsons Supermarket.
In just a few months, Atienza was back on his feet. He started with 30-minute daily walks, which eventually turned into walk-run exercise, and only within six months, he joined his first marathon after his stroke.
He then learned how to ride a bicycle and then learned swimming, which made him a triathlete. He completed his first half Iron Man, a prestigious endurance event for sportsmen, in Cebu last year.
“This year I signed up for my first Iron Man in Australia. It’s a four-kilometer swim, 190-kilometer bike and a 42-kilometer run which I aim to finish in 12 hours and a half,” he said.
His swim-bike-run routine now goes on a strict diet. The 46-year-old Atienza says he eats a lot, but is a healthy and disciplined eater.
“I eat like a diabetic but I’m not diabetic,” he said of his diet, as he claimed that diabetes is also in his genes.
He said he eats foods with low glycemic index and stays away from processed food.
“[I also] stay away from white bread, brown sugar. I don’t eat white bread because that is bad for you. I eat whole wheat bread,” he said.
“[Also] not all fruits are your friends,” according to Atienza. “Not all fruits will make you healthy. Too much of high sugar fruits can make you diabetic or make you fat,” he added.
And so Atienza was named to be Robinsons Supermarket’s Wellness Ambassador for its ‘I Love Wellness Campaign,’ for his unrelenting will to live right, but more importantly for being an influential source in promoting health and wellness by way of example.”
Atienza and his family do their groceries at the Robinsons Supermarket which is just located two blocks away from their home.
“Unlike other supermarkets where you have to sift through a lot of other items before you see what you need, Robinsons Supermarket has it all figured out as products are displayed in a way that is customer-friendly,” he said.
The “I Love Wellness” campaign in the Robinsons Supermarket, products are properly identified under Bone Builder, Kids Nutrition, Weight Management, Choices for a Healthy Heart and Guilt-free, to make customers more informed.
But there’s still an extensive stock of fresh produce, lean meat, as well as low-sugar, zero-transfat and cholesterol-free products.
“We are aware of the customers’ need for alternative healthy choices and shopping convenience; thus, we want to establish our position as a destination supermarket where customers go to for all things they need for health and wellness,” says Jody Gadia, General Manager of Robinsons Supermarket.
Robinsons will also intensify their campaign through free bone and dental checkups, skin and hair analysis and zumba classes, BMI reading, cholesterol tests, and other wellness programs that promote healthy lifestyle. (advt)
