Soap Hub’s Wellness Wednesday: GH Star Lisa LoCicero Talks Endocrinology

Lisa LoCicero brings energy and passion to her role as Olivia Falconeri Quartermaine on General Hospital. However, in real life having bundles of vibrancy isn’t as always as easy as it may appear. In this week’s Wellness Wednesday, the GH star talks about the importance of a healthy endocrine system.

Lisa LoCicero – Wellness Wednesday

Jumping into a physical fitness plan sounds like a great idea but sometimes, people may feel that they just don’t have the energy to take on a new program — or even get through the day. As always, it’s best to consult with your physician. GH star Lisa LoCicero (Olivia) shares how she got the answers she needed.

What is your fitness routine?
Lisa LoCicero: I found online workouts that I like and will do. I probably won’t do more than 30-35 minutes a day for muscle building. The one I like is on Beachbody and it’s called ‘Barre Blend.’ it’s a six-week course by Tracy Anderson. It builds your muscle while raising your heart rate.

How did you find it?
Lisa LoCicero: You have to be a bit of a detective and try things and say, ‘Nope. I’m not going to do this one or that one.’ But then you find ones that you like. I like Alice Jones. (Chuckles) She’s quite perky but I can do it. She’s also quite fit. I found that once I went through a six-week program [of hers], I went back to the beginning to do it again.

You have a 6-year-old in real life, so I’m sure that plays a big role in wanting to stay fit?
Lisa LoCicero: Yes. What could be more important in terms of staying fit than if you have children? The difference between when you feel great and when you don’t is that when you don’t, you can’t do anything. Even when you’re feeling great, you may not feel that you’re firing on all cylinders every day but you’ve got a lot of them available to you. You know when you’re feeling well. It affects everything from paying your bills to going to the grocery store. It’s a quality-of-life issue.

Some people may have issues where it’s not as easy to get help. I can honestly say that most of the time, I now feel better than I have at any other time in my life. I’ve gotten my endocrine stuff all hammered out. I feel that if that’s not [taken care of] then nothing else is going to work right.

Why do you feel that way?

Lisa LoCicero: It’s all about your thyroid, your pituitary, and your adrenals. (Chuckles) We’re little bags of water and chemicals. If your thyroid isn’t functioning, good luck sticking with your workout program. Finding the right doctor and getting on track is like an art. It’s not just science. It’s science and art. If you go to six different doctors, you may get six different ways to treat what your bloodwork is telling them. You might be told to just go home and do some jumping jacks. We’re very lucky [in Los Angeles] with the doctors we have here.

How long did it take you to get on the right path?
Lisa LoCicero: Honestly, it took a while. I have pituitary tumors. It sounds like a bad thing. My thyroid is off and I take two thyroid meds. After I started taking them, I was like, ‘OMG…this is what most people feel like!’

As always, consult your doctor before embarking on any new physical or health plans. General Hospital (GH) airs weekdays on ABC. Check your local listings for airtimes. For more about what’s coming up in Port Charles, check out all the latest that’s been posted on GH spoilers, and for an in-depth look at the show’s history, click here.