Shamaine Buencamino on acting and health (Sabong News)

Shamaine Buencamino has been in show business for more than two decades now. An accomplished theater actress prior to making a huge jump doing TV and film work, many look up to the 57-year-old, revering her as an icon. Despite her success, however, Shamaine is only too quick to admit that acting is far from being a walk in the park. According to her, acting could actually drain you not only physically, but also mentally, emotionally. She told us during a recent interview for “#BreakTheBias” as organized by the Philippine Heart Association Council on Women’s Cardiovascular Disease (PHA CWCH) to celebrate International Women’s Day, that this is magnified particularly when doing scenes that hew a tad too close to reality. “‘Dun mo mararamdaman talaga ‘yung bigat ng pakiramdam,” she related. She recalled how, at one point, she was rushed to a hospital after doing a TV show, having experienced a breakdown of sorts. That it happened while she was still grieving the passing of her daughter didn’t help matters any. “Naku, talaga! For the next few days ‘di ako nakabalik sa taping…I was throwing up,” she shared. But the show must go on, as the adage goes, and as such Shamaine kept at it. “I have to do my job,” she said. Note that she is now suffering from hypertension. Now, Shamaine is more wary. She related, “Medyo we have to be on our toes handling our health because we are asked to do emotional scenes on television.” Shamaine is also more than ready to turn down a project if only to prioritize her well-being. Just recently, she said no to a series. To keep herself busy, Shamaine took art courses. “Para kahit papaano para hindi puro bad news hinaharap ko,” she said. “And I also makes sure that I do everything in moderation,” she added, relating to her diet.