under the microscope
ACTOR and singer Luke Goss, 47, answers our health quiz
CAN YOU RUN UPSTAIRS?
YES. I didn’t really start thinking about the need to stay in shape until my 30s. Now, I work out every day. You can’t do a 14 or 15 hour day in action movies without being in incredibly good shape. I’m hooked on martial arts.
GET YOUR FIVE A DAY?
YES, easily. I find it easier to eat healthily here in California, where I live. I eat chicken every day, and fish, with salads. I don’t eat as many carbs as I used to. I look at eating well as an investment. But burgers are my weakness.
POP ANY PILLS?
I HAVE a protein smoothie made with one scoop of Miracle Reds (a supplement powder made from berries) and Green Vibrance powder, which contains antioxidants, probiotics and digestive enzymes. I also take vitamin C, vitamin B5, seaweed pills, collagen and Cellgevity (a supplement containing the antioxidant glutathione). They’ve made a huge difference — my energy levels, skin, hair and nails are great.
ANY FAMILY AILMENTS?
MY lovely mother, who was in her early 70s, died from liver and bowel cancer in May last year. She was diagnosed in 2013 and given the all-clear at Christmas, only to have it return with a vengeance. The hardest thing was knowing how little time we had left with her and how much we wanted to cram into it and learn from her.
WORST ILLNESS OR INJURY?
FILMING Hellboy about ten years ago, I was hit so hard my head split open and I needed stitches. I also rolled my car and fractured a vertebra in my neck. It was incredibly scary being rushed to hospital for the X-rays and MRIs and seeing the neurologist who thought there might be serious damage.
FAMILY REMEDY?
MY grandfather swore by the juice of a raw onion for sore throats, which really does work.
ALTERNATIVE REMEDIES?
I THINK acupuncture, reflexology, Reiki and Shiatsu massage are remarkable and I used them for years to help with injuries and as a preventative measure.
EVER BEEN DEPRESSED?
WHEN my sister Caroline died in 1988 after being hit by a drunk driver, I was in a very dark place and then when Bros split up [in the early 1990s] I just didn’t know what direction my life was going in. Over the years, I’ve gained more composure. Premature death never makes sense, but you can’t continue to wallow in it, you have to celebrate the good times.
HANGOVER CURE?
AT LEAST a pint and a half of water and a couple of painkillers before bed. Then the next morning have the greasiest breakfast you can.
SLEEP WELL?
TERRIBLY! My Fitbit [an activity monitor worn on the wrist] tells me I’m a really light sleeper. I get about six hours and I wake a lot. I’m considering having hypnotherapy and going to a proper sleep specialist to deal with it.
LIKE TO LIVE FOR EVER?
I WANT to live as long as I can and be as healthy as I can but I don’t want to keep watching the people that I love die.
The film AWOL-72, starring Luke Goss, is out on DVD.