At 78, actor Ernie Hudson shows us what living a vibrant life can look like when we care for our bodies, minds, and souls. โIt starts with loving yourself,โ Hudson says. โThen, I think the primary thing is realizing youโre the steward of your body and health. The body will tell what it needs if youโre paying attention. But you have to quiet yourself and listen.โ We talked to him about his health, why seniors should vaccinate themselves against RSV, his work, and pursuing joy.โ
On His Health
While we admire Hudsonโs sculpted physique, he does not spend every day in the gym. He has always been mindful of what he eats. โThere never been a period when my weight has been out of control; Iโve always been conscious enough to rein it in before it got too far out of control,โ he says.โ Also, being an actor always made me aware of the image I wanted to maintain.โ
But Black men, for example, are taught to be strong and brave. โWe donโt need certain things; we can brave them on our own, which is very foolish,โ Hudson says. โThings are going on with our bodies that weโre unaware of.
For example, I had prostate cancer diagnosed back in 1998. There are no signs. You feel pretty good until it happens. And if you donโt take care of it, you can die from it. For me, you have to be vigilant.โ
Hudson pointed out that yearly checkups are essential. โItโs nice to have people in our lives to remind us to take care of ourselves,โ he says. โSome people are afraid they will get news they donโt want to know; I want to know something is happening.โ
ย The Rated RSV Campaign
Most of us associate Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) with babies and young children, but seniors are also a vulnerable population. โWhen Pfizer came to me and asked me to be part of this campaign and get the word out on RSV, I was very excited. Because one of the things Iโve become aware of is friends my age have not taken care of themselves,โ Hudson notes.
โAnd I want to let people know that this is something most of us hadnโt heard of, that itโs out there, and we have to do whatโs necessary to take care of ourselves.โ
Senior citizens, 75 and older, are being impacted by it, but those 60 and older with chronic conditions like asthma, heart disease, diabetes, and COPD should also consider being vaccinated.
โThe CDC saysย from 60,000 to 160,000 people might end up in the hospital because of this,โ he says. โThat was alarming and I wanted to get the word out along with getting a yearly checkup and taking care of yourself.โ
Sixty Years of Work
Ernie Hudson has been acting for six decades. The first film he was in, โLeadbelly,โ was directed by the legendary Gordon Parks. His list of credits includes, of course, โGhostbustersโ but also cultural groundbreaking series like โOzโ and current BET+ hit Carl Webberโs โThe Family Business,โ which has been running for five seasons.
โWhen I am onstage with another actor, bring your best. Iโm going to bring my best,โ Hudson says. โWeโre going to have some fun. And if we have fun, the audience is going to have fun. But Iโm not worried about them. Letโs dance.โ
What Brings Him Joy
At 78, Ernie Hudson is letting go of lifeโs urgencies surrounding him. โJoy is knowing it is a beautiful day. I can sit in the sun, soak it in, and smile, and somebody will smile back at me,โ he says. I am still on the plane of existence and can appreciate and give thanks for things around me. I can have a meal spread before me and take a bite. And thatโs enough for meโto know that I am.โ
For information on RSV and to schedule a vaccination, go to VaxAssist.com.
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