Many NYC actors know Marci Phillips as the head of ABC TV’s New York Casting Office. Additionally, she is the longest-running judge of the 72 Hour Shootout, a film competition the Film Lab (a non-profit I run) has held annually for over a decade to promote gender and ethnic diversity in entertainment media.
Marci is also the author of a book called “The Present Actor.” She gave me this book during the course of an acting class I took with her this summer and it really resonated with me because it addressed acting, of course, but went far deeper than that by substantively discussing being good to your body, eating healthily, being a nice person, and having a healthy, happy spiritual life in order to be truly professionally fulfilled and happy.
Because that advice applies to and can help everyone, not just actors, I reached out to Marci and asked if she would be willing to do an interview for EIBBB. Happily, she said yes! I am delighted to present her oh-so-wise insights for you! **Note: the opinions expressed by Marci are her own, not necessarily ABC’s or Disney’s and all health-related information discussed is informational only and should not be considered a substitute for medical advice from a duly licensed physician. OK, had to do that. Now, onwards!**
Can you tell us a little about your background and what first interested you in compassionate, healthy, spiritual living?
I had a very colorful childhood – full of yin & yang, good & bad, fun & dread. I was given some incredibly difficult challenges at a very young age and I’m grateful for them. Hardships foster perspective and help you to develop a great deal of empathy and compassion for one’s fellow beings!
You recently wrote a book called “The Present Actor,” in which you address, in part, a myriad of ways actors can use nutrition, physical exercise, spirituality, and, basically, healthy living to alleviate stress and even to improve their creativity and career growth. What are some of the most important takeaways for people - not just actors, but anyone - who want to use a healthy and compassionate lifestyle to make life richer and fuller?
Most people take better care of their possessions than they do their own bodies. When you’re 25 years old, make choices for yourself that the 65 year old you will be grateful for. The fuel and building blocks of nutrition that you give to your body today will also affect your health and well-being when you’re much older. We all want to be as productive as possible and to be useful in this world for as long as we can. You make choices every single day of your life that either helps that or hinders that.
You advise actors to "just say no" to substances like dairy, gluten and sugar. Can you elaborate a little on that?
Some people have no problem with Dairy but it’s the cause of phlegm, skin and stomach problems for others. Listen to your body, it’s always telling you what’s going on (if you’re paying attention)! If you do eat it, the best dairy is raw & organic as the process of pasteurization kills all of the enzymes. Raw dairy is legal in many states but not NY – here you can only purchase raw cheese. Gluten is another substance that affects some people more than others. But even if you don’t have Celiac’s disease or aren’t overtly sensitive to gluten, it causes inflammation of the gut, brain fog, skin problems and makes you vulnerable to autoimmune diseases. Any high carb diet, gluten or no gluten, will cause sugar spikes in your bloodstream. Sugar is rat poison, plain & simple. You can cripple your immune system for up to 5 hours after eating sugar….who can afford to do that?! If you think that you can’t stop eating sugar, it’s been said that this insidious white powder is more addictive than heroin. It will eventually make you fat and screw up the inner ecology of your gut – causing skin problems and a host of cascading diseases. It’s the number one source of food & fuel for Cancer cells….yikes. You don’t have to believe me, your body will yell at you sooner or later!
We have another blog piece on meditation, featuring psychotherapist Lisa Story here, however, it's such a useful, helpful thing for everyone's mental clarity - and you can do it for free and in your own home! - that we want to mention it again. You talk in your book about the benefits of meditation. Can you give some technique tips to laypeople who want to try it out?
I wish I could master it but I suck at meditation, so I follow the advice given by a Traditional Chinese Medicine Doctor to close my eyes and just count backwards from 200!
What are some of your favorite supplements and why?
I take about 10 -15 supplements at any given time but 3 of my favorites are: Proteolytic enzymes between meals, as they reduce inflammation, break down protein-based foreign bodies and boost immunity…..Vitamin D3 with MK7 - as Vitamin D ensures that calcium is absorbed but MK7 directs it to specifically where it’s needed, like your bones…..and Probiotics to repopulate the gut with good bacteria as most of us have decimated our inner ecology through tap water alone! But I’m not a doctor so don’t take anything that I mention here unless a doctor tells you to!
Homeopathy! Can you give a little advice on how to find a good homeopathic doctor to readers in the NY Area (or CA, if you know of any!)?
I rely on ZocDoc….maybe a bit too much! Research and vet any healthcare person that you go to…..just because someone has a title doesn’t mean that they’re any good.
There are so many amazing herbs out there and a myriad of herbal remedies and we don't have room to talk about all of them, however, could you choose, perhaps, your top 3 and tell us a little about them?
Stomach Formula – a time tested mixture of Aloe Vera, peppermint and many herbs that soothe any minor stomach ailment – you can buy it in any decent health food store or online. But I’m not a doctor so don’t take anything that I mention here unless a doctor tells you to!
Yin Chiao Chieh Tu Pien – my favorite Chinese Herbal supplement when you feel you may be coming down with a cold or flu! But I’m not a doctor so don’t take anything that I mention here unless a doctor tells you to!
Jade Wind Screen Formula – another time honored Chinese supplement with Astragalus, Chinese Yam and other herbs to boost immunity. But I’m not a doctor so don’t take anything that I mention here unless a doctor tells you to!
Is there any other advice or feedback you'd like to share with EIBBB readers?
If you look for what’s wrong in your career, in others and in yourself, you’ll always find it……and it’s the same thing when you look for what’s right.
Last, but not least, what does the phrase "Ethical is Beautiful; Be Beautiful" mean to you?
Hmmmmm……“ethical” is a subjective term. I know people who worship certain leaders right now who consider themselves to be “ethical”. I prefer the phrase “Being Humane & Considerate is Beautiful. Be Beautiful”
And, because, we have to, on more time:
**Note: the opinions expressed by Marci are her own, not necessarily ABC’s or Disney’s and all health-related information discussed is informational only and should not be considered a substitute for medical advice from a duly licensed physician.**
Marci is also the author of a book called “The Present Actor.” She gave me this book during the course of an acting class I took with her this summer and it really resonated with me because it addressed acting, of course, but went far deeper than that by substantively discussing being good to your body, eating healthily, being a nice person, and having a healthy, happy spiritual life in order to be truly professionally fulfilled and happy.
Because that advice applies to and can help everyone, not just actors, I reached out to Marci and asked if she would be willing to do an interview for EIBBB. Happily, she said yes! I am delighted to present her oh-so-wise insights for you! **Note: the opinions expressed by Marci are her own, not necessarily ABC’s or Disney’s and all health-related information discussed is informational only and should not be considered a substitute for medical advice from a duly licensed physician. OK, had to do that. Now, onwards!**
Can you tell us a little about your background and what first interested you in compassionate, healthy, spiritual living?
I had a very colorful childhood – full of yin & yang, good & bad, fun & dread. I was given some incredibly difficult challenges at a very young age and I’m grateful for them. Hardships foster perspective and help you to develop a great deal of empathy and compassion for one’s fellow beings!
You recently wrote a book called “The Present Actor,” in which you address, in part, a myriad of ways actors can use nutrition, physical exercise, spirituality, and, basically, healthy living to alleviate stress and even to improve their creativity and career growth. What are some of the most important takeaways for people - not just actors, but anyone - who want to use a healthy and compassionate lifestyle to make life richer and fuller?
Most people take better care of their possessions than they do their own bodies. When you’re 25 years old, make choices for yourself that the 65 year old you will be grateful for. The fuel and building blocks of nutrition that you give to your body today will also affect your health and well-being when you’re much older. We all want to be as productive as possible and to be useful in this world for as long as we can. You make choices every single day of your life that either helps that or hinders that.
You advise actors to "just say no" to substances like dairy, gluten and sugar. Can you elaborate a little on that?
Some people have no problem with Dairy but it’s the cause of phlegm, skin and stomach problems for others. Listen to your body, it’s always telling you what’s going on (if you’re paying attention)! If you do eat it, the best dairy is raw & organic as the process of pasteurization kills all of the enzymes. Raw dairy is legal in many states but not NY – here you can only purchase raw cheese. Gluten is another substance that affects some people more than others. But even if you don’t have Celiac’s disease or aren’t overtly sensitive to gluten, it causes inflammation of the gut, brain fog, skin problems and makes you vulnerable to autoimmune diseases. Any high carb diet, gluten or no gluten, will cause sugar spikes in your bloodstream. Sugar is rat poison, plain & simple. You can cripple your immune system for up to 5 hours after eating sugar….who can afford to do that?! If you think that you can’t stop eating sugar, it’s been said that this insidious white powder is more addictive than heroin. It will eventually make you fat and screw up the inner ecology of your gut – causing skin problems and a host of cascading diseases. It’s the number one source of food & fuel for Cancer cells….yikes. You don’t have to believe me, your body will yell at you sooner or later!
We have another blog piece on meditation, featuring psychotherapist Lisa Story here, however, it's such a useful, helpful thing for everyone's mental clarity - and you can do it for free and in your own home! - that we want to mention it again. You talk in your book about the benefits of meditation. Can you give some technique tips to laypeople who want to try it out?
I wish I could master it but I suck at meditation, so I follow the advice given by a Traditional Chinese Medicine Doctor to close my eyes and just count backwards from 200!
What are some of your favorite supplements and why?
I take about 10 -15 supplements at any given time but 3 of my favorites are: Proteolytic enzymes between meals, as they reduce inflammation, break down protein-based foreign bodies and boost immunity…..Vitamin D3 with MK7 - as Vitamin D ensures that calcium is absorbed but MK7 directs it to specifically where it’s needed, like your bones…..and Probiotics to repopulate the gut with good bacteria as most of us have decimated our inner ecology through tap water alone! But I’m not a doctor so don’t take anything that I mention here unless a doctor tells you to!
Homeopathy! Can you give a little advice on how to find a good homeopathic doctor to readers in the NY Area (or CA, if you know of any!)?
I rely on ZocDoc….maybe a bit too much! Research and vet any healthcare person that you go to…..just because someone has a title doesn’t mean that they’re any good.
There are so many amazing herbs out there and a myriad of herbal remedies and we don't have room to talk about all of them, however, could you choose, perhaps, your top 3 and tell us a little about them?
Stomach Formula – a time tested mixture of Aloe Vera, peppermint and many herbs that soothe any minor stomach ailment – you can buy it in any decent health food store or online. But I’m not a doctor so don’t take anything that I mention here unless a doctor tells you to!
Yin Chiao Chieh Tu Pien – my favorite Chinese Herbal supplement when you feel you may be coming down with a cold or flu! But I’m not a doctor so don’t take anything that I mention here unless a doctor tells you to!
Jade Wind Screen Formula – another time honored Chinese supplement with Astragalus, Chinese Yam and other herbs to boost immunity. But I’m not a doctor so don’t take anything that I mention here unless a doctor tells you to!
Is there any other advice or feedback you'd like to share with EIBBB readers?
If you look for what’s wrong in your career, in others and in yourself, you’ll always find it……and it’s the same thing when you look for what’s right.
Last, but not least, what does the phrase "Ethical is Beautiful; Be Beautiful" mean to you?
Hmmmmm……“ethical” is a subjective term. I know people who worship certain leaders right now who consider themselves to be “ethical”. I prefer the phrase “Being Humane & Considerate is Beautiful. Be Beautiful”
And, because, we have to, on more time:
**Note: the opinions expressed by Marci are her own, not necessarily ABC’s or Disney’s and all health-related information discussed is informational only and should not be considered a substitute for medical advice from a duly licensed physician.**
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