She goes for jogs, eats in moderation, and spends quality time with family and friends — there's no question local actress-host Eswari Gunasagar takes good care of herself.

"Better safe than sorry," the 29-year-old said as she talked about taking charge of her health in an episode of Real or Not?!, which uncovers things we never knew about our local stars.

The reason behind her healthy lifestyle? Her family.

"I'm very close to my family, they are everything to me."

Describing herself as a sentimental person, Eswari shared that she likes to show off her close-knit family on Instagram because they're her pride and joy.

However, it's not easy juggling work and family commitments, the actress said, as working in the media industry involves late-night filming. That means Eswari has had to miss family gatherings sometimes and can't spend as much time with them as she would like.

"But I've decided to put my family first," she said.

HELPING SINGAPOREANS STAY HEALTHY

As many of her Instagram snaps show, Eswari often hits the gym and watches what she eats, but it's not just for the sake of looking good on camera.

"I try to adopt a healthy lifestyle because both my parents are diabetic," the actress shared with AsiaOne.

Her mother first found out that she has diabetes when she was 49.

What shocked Eswari even more was her father getting the same disease despite being a very active man.

"Now that I know I have a chance of getting diabetes, it's better to be safe than sorry," she said.

"My parents are independent people," Eswari said. "They take care of themselves, they go for regular checkups at polyclinics and monitor their blood sugar levels with a glucometer at home.

"We don't really have to worry about them."

What also help to ease Eswari's mind are the healthcare subsidies that her parents, who are in their 60s and part of the Merdeka Generation, are receiving.

For example, her father is receiving $200 annual MediSave top-ups from 2019 till 2023. This can be used to pay for treatment of chronic diseases, MediShield Life premiums as well as hospitalisation and surgery fees.

"My father's very happy that he gets the $100 PAssion Silver Card top-up. He uses this to go to swimming pools under the ActiveSG programme," Eswari shared.

ENSURING ALL SINGAPOREANS HAVE ACCESS TO GOOD AND AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE

Like Eswari's parents, Singaporeans can manage their chronic conditions with the help of healthcare professionals at polyclinics.

Patients can look forward to more accessible healthcare in the future, as there will be 30 to 32 polyclinics island-wide by 2030, up from the current 20.

The new polyclinics will be built in locations such as Serangoon, Bukit Panjang, Eunos, Kallang, Sembawang, Khatib, Tampines North and Yew Tee.

On polyclinics, Eswari noted: "In the past, you had to spend the whole day there right?"

Well, not anymore. She observed in recent years that the introduction of online services such as appointment booking and payment has helped shorten waiting times for patients.

For those who prefer to see a general practitioner for their ailments, the healthcare subsidies extend to private clinics and dental clinics under the Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS).

"My mum wasn't feeling well one day so she went to a private clinic," the actress recounted. "She got $20 off her $60 bill after showing the receptionist her Merdeka Generation card."

And when one of the hosts pulled out a CHAS card, Eswari replied: "Oh, I've got the orange one too."

Blue, orange, green — what do the different colours of the CHAS cards mean?

Under the scheme, household income determines the rate of healthcare subsidies to which you're entitled.

CHAS now covers all Singaporeans with chronic conditions under the new CHAS green card, as well as common illnesses and dental services at participating private clinics. To qualify for these healthcare subsidies, one must apply for a CHAS card.

Cardholders are also entitled to affordable health screenings. For instance, Merdeka Generation cardholders only need to pay $2 for Screen for Life, which tests for conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, colorectal cancer and cervical cancer.

Also, getting to a CHAS clinic will only take 10 minutes via public transport, as there will be one located near each public housing estate.

GIVING SENIORS PEACE OF MIND ON THEIR HEALTHCARE NEEDS

"I've always had this perception that palliative care at community hospitals is dark and gloomy," Eswari said.

But her perception completely changed after paying the patients at Bright Vision Hospital a visit last May.

"You see the uncles and aunties getting involved in activities like arts and crafts. They taught me how to play mahjong. It was nice to see them having fun."

The bright environment and the beautiful garden in the community hospital also help lift the patients' and their families' spirits, she added.

That was a very thoughtful thing to do, Eswari said as she reflected on her visit.

As Singapore's silver population grows, more hospitals, polyclinics, nursing homes and eldercare centres will be built to meet their healthcare needs.

For seniors receiving care at home, there will be more community nursing teams in 29 regions by 2020. Caregivers can also receive a monthly $200 Home Caregiving Grant to reduce expenses, such as employing a foreign domestic worker as caregiver.

BECOMING AN ECO-ENTREPRENEUR

Besides taking care of her own health, Eswari has set her sights on taking care of the environment as well.

Together with Tanglin co-star Sherly Devonne Ng, she recently set up Haus of Green, a start-up business that provides eco-friendly alternatives to plastics.

They're now distributing grass straws, which can be repurposed as fertiliser after use, to restaurants in Singapore.

A portion of the money made from the product also goes back to the farmers' community in Vietnam where the grass straws are produced.

While Singapore is adopting a zero-waste stance, the higher prices of eco-friendly alternatives are a concern for food and beverage outlets here, Eswari said.

"We're not trying to sell the product, we're trying to sell the cause behind it.

"It's for the next generation. You don't want the kids to be eating plastic," the eco-entrepreneur explained, "so make sure you get yourself a grass straw."

TV COMEBACK

She might not have appeared on TV for a while, but Eswari is back, and better than ever.

After taking part in Miss Vasantham back in 2011, she embarked on an acting career and has taken on roles that ranged from a mother to (gasp!) a murderer over the years.

Eswari then made the crossover to Channel 5, playing teen influencer Shruti Bhaskar on long-form drama Tanglin.

When asked if Tanglin was the sole reason for her flourishing career, she laughed: "If I said yes, then Vasantham won't call me back anymore."

She has never forgotten how Vasantham groomed her to become the actress and host she is today. But Eswari acknowledged that Tanglin gave her more exposure with non-Indian communities in Singapore.

Filming the drama for three-and-a-half years, however, made her realise that she needed a break from the routine.

That was when Eswari decided to head back to school. She earned her Master's degree in Mass Communication at Nanyang Technological University in 2019.

"It was tough going back to school. It was a challenge. But age shouldn't matter in learning, you should just go for it."

With her return to TV in Vasantham drama Thilaanaa, as well as her new business venture, it's easy to see that Eswari's living a busy and fulfilling life.

But what about starting a family of her own?

With her siblings getting hitched in recent years, and herself turning 30 soon, the actress admitted that she has been inundated with questions on when she would be tying the knot.

"I believe that marriage is not something you can rush into. I haven't found the right person yet," Eswari told us.

As for her other plans for the future, she said: "I'm the kind of person who lives for the moment. Whatever I do, I want to give my 100 per cent to it.

"Just live life."

Real or Not?! is a six-part talk show featuring celebrities discussing their experiences with issues of the day. Eswari Gunasagar is the guest for the third episode.

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lamminlee@asiaone.com

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