Sofía Vergara knows that health always comes first. This is reflected in her dedicated fitness routine, which includes squats, hip thrusts, and deadlifts. (“All the things I [once] thought were bad for me,” she says.) But you can also see it in the way she cares for those around her. After learning that her mother had high blood pressure, Vergara took on a greater caregiver role, checking in with her mom and calling with important reminders. “I have to be on top of her all the time, telling her what to do,” Vergara tells Popsugar.
Caregiving for a loved one isn’t always easy. Burnout is real, and communication can be difficult and emotional at times. But through it all, Vergara still manages to find pockets of joy with her mom. “She’s very disobedient,” Vergara laughs. “I have to call her and [tell] her, ‘Now you have to do this, order that.'”
In her caregiving journey, Vergara has learned a lot about medical advocacy — both for her mother, and her own self. “I’ve realized, even with my [own] health, that you have to pay attention, and you know your body better than anyone else,” she says. “Don’t let anyone ever tell you, ‘Oh, it’s your imagination,’ or, ‘Oh, it will go away.'”
“You know your body better than anyone else.”
In some ways, Vergara is grateful to have learned these skills now, so she can be a fiercer advocate for herself down the line. “I don’t have diabetes yet, and I don’t have high blood pressure, but I’ve had other things,” she says. “You have to defend yourself, advocate for yourself.” If you don’t know how, it starts with trusting your instincts and getting more familiar with your body’s specific cues.
One of the best tools in Vergara’s caregiving toolbox is staying up-to-date with the latest research, including any findings that could potentially make her mother’s life easier. One of these is a simple uACR (urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio) test, which can uncover risk for cardiovascular events like heart attack or stroke, and an early sign of kidney damage. “You just have to ask for it because, unfortunately, doctors are not yet making it part of your regular checkup,” Vergara says. In partnership with Boehringer Ingelheim, she’s encouraging people to get tested so they can detect important warning signs earlier on (learn more at Detect the SOS).
The uACR test is a step in the right direction, as is taking the time to get educated on conditions like high blood pressure. “I’m always asking people, educating myself before going to a doctor. When I get a diagnosis, I ask more doctors,” Vergara says. “Doctors are not God, so it’s good that you are informed. It’s a lot of work, but I think it’s the only way.”
Health requires time and effort — whether you’re caring for yourself or someone close to you. “It’s hard, but it’s great. It’s very rewarding because you’re helping somebody that you love,” Vergara says. “Hopefully one day, when I’m in that situation, somebody’s going to be taking care of me.”
Chandler Plante (she/her) is a social producer and staff writer for the Health & Fitness team at Popsugar. She has over five years of industry experience, previously working as an editorial assistant for People magazine, a social media manager for Millie magazine, and a contributor for Bustle Digital Group. She has a degree in magazine journalism from Syracuse University and is based in Los Angeles.