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The 10th edition of Telemundo’s Health and Wellness Fair took place this past Sunday at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Over 25,000 people attended.

Public health services and family counseling were offered free of charge.

Telemundo and The California Endowment teamed up to once again bring this event to Los Angeles, in efforts to keep the Latin community well-informed about health and a good quality of life, as well as the many medical programs available to them across the county.

As usual, the event had several Latin celebrities on hand to advocate the importance of the festival, sign autographs and take pictures with the public. Those on hand included actress Lissete Morelos, actor David Chocarro, Dr. Ana Maria Polo, and the Mayor of Los Angeles, Eric Garcetti.

Garcetti welcomed the public, and praised Telemundo’s efforts to help the community.

“Today is a day for health, and it’s an honor to celebrate it with the people of Los Angeles. Health starts with you, and today you have the opportunity to improve the quality of your lives,” said Garcetti. “Thanks to Telemundo for their vision and work in behalf of the community. This will be of great benefit to many Angelinos who don’t have easy access to proper healthcare.”

Other celebrities on hand also addressed the public to motivate them to take better care of their health and seek more information.

In exclusives with Living Out Loud, they discussed their projects, as well as their involvement in the fair and how they apply the advice they gave to the public.

Morelos, star of the popular soap opera “La Impostora,” talked about how pleased she was with the turnout.

“I feel very happy to be here and see the public face to face, and to hear their concerns and help keep them informed of their options,” she said. “As far as health advice, I would say plastic surgery should be your last option. It’s all about taking care of your skin by not over-exposing it to the sun, and wearing sunscreen whenever possible. It’s not necessary to spend a small fortune on expensive creams. Also, it’s important to drink lots of water because it keeps your skin hydrated, speeds up your metabolism and helps with weight loss.”

Polo, host of the long-running “Caso Cerrado,” talked about why this event is so important to her.

“I’m extremely happy to be here because this is truly one of the most important events for me. There’s nothing more important in this world than being healthy, and we have to be constantly conscious about what we do in our lives that affects our health,” said Polo. “Fear is a limitation to many, and keeps people from improving their lives. People here should feel free to ask any question they wish about their health. It’s important to consume a well-balanced diet and less junk foods, and to control one’s stress because it plays such an important role in physical health. Also, it’s very important to be in tune with our bodies, to spot any signals it gives us.”

Finally, Chocarro, star of Telemundo’s “En Otra Piel,” discussed the effect such a festival has for the Latin community.

“What Telemundo accomplishes with this event, I feel, is to provide the Latin community with health care that most don’t have access to, especially undocumented people,” said Chocarro. “The important thing is to spread the word, especially through social media, about events like these that the public can greatly benefit from.

Chocarro also stressed the importance of preventive care.

“In the long run, staying healthy is much more economically sound than being ill,” he said. “Healthcare for serious illness itself is very expensive, as are many medications, especially for those without health insurance.”

Community partner Cedars-Sinai Medical Center was also on hand offering free blood pressure, blood glucose, cholesterol, and BMI examinations. They were also giving out free flu vaccines and counseling.

Other participants offered free dental, HIV and STD exams, as well as mammography exams for women over 40 without health insurance.

Insurance companies were also on hand to provide more information about health coverage now available through ObamaCare.

The event was a huge success. It’s important for our ocmmunity to have access to these type of events, especially the Latin community that is disproportionally under-protected and misinformed about health care and their options.

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