DEF LEPPARD Guitarist: 'You Can't Abuse Your Body'

A few months ago, DEF LEPPARD's Phil Collen auctioned off one of his personal guitars, "Wings," to donate 100% of the funds to the Gerson Institute — a non-profit which supports holistic approaches to cancer treatment. DEF LEPPARD fans responded and helped Phil raise $20,000, which he donates later this month. NBC 7 in San Diego has an interview with Phil about the donation, the story behind the guitar, and his personal health habits and practices.

Asked how he manages the stress of touring and staying healthy on the road, Collen said, "It's very hard in this day and age. It's a pretty toxic environment we live in, really, but you've got to get balanced one way or another, and I think it comes back to the same things: keep active and keep your body moving, and have a good diet.

"My wife and I are both vegans, and obviously that's not a total cure, because loads of vegans are really unhealthy, but we really try and get a balanced diet. It's hard because you want to eat junk and sugary stuff — I love eating chips and salsa — but you need to balance carbs with clean stuff: leafy greens, without oils. We use lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, not dressings, and, you know, it really tastes great.

"People will get fat sucked up, you know liposuction, and it makes me laugh. The next day they're eating like they were before, or worse. I know a guy who got an organ transplant, and he came right back out, smoking away, and I thought, 'Wow, you've been given this gift, you've got a new lease on life, and there you go straight back in the hole!' You can't abuse your body. You've got all this toxicity floating around. So it really is all about that balancing, so if you bear that in mind, you'll be ahead of the game."

Photo credit: Helen Collen