Alternative medicine woman: Jane Seymour's prescription for good health.(Cover Story)

Almost 15 years ago, Jane Seymour nearly died from an allergic reaction to an antibiotic injection while working in Spain. During that time, "I had an out-of-body experience, which I had never believed in. It was the white light, the whole thing," says the former star of Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman. When it was over, she realized that the only thing that really mattered in her life were the people in it and her health.

"The greatest gift I was ever given was the near loss of life, and the other was to realize how unimportant losing material things was--losing those things actually helped me realize what life is about. It's about how you relate to people and how people relate to you. It's about taking care of your body and your health front an emotional and physical standpoint. And I think the spiritual connection you have, whatever that may be, is also important."

The 54-year-old beautiful actress and mother to six children, the most recent arrivals being 9-year-old twins John and Kris, says it was the love of her kids that made her refuse to die. But it's the love of a man, too, that brings her health. "I feel happier when I am ill a relationship or being loved. I take better care of myself, and I am healthier."

Second Chances

These days, her health is very good indeed. She's happily married to her fourth husband, James Keach. So, of course, she went into midlife embracing it. "Well, not exactly," she admits. "I went into midlife knowing that the other option is death--and that wasn't a good one. I had a huge revelation," which was chronicled in her book, Remarkable Changes. "People fear the age of 40 and everything that could happen. A lot happened to me when I turned 40. I lost my father to cancer; I lost my husband to many other women; I lost all my money to my ex-husband's poor choices; and I lost complete faith in ever being happy again." But she quickly realized that midlife was her second chance in life, "and I didn't have to prove anything to anyone. I just wanted to do the best I could with my own abilities."

After undergoing back surgery a few years ago for a herniated disk, Seymour has seen her exercise abilities altered a bit, but she can live with that. "I can still play golf if I take an anti-inflammatory. I can swim; I can ski as long as I don't fall. I can ride a horse carefully, and I can play tennis as long as I stop when it begins to hurt. Actually my husband likes me a little rounder."

Trained as a dancer, Seymour still does occasional ballet stretches and barre exercises, but says, "I was in unbelievable pain, so I'm not consumed now with how various parts of my body look. "To me, beauty comes from the inside. I'm not obsessive about things like what foods I'm eating or how many wrinkles I'm getting."