As a follow up to last week’s health and diet tips, we thought we would offer some more valuable pointers to help you establish and maintain a strong, healthy voice.
One of the questions that came up was about the use of honey since consuming refined sugar is discouraged. Refined sugar has no nutritional value and using it actually requires your system to tap into stored nutrients so the sugar can be processed.
The use of honey can be a bit tricky if you’re not careful about what you purchase. Honey has many beneficial nutrients, enzymes, and antioxidants. Many naturopaths also believe it has some natural antiseptic or antibacterial properties. There are a number of singers who claim that honey helps to soothe the throat, but too much can coat the throat in the same way that dairy products do, creating a problem with more mucous. So it should be used sparingly, as in herbal tea.
Raw Keeps It Real, Honey
Raw honey is the preferred choice. Many of the brands of honey that you’ll find on the shelves of your grocery store are heavily processed. That processing or refining significantly reduces and often destroys many of the enzymes and antioxidants. With raw honey, the benefits of these nutrients, enzymes, and antioxidants are preserved.
So what exactly is raw honey? It’s the concentrated nectar of flowers that comes straight from the bee. It is unheated, pure, non-pasteurized, unprocessed honey. Raw honey contains ingredients similar to those found in fruits, which become alkaline in the digestive system. Unlike refined or processed sugars, it doesn’t ferment in the stomach, and it’s helpful in countering acid indigestion. Raw honey contains amylase, an enzyme concentrated in flower pollen which helps predigest starchy foods.
Enzymes are complex protein molecules found in every cell in your body. They are biological catalysts that aide healthy chemical reactions in our body. Because raw honey is not processed, the naturally occurring enzymes are preserved.
There have been a number of studies that indicate raw honey improves the body's ability to process glucose. Raw honey doesn’t drain or stress your system’s reserves in breaking the glucose down. On the other hand, refined sugar negatively affects your body's ability to process glucose as time goes by because it continues to tax your system.
Freeze The Sneeze + Wheeze
Several studies indicate the use of raw honey for lessening the severity of seasonal allergies. Findings have shown this works best if the raw honey you use is from the region you live in most of the year. I know several people that get raw honey from the area where they grew up. There are some studies that suggest it’s best to purchase raw honey made by bees in that region of your childhood, formative years.
The bottom line is: use raw honey instead of refined sugar or processed honey. But still, use it in moderation.
Clearing The Throat
For generations it’s been suggested that a mix of honey, lemon, and hot water is helpful for ridding your throat of mucous or soothing irritation. But proceed with caution. Because lemon can dry and irritate the throat, use it sparingly. Remember that hot water can scald or irritate the throat. So, warm water with a touch of lemon and raw honey is safest. And at all costs, absolutely avoid ice-cold drinks, whether it’s water or herbal tea. That frigid state jolts your system and constricts the throat.
There is a simple, safe fix for addressing throat irritation or mucous that sounds like something your great-grandmother likely used as a multi-purpose remedy for throat irritation, stomach acid, as well as a cleaner and freshener for her bathroom and kitchen sinks. Now that we have you sold – this simple remedy starts with adding a small amount of baking soda – between ¼ and ½ teaspoon – to a full cup of warm – not hot – water. Then, you gargle, in small doses as you finish the cup. It’s recommended that you gargle with your voice at a higher pitch. This is suggested because your epiglottis will keep the solution from entering into your vocal folds. This baking soda gargle also can help relieve a touch of indigestion due to acid in the stomach.
Anxiety + Other Irritants
Speaking of indigestion, it often goes hand-in-hand with pre-performance jitters or anxiety.
Aside from meditation, warming up, or various mind games, there are some nutritional aides to keep the nerves and stressors in check. Calming herbal-teas that contain chamomile are very soothing. But avoid caffeine, sodas, processed fruit drinks, and non-herbal teas.
An often overlooked calming resource is the banana. It is rich in potassium which is a natural relaxing agent. Also, when you’re nervous or anxious, you may perspire more or have to use the bathroom more. The loss of potassium in those fluids can make you even more on edge or even irritated. So, having a small banana an hour or two before show time or your studio session can be a benefit if you’re prone to serious stage fright.
The Nose: A Slippery Slope
Here’s one final note since it is the season of colds, the flu, and allergies. If your throat is irritated by that steady drip of nasal drainage, don’t go running for over the counter antihistamines and decongestants. Certainly, follow your doctor’s orders if such medications are prescribed or recommended.
But most of these medications will dry out the throat and invite further irritation.
A recommended solution for helping you minimize reliance on such medications is to clear your nasal passage using a saline solution, and then apply a lubricant to the nose such as Vaseline or a similar product. The lubricant will help to act as a filter to trap allergens such as pollen while soothing the lining of the nasal passage and keeping the throat from drying out due to various cold, flu, and allergy medications. A lubricant with menthol-eucalyptus can be soothing as well.
Remember to drink lots of water. Keep your system hydrated. Get plenty of rest and avoid eating for at least three hours before bedtime. By following these tips suggested you will help nurture your body and keep your voice primed for its fullest potential.
hi
I'm counting the days when they will be mine! Untill then, I read everything it comes from Singing Success! P.S. Sorry for my english. Las Vegas Domestic Violence Lawyer
the solution from entering
the solution from entering into your vocal folds. This baking soda gargle also can help relieve a touch of indigestion due to acid in the stomach. Famous Blogs
you can significantly reduce
you can significantly reduce your weight as it increase metabolism. But the most important thing is that honey which you consume should be pure. Accident Insurance
Nice posting
Good website. Its a great pleasure reading and Really thankful good post. i have totly agree with this article about this topic. I will forward this article to him. You have got a really useful blog Its full of information I am looking for and I love to post a comment that “The content of your post is awesome” work. I like the all pages and all comments. Thanks for all!!! Regards!!lose weight eating : Japanese Knotweed : Chlamydia test London : Image consultancy : Guinot Products : Enfield beauty salon : Massage Marlow
I think we need to bring more
I think we need to bring more ideas for this purpose. Involvement of young people can be handy in this regard. I am happy to find a good post here. Thank you credit score
I have been learning a lot
I have been learning a lot thanks to this very informative post. Thank you very much for posting this. Farmville Tips and Tricks
Honey is one good option for
Honey is one good option for people who want to lose weight but prefers an all natural diet regimen. Easy Calm Review
Honey is very good for
Honey is very good for health. It has many nutrients. If you consume it one tea spoon in the morning daily, you can significantly reduce your weight as it increase metabolism. But the most important thing is that honey which you consume should be pure. cancer symptoms
Honey? wow I never would have
Honey? wow I never would have guessed. Thanks Randy!~futon sofa beds
A healthy lifestyle can
A healthy lifestyle can indeed do wonders for your body. Less irritants and stress triggers can be avoided as well. A related story about good food and proper dieting to avoid stress can be seen here Panic Away Review.
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Thanks for this very informative articles about health. Health and illness are influenced by a wide variety of factors. Health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. To learn more about <a href="http://www.askdiana.com/pdf/health/">health care tips</a>. You can visit this at askdiana.com.
Vocal cords, although they
Vocal cords, although they seem to be able to make a lot of noise, are very fragile and they can easily be damaged. I guess you've noticed that if you are in a club or at a concert where there is a lot of noise and you have to speak very loud for an hour, your voice starts to change. That is because you heve stressed you vocal cords too much. Warm teas with honey and a pause from any loud speaking should help recover your voice.Addiction treatment centers medic.
Thanks
"recommended solution for helping you minimize reliance on such medications is to clear your nasal passage using a saline solution, and then apply a lubricant to the nose such as Vaseline or a similar product." Thanks for the recommendation. sonoma truck parts
How does ADD/ADHD medication affect the voice?
I currently take ADD medication for school and I wanted to find out if anyone knows if there are any present or long term affects from taking those kinds of medication and if so can they be harmful to my voice? Any helpful info or thoughts will be greatly appreciated.
Thank you!
Thank you for your articles, I read it with so much interest and pleasure :)))))))
I want more, more! I bought Singing succes program, and Pro Singer's Warm up, and soon I will get The perfect pitch and Mastering Mix, plus The Tom Jackson's DVD collection, veeery soon...I can't wait, .....I'm counting the days when they will be mine!
Untill then, I read everything it comes from Singing Success!
P.S. Sorry for my english.
Use of baking Soda.
Thanks much for your articles. They are wakening and molding that artist in me, and, all at no cost. Am greatfull about that.MY question is whether the solution from baking soda and warm water should be drunk. COUSE A m not sure whether you meant that we should swallow the solution and only save the last drops that are supposed to be gargled. or that we should only gargle and avoid swallowing it in order to protect our vocal folds. Pse I request you to re-explain it.And, whatever the case, how often should this be done and when? Every day? , before rehearsals and perfomances? or in the morning hours when we are brushing our teeth?
....
Great tip, in my country natural honey and products can get so easy :) Raw honey is my favorite from childhood :) I like it, and now I know it's healthy for my voice ... Thanks about blog :)
NETI
GREAT TIPS, THANKS FOR THE LOVELY TIPS TOU ARE GIVING. JUST A SUGGESTION , I, IN INDIA DO AYURVEDA AND NATUROPATHY , WHERE THEY TEACH YOU " JAL NETI" IN WHICH WARM WATER WITH SALT IS TAKEN FROM THE NOSE AND BROUGHT OUT FROM THE MOUTH.IT FLUSHES OUT THE MUCOUS.BUT AFTER THIS DON'T FORGET TO BLOW OUT THE WATER FROM THE NOSE.AJOY
Wow, great info! Thanks!
It's nice to have this information because I always feel like I take my vocal health for granted with the convenient junkfood that I typically eat. I guess I'll be looking for raw honey and more herbal tea on my next grocery shopping trip.
Do you have cameras inside my bedroom?
Seriously: thanks! I've just recovered from a very irritating cold caused by stress, depression and some infravalued strain on the last concert I collaborated in. Tomorrow I have a recording session, and my producer is sick too, so this will really come in handy.God bless you, guys. I really needed this and find myself in a parcial emotional shock. Feel like screaming that I love you and all those things, hahaha!Keep up the good work. I'm really thankfull. You people are marvelous!
Perfect timing
Thank you so much for this information! I have a talent show soon and now that my voice is almost 100% finished, this can help me move up to that 100% a lot more effectively and thoroughly. Thank you for helping me accomplish my older singing problems! Can't wait to go big time! Maybe when people start to know me for my (hopefully future) acting, then I can make my own demo! Spreading the good news of singing success!
Other foods to eat
What are other good foods to eat because every singing site states the obvious raw honey and no antihistamines. Like for instance bannanas have starch in them which creates excess mucus in the nose so you will sound somewhat stuffy when singing same goes with potatoes, pasta, and Beef. What foods detox and flushes out mucus besides the common grapefruit juice and white grape juice. I found I sing way better when I start the day eating watermelon and fruits with high water content. More advice would be very helpful thanks.
dry throat
What do they have to remedy dry throat? After a few songs my throat gets dry.
Thanks fo ll this advice, its
Thanks fo ll this advice, its very helpful and does make a difference :)
Original article
Somehow I missed the original article and I'm having a hard time finding the link, can anyone help? I'm talking about the one containing diet/sugar information.
I concur!
Thank you for confirming what my allergist insists that I do: sinus rinse every day. He gave me a NielMed squirt bottle which I find the easiest to use (Neti pots do not work for me) -- fill with warm water and 1/2 tsp salt plus a pinch of baking soda. I have not had a sinus infection or cold since I started this process over a year ago.
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