| |
| |
|
Alternative Information |
|
|
|
Voice Care for Recovery from Colds and Vocal Strain
Every singer, no matter how careful they are of their instrument, has times when they have cheered a bit too much for their team, or had three weeks of cold and flu, and feel plain vocally awful. Here are some tips that will bring you back to health and ensure complete healing for your voice. The key is to reduce trauma to your chords and create a throat environment that is comfortable for you. 1. ALWAYS drink water. Especially when a cold is coming on, force 8-12 glasses (about one liter) within 24 hours and you will have a shorter recovery time. To flush out a cold completely in three days or less, buy Alkalol. It is an older remedy you can purchase from a pharmacist. You use it intra-nasally. Directions are on the bottle. It will flush out your cold, and will take gunk off your chords when you have to sing a show. It is the best. I have used it many times, and it has saved performance night for many of my students. 2. Don't sing loudly to open your chords. When vocal chords feel compromised, by cold, smoke or singing too loudly, they produce more mucus to protect themselves. It is a self-fulfilling prophecy: sing loud to blow open your chords = muddy sound and uncomfortable, swollen, "gunky" chords. Nobody likes to feel like this when they sing! 3. Avoid ice. It constricts the chords. 4. Avoid alcohol. It robs your body of water, and swells your chords. Dry swollen chords are the worst. Don't do it. 5. Do use a steam inhalant, especially if your upper bronchial tree is congested. It will help keep your breathing passages open and in turn will keep your chords clear of hazardous phlegm that would otherwise kick upwards onto your chords. 6. Lozenges are good. I recommend Ricola and Slippery Elm lozenges. Do not use Halls Mentholyptus when you have to sing. They are too strong and are drying. You just want to lubricate and calm the chords. These two products do it nicely. You can also try Black Currant Pastilles if you are allergic to the mint in Ricola. 7. VOICE REST. Be quiet. Write notes. Listen more. Nod your head. Find alternative ways to communicate. Make it fun, but do not speak to everything! 8. No Whispering. If you have to speak, do it in as normal a voice as you can manage. 9. No throat clearing. All this does is bang your chords together. Take a deep breath in over your chords, and yawn to break throat tension. You will find the need to clear your throat will lessen when you get in the habit of deep breathing instead of clearing the throat. 10. Do not smoke. Do you love your voice? Do not smoke. Period. 11. Avoid food 3-4 hours before going to sleep. There are many reasons for this. When you are digesting in your sleep, sometimes stomach acid is kicked up into your throat and it causes some minor to major burning. Your chords need to heal and be soothed 24-7 after an illness. Nighttime counts. 12. Try to eat bland food, not heavy spices. Same reason as above. 13. Elevate your head when you sleep. If you use 2-3 pillows, fluids will drain away from your chords more easily. Breathing will stay easy and you will feel the need to cough less. 14. Use a nasal wash daily. Find one of the following for daytime use: AYR, NASAL, or SALINEX. These are sprays you can use in each nostril 3-6 times a day. Used regularly, they actually help keep you healthy. 15. Waste no time. If you have been to a doctor and he or she has diagnosed nodes or lesions on your chords, get help immediately. Vocal therapy is necessary to save your voice. If you need help finding a vocal therapist please contact me on my website and I will direct you. I also offer a free monthly newsletter, "Voice Matters" about all things vocal! I welcome you to sign up at http://www.diannelegro.com. Best wishes, Dianne "Sing like you mean it!" Dianne Legro is a voice specialist and speech coach for professionals. For the past 18 years Dianne has worked with Fortune 500 Companies, like Starbucks and GE, and top government agencies to optimize leadership & communication skills. As a veteran Broadway stage performer, Dianne knows how mastering public speaking & performing can catapult your career, and her expert coaching makes your process a fun, meaningful exploration into your best self. Dianne offers keynote speeches, group workshops, and sees clients one-on-one in the Los Angeles area or on the phone. For more information on how Dianne can help you become a dynamic public speaker, contact her today for a free consultation. Phone: 818-789-4791
MORE RESOURCES:
Alternative - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Title: Using Rhubarb for Constipation Vegetables like fruits and their juices have healing properties because of the fiber, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals they have. For constipation, vegetables are an excellent source of minerals and fiber. Healing Heartburn Holistically Everyone at some point in time has experienced some form of heartburn. Often, what we notice is a bitter, sour or acid taste in our mouths. Bleeding Gums Bleeding gums can be one sign of periodontal disease, gingivitis, or other serious problems. Other symptoms of poor dental health may include persistent bad breath, toothache, and receding gums. More Vegetable Constipation Remedies Here are more constipation remedies using vegetables. Use vegetables every day for good health. Natural Healing For The Body Back-to-Nature AromatherapyBack-to-nature is a new health initiative by people living in modern society. Aromatherapy, which stems from natural plants, has also became a favourite in modern day living. Hidden Benefits of Reflexology The holistic therapy of reflexology has been used over the years to promote physical health and wellbeing in many thousands of people from all walks of life, but there is also a subtler aspect to its benefits that can be applied to the more vulnerable amongst us, to expand awareness and enhance everyday living.When a client asked if she could bring her sister, who had learning disabilities, for a reflexology treatment with me, I was only too glad to concur. The Effects of Stress Stress can affect you in four different ways:The Physical Effects of StressThese result in a physically perceived overload. These are present in many forms. All About Bad Breath, its Symptoms & Prevention Bad breath (or halitosis medical term root from Latin) can be a serious handicap on your social or business life. It is a source of embarrassment and shame. Why Detox? For most of my life I considered myself fairly healthy. I was not overweight, very slim infact. What Is Thought Field Therapy? Dr. Roger Callahan is and American psychologist who discovered Thought Field Therapy over 20 years ago. ADD May Carry the Gifts of Intuition ADD/ADHD is a neurological disorder. According to the National Institute of Health, between 3% and 5% of the population in this country are affected by ADD/ADHD. Using Essential Fatty Acids for Reducing Arthritis Joint Pain Essential fatty acids provide protection for the whole body. In particular it is effective in reducing inflammation as experienced in joint pain or arthritis. Do Magnets Work? The scientific explanation behind magnet therapy is that the magnetic fields produced by magnets (generating electromagnetic current) penetrates the human body thereby affecting the functioning of individual cells and improve the various disorders by taking care of the entire body system. Precisely how the magnetic fields do this remains a mystery, but there are several hypotheses. Hemorrhoids & its Symptoms Hemorrhoids are conditions where there is a swelling of the veins around the anus. The veins may be inflammed sometimes. Understanding Aromatherapy In the 1920's, a French cosmetic chemist named Rene-Maurice Gattefosse, was one day making fragrances in his laboratory, when he accidentally burned his arm. He then thrust his badly burnt arm into the nearest cold liquid, which turned out to be a tub of lavender oil. New Age Torture I'll admit it .. Eating Junk Food -- The Hidden Price You probably are very familiar with the benefits you get from NOT eating healthy. You get to eat food that tastes good, you get to be lazy and sit on the couch and veg out and watch TV. An Aspirin A Day Can Give You Cancer I want to share a health alert with you. So many people today are taking an aspirin a day - many upon the recommendation of their doctors and many simply because they think it is the "healthy" thing to do. Aromatherapy Favorites: Patchouli Essential Oil Patchouli's History and UsesAh, Patchouli oil - people seem to love it or hate it. This well know essential oil has a somewhat deserved reputation as the scent of the Hippy generation (according to one source, it's use began as a mask for the odor of a particularly cherished herb), though it's traditional use dates back hundreds, perhaps thousands of years. Liver Spring Cleansing The liver is the second largest organ in the body and the skin is the first. Every year, you can make sure your liver is healthy by doing a liver cleanse during spring.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
