If Music Be The Food Of Life Then Play On – Shakespeare

We do not realize how significant it is to maintain our voice, until we hit the dais to sing or give a public speech or give a business presentation! Even otherwise…a clear and legitimate tone is quite important in our day to day life. Well, possessing a sweet voice is all about how lucky you are in that ‘genetic lottery’. However, one can still maintain and improve his/her voice to some extend.

• The first question that consumes our mind before a big day is whether to drink cold or hot water. Actually the best is ‘Plain Water’ (room temperature water). However, there are some professional singers who are so gifted that they can drink cold beverage, eat a spicy pickle and can still perform well! So, it is not that you should completely give up ‘chilled beverages (if you are a serious singer /speaker…it is good to do so)…one need to avoid it at least three hours before singing / delivering sermon.
• To hold the timbre, sweet without much irritation…try lukewarm beverages for hydration. Honey based herbal teas, lemon tea, ginger juice, clear soups are some of the smart choice to make. Anything too cold  will shock your vocal cords and traumatize it. And, on the other hand, anything too hot (warm) will compress the muscles of your larynx and vocal folds.
• Both singing and oration requires a good stamina. So, eating a balanced diet should be on the top priority of your list. A protein rich diet will give you enough energy to keep your notes on octane for a long period of time.
• Avoid chocolates, cold beverages, citrus drinks, caffeine rich items, sodas, spices and even dairy products! All these foods could interfere with your vocal folds and disturb while performing. Avoid spicy foods, which could irritate your voice. Dairy products can generally trigger more phlegm, so its better to reduce your intake just before the big day. Citrus drinks have a tendency to produce more mucus, which is not good! Sodas and other gassy items should be kept at bay as well!
• Do not rely on mouthwash (alcohol based mouthwash) for your dental hygiene, try the good old salt water gargle method.
• Never shock your vocal muscles by stepping in and out of two entirely different temperatures. Like, after running a marathon in a hot weather and suddenly entering into an air conditioned room is not a very good practice!
• Stay hydrated, sip water (of course lukewarm) and eat a balanced diet. Make sure you plate at least five servings of fruits and veggies. But none of these veggies and fruits should bother your voice. If you are prone to sinus issue, avoid those foods, promptly. Using a humidifier in the room could help. But, never get tempted to fragrance it up. As many herbs based humidifiers will soon dry your throat.
• Avoid a greasy meal altogether, it will make you lazy and dull. Never stuff yourself with fatty foods. If the food turns more acidic in your tummy, it will swell the vocal cord and your voice becomes hoarse!
• Look after your speaking voice. Never compete with others and raise your tone. Avoid arguments, screaming and unnecessary long talks. Keep it simple.
• Having a fresh ripe banana, an hour before your speech / singing helps you to avoid having that slip of of the tongue. It is believed that it improves one’s pronunciation (folk’s remedy).
• Taking ginger-honey kashayam is an instant remedy for the sudden dryness in the throat. Sucking on a peppercorn is a best choice to keep your vocal cord clean and irritant free. Have some hard candies, like honey based lozenges handy, they work better as well. In my personal experience…I take a spoon full of fresh honey, the moment I experience sore throat and it has always made wonder.
• Last but not least, avoid hard drinks! Alcohol will diminish your vocal control by constricting the blood vessels in the vocal tissue. So give up smoking and alcohol. These are are the biggest enemies to your voice! Besides, affecting your general health, it could eat away your mucus membrane and soon your sweet voice will go for a toss!

Ginger Concoction

Ingredients & Method

Take two inches of ginger and peel away its skin and grate it. Now heat a cup of water and add these ginger to it. Bring this to a strong concoction. Further add a spoon of lemon juice plus honey. Sip through to clear your throat.

© 2014 Malar Gandhi, All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.