Colds, sore throats, and flus can wreak havoc with a singer's voice rendering you wondering if you'll sing or squeak. But there are ways to dodge disasters like these by taking a little extra care and preventative measures. And if the nasty critters get you there are tons of natural cures for what ails you. The best course is to stay healthy with a strong immune system that easily destroys unwanted germs & viruses. Eating fresh raw live foods (salads and uncooked fruits + veggies) as well as supplementing your diet with ramped up nutrition can help you avoid getting sick in the first place. Exercising regularly and keeping your mental stress level low boosts your immune system as well as positive thinking However if all that fails and you find yourself crawling under the covers, there are some remedies to shorten your time out or possibly ward off the illness altogether.
Cari Cole's Top Ten Holistic Vocal Remedies: Kick Germs to the Curb this Cold & Flu Season
1. OSCILLICCOCCINUM by Boiron For flu symptoms (fever or aching muscles with sudden sore throat). Keep Oscillicoccinum by Boiron on hand at all times (available at your local health food or drugstore). Take it as directed on the package and it will keep you from getting the flu. Can be taken at any point after symptoms appear or as a preventative at the first sign of sore throat and aching muscles.
2. COLD by Boiron For cold symptoms keep Cold by Boiron on hand at all times (available at your local health food or drugstore). Take as directed on the package and it will shorten the duration and lessen the impact of the cold immediately. Can be taken at any point during the cold.
3. Organic Elderberry Syrup by Honey Gardens take 1 TBSP every 3 hours until you are better. Raises your immune system instantaneously and organic makes a HUGE difference.
4. Roxalia (homeopathic remedy) for Sore/Throat hoarseness by Boiron takes down swelling of the vocal cords from over singing! Follow instructions. CHANGE YOUR TOOTHBRUSH immediately after using throughout your illness so you don't re-infect yourself. (Use disposables or wash in the dishwasher daily.)
5. GARGLE. For sore throats gargle 3 times daily with 1 part hydrogen peroxide and 1 part Listerine and 1 part water with a dash of salt to kill off any germs. This alone most times will do the trick if you catch it early enough.
6. ONGUARD Lozenges from Doterra.com These essential oil lozenges kill airborne bacteria. Great for air travel or at the first sign of a throat tickle.
7. VOCAL EZE Throat Spray is the best natural spray on the planet moisturizes and keeps you from getting sick. Find at www.travelwellness.com most Guitar Centers have in stock as well.
8. THE #1 THROAT SYRUP used by stars like Beyonce and Jason Mraz Nin Jiom Pei Pa Koa is an Oral Demulcent Sore Throat Syrup that soothes your throat it's like silk!
9. COLD EEZE ZINC LOZENGES (Ultra Natural Health Food Store also stocks these!) Use flavored zinc lozenges at the first sign of a tickle to relieve cold symptoms and shorten the duration of infection. Be sure to suck on lozenges after eating as zinc can cause slight nausea. The orange ones are the best. Take 6 a day for three days only.
10. VITAMIN C Use ONLY Soloray powdered Vitamin C as it is non-ascorbic and won't cause acid reflux, a more serious problem afflicting singers. Take 1000 to 3000 milligrams of Vitamin C from the first sign of tickle in your throat until you are clear of symptoms. (Use only 1000 milligrams if you have a sensitive stomach.) 500 milligrams is not enough to fight the infection.
And don't forget:
- DON'T DRINK MILK & AVOID DAIRY PRODUCTS A dairy free diet reduces the risk and severity of colds and flu as well as sinus and ear infections. Dairy is a tremendous burden on the respiratory, digestive, and immune systems,says Christiane Northrup, M.D., a GYN in Yarmouth, Maine. Eliminate dairy foods and you suffer from a lot less colds. A recent study supports her view. It shows that a chemical in milk triggers the release of histamine, which triggers runny nose and nasal congestion.
- LIMIT SWEETS + ALCOHOL Reduce your consumption of sweets and alcohol. All forms of sugar (sucrose, fructose, Sucanat, glucose, honey, maple syrup and others) impair the activity of the infection-fighting white blood cells called neutrophils
- DRINK FRESH FRUIT & VEGETABLE juices. This will reduce your chances of getting sick in the first place. If you are sick, they will speed your recovery. Be sure to always use a fruit and vegetable wash available at your local health food store before juicing to remove harmful pesticides and bacteria.
Fresh organic juice recipes:
#1 TROPICAL CLEANSER & REFRESHER: Pineapple & Grapefruit Be sure to include the skin of the pineapple (after a good soak) and the white inside the skin of the grapefruit. (Be sure to remove the skin of the grapefruit.)
#2 NATURAL SUGAR RUSH: Red Grape & Pear Juice for energy and plenty of enzymes to fight off infection including loads of Vitamin C! Be sure to include the stems of the grapes where all the nutrients come from. Also include the washed skin of the pear, but remove the stem.
Vegetable recipes:
#1 CARROT IMMUNE ENHANCER: Fresh Carrots, Celery and a handful of fresh Italian Parsley for your immune system. Help yourself stay healthy or fight off whatever ails you.
#2 NERVE TONIC: Fresh Carrots and Celery. Use an extra stalk of celery to soothe rattled nerves that can lead to illness.
DRINK LOTS OF FRESH SPRING WATER Did you know that drinking 8 glasses of water a day keeps you healthier during cold and flu season? Drinking water showers your insides and keeps you clean (and hydrated). The nasopharynx is lined with protective mucus that traps cold viruses and carries them down to the stomach where digestive acids kill them. Even minor dehydration reduces the mucus layer's moisture content, enabling cold viruses to penetrate it and infect the throat. Sip water throughout the day and don't allow the mucus layer to dry out. If you are thirsty it is too late you are already dehydrated! OH, and this one might surprise you but NO COLD MEDICINES! It is now documented and known that over-the-counter cold medicines do nothing to attack cold viruses or boost the immune system's fight against them, so they have no effect on the duration of colds. All they do is suppress symptoms, providing at best modest relief and give you side effects that you didn't ask for like; the jitters, insomnia, drowsiness or possible accelerated tumor growth from antihistamines.
So make a trip to your local Whole Foods or health food store and stock up YOUR Singers Gig Bag!! Here's to happy, healthy and awesome performances this holiday season with your shining, soaring, radiant uber healthy voice!
Share your favorite singer remedies BELOW Let me hear from you all!
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