Page 1 of 9 FOR THE EXPRESS VERSION, START ON PAGE 5! Top Five Natural Remedies for Singers Allergies As singers, we live every day realizing that we are generally more sensitive people. So it stands to reason that we tend to be irritated by airborne inhalants (pollens, molds, dust mites, etc.) and/or by allergens from foods and beverages. Of course, the problem is that allergies usually cause respiratory symptoms, which can easily ruin our singing. First Things First: Have you seen what our vocal cords/folds look like? Below is a very simple but accurate image of the vocal cords/folds as they are positioned inside the larynx (voice box). The two white lines represent the vocal cords/folds: I urge you to find and view other images of the vocal anatomy and, if you have questions, please be sure and email me. I ll be delighted to answer your individual questions, always. (My email: SingersMentor@GMail.com.) The reason it s important to know a little about what our vocal cords/folds look like is to give you an idea of how very fragile they are.
Page 2 of 9 The vocal cords are actually foldings, made up of a combination of muscle and cartilage, covered by surface layers of mucous membrane. The image above, with the two white vocal folds pictured open and apart, shows them in a relaxed state. When air comes out of the lungs, the muscles of vocal folds work to bring them together, to begin vibrating, in order to make sound necessary for speaking, singing, etc. So the parts of our bodies that allow us to sing really are delicate and fragile tender and entirely breakable. As singers our responsibility is to properly care for our voices. When you re good to your voice, it will thank you by sounding its best. Unless singers take special care of their voices, it is likely that real troubles are ahead: Your speaking and singing will be negatively affected putting it mildly. Over-use injuries and/or abuse of the voice frequently cause permanent damage to the vocal folds. As singers, we must pro-actively work to prevent this. Is it Allergies or a Cold? Allergies and colds share a many of the same symptoms. How can you tell if you re experiencing an allergic reaction, or if you are dealing with a cold (virus)? For me personally, I can recognize the small but distinct difference between how a cold makes me feel sick versus how an allergy attack will affect me. But when it comes to allergies and cold viruses, there must be million different variations, of exactly how each individual is affected. Pay attention, particularly as symptoms are just beginning. Tune into your body, respect the signals it is giving you. In time you will begin to sense the difference between a cold and an allergy. Know this: If you have fever, your symptoms are most likely a cold, not allergies. If you are coughing and have a headache, again, these
Page 3 of 9 symptoms indicate a virus cold, not allergy. Are your symptoms changing every day? This indicates a cold, not allergies. Body aches are another sign of a cold, not allergies. And if you have thick, discolored mucus (green, yellow, mauve), it is a common symptom of a bacterial infection; this is far more likely to be caused by a cold, rather than allergy. If the mucus is thin, watery, and clear, not thick and not discolored, it is most likely due to allergy. If your eyes are itchy and watery, this also indicates allergy. If your symptoms flare up only in certain situations, such as when you re exposed to substances that you know you are allergic to, be grateful for a valuable opportunity to pay attention to the signals coming from your body, really zero in, mentally cataloging the sensations, and realize this is an allergic reaction, most likely not a cold. Allergies and the Singing Voice: When our bodies react to allergens, this causes inflammation and swelling of the nose, throat, and sometimes the ears. Soon you re wondering how it s possible to have so much phlegm and where in the world is it coming from! The body reacts to defend itself from this inflammation, by producing more (and more) mucus. It s the inflammation, the swelling, and the increased mucus phlegm, phlegm, phlegm that ruin singing. Specializing medical doctors (allergists) can be of much help. The treatment offered by medical doctors, for successfully dealing with our allergies, should be considered as one good choice. If you are under the care of any medical doctor, you must always tell your doctor which natural remedies, if any, that you are taking. This includes herbs, vitamins, homeopathic preparations, nasal sprays, including saline, over-the-counter drug store antihistamines, inhalers, nasal sprays, drops, lavages, and any other substances. Your doctor very much
Page 4 of 9 needs this information, in order to give you the best possible treatment. Whenever the respiratory tract is inflamed, there will be excess phlegm, in the nose, throat, and possible congestion in the ears. We should not insist upon singing, until we have these symptoms under control. Be forewarned: When we are determined to sing, in spite of having a lot of phlegm in the way, it is a recipe for disaster! Your vocal folds are sure to swell. And when you sing with swollen vocal folds, the swelling rapidly increases. Soon there will be no escaping hoarseness, breathiness, a scratchy, gravely, raspy quality to the sound, and then loss of voice. At this stage, the main treatment anyone can offer is to REST THE VOICE, meaning to stay silent as much as possible. -- How long? This will vary, but generally you should absolutely, carefully rest the voice for at least 7 10 days, roughly, to give it a chance to heal. Permanent damage results when we continue this cycle of overusing/abusing our voices, allowing them to rest and to basically recover, followed by singing again, over a lot of swelling and congestion, and repeating this pattern. Please don t fall into this dangerous trap! Permanent damage to the voice is terribly serious and has ended many a singing career. Your best course of action is to think ahead and actually plan your prevention, as early as possible, for an allergy attack or even when you believe that you are likely to have an allergy attack. Always tune into your body, paying attention to the earliest signs post nasal drip, a red, scratchy, sore throat, along with other symptoms you recognize as the beginning of an allergic reaction. As early on as possible at the first hint of your allergies flaring up you should begin taking natural remedies, in my opinion. If you adopt this as your plan of action, it s likely that your allergies will be much better under control, so your singing has a far greater chance of being its best.
Page 5 of 9 Which Natural Remedies Are Best? WATER should be first on your list, whether or not you have allergies. All singers need to drink lots of clean, unflavored water, at least 80 90 ounces of water per day (unless otherwise instructed by a doctor). Dehydration is one of the two most serious perils a singer must constantly work to avoid: The physical troubles bought on by dehydration are a form of vocal abuse, and permanent damage is likely to result, for any singer, even if you have no allergies. Please drink your water! Over the years, I have learned to trust the advice of Dr. Andrew Weil, a Harvard-educated medical doctor, who also has an undergraduate degree in botany. So, Dr. Weil has a good understanding of plant life, including herbs used for natural remedies. And Dr. Weil has a proven track record of advising on which natural remedies are safe and effective and which are not. Here is an article, by Dr. Weil, on natural remedies for allergies: https://www.drweil.com/health-wellness/body-mind-spirit/allergyasthma/natural-treatment-for-seasonal-allergies/. Below are the greatest natural remedies I ve used with the most success. Bear in mind, I m a retired classical singer with a performing career, singing as a soloist with symphony orchestras and with opera companies, in concert halls that seat up to 4000+ people. Unless we re singing the National Anthem in a huge stadium, classical singers do not use microphones. Classical singers are trained to fill concert halls and opera houses with their naked unamplified voices. As you can imagine, excessive phlegm in the voice brings the high risk of having to cancel singing engagements. In my particular case, separately and in addition to allergies, I was suffering from chronic sinus infections. Talk about excess phlegm! For this reason, I HAD to discover the answers, in order to avoid canceling performances and to always sing my best free of phlegm!
Page 6 of 9 So then: STINGING NETTLE This herb is a natural antihistamine. Taking stinging nettle will not cause drowsiness. Many prescription antihistamines dry the throat badly; stinging nettle will not dry your throat. The best way to take stinging nettles is in capsule form. Note that in order to work properly, the manufacturer of stinging nettle capsules must process this herb by freeze-drying. The best brand I ve found is called Eclectic Institute: https://www.eclecticherb.com/shop#!/nettles/p/62439401/categor y=18045011. Dr. Weil recommends taking 2 capsules every 2 hours, until the symptoms are better. For me, usually this means about 3-4 doses but it s variable. Then you can stop taking it, until you feel allergies flaring up again. Stinging nettle really works! VITAMIN C Our bodies do not produce vitamin C, so we get it from foods and/or from supplements. Try for about 1000 3000 mg. per day and more if you feel you need it. It is an interesting fact that, if you are ill with the flu or with an upper respiratory infection, the body can use more vitamin C, without causing side effects. When you are not battling illness, too much vitamin C can easily cause stomach upset, including diarrhea. If this happens, reduce your dose of vitamin C. Why is vitamin C important for singers? It strengthens the mucosal lining of the nose, throat, and entire respiratory system. When the mucosal lining is fortified by vitamin C, it will better resist not only cold and virus germs, but also allergens. Think of vitamin C as a
Page 7 of 9 shield, as robust immunity, guarding against inflammation, swelling, and excess phlegm. Vitamin C is a powerhouse of prevention! Foods rich in vitamin C include oranges, lemons, grapefruit, strawberries, cantaloupe, kiwi fruit, guava, broccoli, kale, cauliflower, and brussel sprouts and many others you should discover. If taking vitamin C supplements, avoid chewable forms, as these are known to be bad for the teeth. Take vitamin C supplements with food, to avoid stomach upset. NASAL LAVAGE Washing out your nose and sinuses with saline solution will remove allergens. Most people report having relief from allergy symptoms, by relying upon nasal lavage. Please do not attempt this without specific instructions, preferably from your own doctor. Here are some excellent instructions for performing nasal lavage: https://www.nationaljewish.org/treatmentprograms/medications/asthma-medications/alternative/nasalwash-treatment. SLIPPERY ELM LOZENGES Soothing and moisturizing for the mucosal lining terribly important for singers! The slippery elm tree is a species of the North American elm, and it s the inner bark that is used medicinally. These lozenges come in different flavors and will crumble in the mouth, with a slightly grainy texture. Wonderful for maintaining your best vocal quality! The brand to buy is Thayers (in business since 1847): https://www.thayers.com/product-category/healthcareremedies/?gclid=eaiaiqobchmi5_djwciy3wivca5pch3wygouea AYASAAEgKiLvD_BwE.
Page 8 of 9 YERBA MATÉ This herb is capable of providing tremendous relief from allergies as well as a wide range of other health issues. If you re running on empty, with no way to rest and simply must keep going, this tea might just save you: Yerba maté is great for a quick burst of energy. And it is known to reduce inflammation, which explains why it s helpful treatment for allergies. Note that if you are sensitive to caffeine, you might want to forego yerba maté; it has less caffeine than coffee but more than green tea. If you want to try this incredible herb, please purchase yerba maté tea (loose or in bags); there are plenty of good brands to choose from. One you might try is this: https://www.amazon.com/guayaki-traditional-organic-mate-7-9oz/dp/b01ax9j30u/ref=pd_lpo_vtph_tr_t_2?_encoding=utf8 &psc=1&refrid=hnmjsme9vmzk1wtxdp7j. Dr. Weil approves of yerba maté, so this is one of the strongest endorsements. And we have a recent article, extolling the many virtues of yerba maté: https://www.womenshealthmag.com/food/a20123292/what-isyerba-mate/. SPECIAL KUDOS! You are to be congratulated for taking action to protect your singing voice from the ill effects of allergies! And for your consistent efforts, you can look forward to consistent rewards: Your voice is going to thank you by working and sounding better than ever! Order your Voice Evaluation and your first two Lessons On Demand, by following this link: http://www.vocalmentor.com/order-now/.
Page 9 of 9 As always, your questions are most welcome. And remember, the only dumb question is the one you don t ask! Here s to your best vocal health! Gretchen Greenfield Your Personal Vocal Mentor VocalMentor.com http://www.vocalmentor.com/ SingersMentor@GMail.com DISCLAIMER: THIS ARTICLE DOES NOT PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. This website does not provide medical advice. This website is not an attempt to practice medicine or to provide medical advice. Nothing read or seen on this website should be used to make any diagnosis or to replace or overrule the judgment of a qualified health care provider. The information contained on this website, including but not limited to text, graphics, images, and other material, is for informational purposes only. Users should not rely upon this website for medical treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or qualified health care provider, with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking it, because of anything you have read or seen on this website.