As singers we want to ensure we are eating and drinking the right things to keep our voices in good condition. So in this short blog post I am looking at what we drink.
Drinks that are good for Singers…
WATER! 6-8 glasses per day is recommended. Make sure it’s room temperature. Water helps thin mucus and hydrates you.
Herbal Tea – good for hydration.
• Peppermint Tea – has been shown to be good for mucus thinning. It will also hydrate you.
• Ginger is an anti-inflammatory and is full of anti-oxidants which will help sooth irritated throats and boost your immune system to help keep away those colds/sore throats and coughs.
Note: Drink those with lemon in in moderation as lemon can have a drying effect.
So what about those that aren’t so good…
Milk or Dairy Drinks
Whilst it’s true your vocal cords need a thin layer of mucus to move properly too much mucus inhibits the cords to move as well (the proverbial “frog in the throat”). Dairy products tend to promote the development of mucus so should be taken in limitation.
Coffee, Tea, and Alcohol
Tea, coffee, or soft drinks with caffeine are inclined to dry your vocal cords. Tea and coffee are also diuretics which means they tend to make you lose water which can cause dehydration.
Alcohol can cause constriction of the blood vessels in the throat and can result in a reduction in vocal control and again it’s also a diuretic causing dehydration. As alcohol can cause irritation and dehydration the body then produces more mucous to compensate (which as we read earlier is not what we want!).
Ice Cold Drinks
You are an athlete and therefore need your voice to be properly warmed up before you sing. Ice cold drinks undo all that great work you’ve done warming up so it’s better to drink room temperature water instead.
In Summary
Moderation with those drinks that aren’t so good for us, reduce diary in run up to big events and drink lots and lots of water!
Happy Singing!
Helen x