The combination of common sense and the right information will set you on the right track of caring for your voice the proper way, and our drinks that are good for your voice article holds an important piece of information every singer or aspiring singer should be aware of.
Fortunately for you, that is exactly what this article is out to address today, so you no longer have to be confused regarding what types of drink will be beneficial or detrimental to your health.
Vocal cords remain the essential weapon of a singer, and every singer needs to take care of their voice the same way they would not use a flute in paddling a canoe or hitting a golf ball.
You should be concerned about taking good care of your voice if you are a singer, and it doesn’t matter whether you are a solo singer or belong to a group or band. The state of your voice is something you should always be cautious about.
You need to keep your voice healthy and ready because you do not know when you might have to hit the studio or perform at a live gig, and the state of your voice will determine how your recording session or your live performance will turn out.
Surprisingly, keeping your vocal cords healthy and ready isn’t as complicated as the internet has made it seem. All you need to do is to be dedicated to keeping your vocal cords healthy and prepared at all times.
Keeping the vocal cords ready has to do with what you consume, and the voice, as we mentioned earlier, is a singer’s most powerful tool.
If you are a newbie and you consider taking singing as a profession, your vocal cord needs to be among your top priorities, along with other ideas that will contribute to having a successful singing career. Newbies might find the word vocal cords a little bit difficult to understand, so let us break them down right away.
What Are Vocal Cords?
A tissue found at the top of the windpipe is described as the vocal fold or vocal cord, and these cords open up when a person speaks or sings. Vocal cords are known to form tighter notes when they are close and lower notes when it feels loose.
Keeping the vocal cords free from inflammation and infection is one of the ways you could care for them, and they should always be soft, smooth, and flexible; this helps them get ready to sing.
So many singers do not believe or completely have no idea that the vocal cord is prone to damage under certain situations or conditions.
Exposing the vocal cord to allergies, smoking, overuse, abuse, tension, and other harsh conditions will leave the vocal cords damaged. For example, the vocal cords will not close up if there is inflammation or irritation. In addition, an unhealthy vocal cord will prevent you from hitting high notes.
When the vocal cord gets damaged, you will end up producing rough sounds. Breathing sounds might sound cool to the ears, but they are not pleasant for a singer. Being able to keep the voice healthy and ready will help you to sing better irrespective of your singing style.
It will interest you to note that tea and water are the best drinks for the vocal cords. When using water to maintain the vocal cords, room temperature water is required.
Drinks That Are Good For Your Voice
Every singer needs to be cautious of the amount of caffeine they consume because taking too much caffeine will dehydrate the vocal cords.
However, there are some wonderful tea recommendations that you shop for to help take care of your voice, and we have discussed such teas in one of our articles on what to drink before singing high notes.
There are several people with the opinion that whatever you consume or take doesn’t have a direct effect on the health of your vocal cords, but this statement isn’t entirely correct.
Peppermint, slippery elm, and licorice are herbals that provide the vocal cords with several benefits. First, they are very effective as they eliminate inflammation by eliminating mucous in the vocal cords.
Using a rasping cough is a method most people adopt to get phlegm out of their throat, but this method is hazardous for a singer. In addition, this method goes harsh on the voice and is capable of interfering with your performance.
Warm drinks that do not contain milk or caffeine are recommended for a singer to consume before performing or recording, and below are other herbal tea recommendations you can try out before singing;
- Honey tea
- Ginger tea
- Lemon tea
All of these teas have the ability to care for and soothe the voice. Using room temperature water on the voice makes the voice resistant to certain injuries, but consuming cold water leaves the vocal cords vulnerable to injury and infection attacks.
In addition, the vocal cords will experience swelling when a hot drink is consumed, and swelling of the vocal cord is likely to bring a person’s singing career to an end.
When it comes to singing, viewing yourself as an athlete that requires warming before partaking in any game is the right mindset every singer should possess. It is why taking sips of water before singing is vital as it has proved to be one of the best vocal exercises ever.
Taking water throughout the day is a good idea, but you should watch the quantity of water you consume, so you end up visiting the restroom frequently.
We have mentioned that cold drinks are not ideal for singers, and the reason for this is they cause contraction and tension of the vocal cords. It leaves the voice in an opposite state of what it should be, so tea remains the best drink for singers.
However, there are teas that you can rely on, while there are others you should stay away from. Here are some great recommendations to shop for.
Types Of Tea For Singers
Decaffeinated Tea
We mentioned earlier in this article the disadvantages of consuming caffeine, so singers can opt for a tea without caffeine or a herbal tea to help take good care of their vocal cords.
Peppermint Tea
Peppermint tea is a good choice of tea for singers, and this is because this tea has the ability to strengthen the digestive system. Aiding digestion is another importance of peppermint tea, and singers can rely on this tea to improve the body’s overall wellness.
Green Tea
Green teas are recommended for singers. They help the body relax, provide more energy, eliminate stress and tension, and prepare the body for a live performance or recording session.
Ginger Tea
Most times, Singers might have a nervous stomach that could stem from something they have eaten or from just being nervous. Consuming ginger tea will help keep the stomach settled, while its anti-inflammatory properties make sure the throat is free from flu, soreness, or infection.
Keeping The Voice Healthy
Having a good singing voice requires you always to have your vocal cords lose as possible, and hydration will play a very crucial role in helping you attain this goal.
Drinking enough water throughout the day is recommended for every singer, and water at room temperature is ideal for every singer to consume. In addition, warming up the voice is required for every singer before they start practicing or singing.
Several warm-up exercises suit several ages, experiences, and vocal ranges. Making light noise when warming up is also a good thing to do, and this is because allowing the voice to wander for a while isn’t out of place.
A gentle humming and lip rolling will help loosen up the mouth, face, and voice, as they all combine, to help you, singer, better.
The last point we want you to note is rest. Rest is an essential factor that every singer must know if they want to maintain their voice. Resting your voice after a singing practice is necessary, but so many people are not aware of the benefits of resting the voice.
Resting will ease up built-up tension in the vocal cords, and you can release more tension from the vocal cords when you yawn.
Wrapping It Up – Drinks That Are Good For Your Voice
From the very beginning of this article, we made it clear that having the right piece of information and combining it with common sense is all you need to care for your voice.
We are hopeful that every piece of information this article has provided will come in handy, and you are ready to apply and make the required changes. The drinks we have discussed will also do a good job in caring for the voice, so don’t miss out on their benefits today.
You need to take good care of your voice if you intend to become very good at singing, and every piece of information in this article will help you achieve that.
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