0867 – Your Voice in Winter - 2

2023.05.17 – 0867 – Your Voice in Winter - 2

4. Be Careful of Rich Food and Reflux

Party and holiday food can be rich and creamy (think chocolates, fried or spicy finger food, plus carbonated soft or alcoholic drinks) which can lead to potential gastric or reflux issues (that we’ve looked at elsewhere, episode 755), so be careful how much you eat and when. And not too much and not too late!

Have a range of food sure, but balance the chocolate orange with an actual one, you get the idea.

Keep hydrated and not just with alcohol; hot drinks will keep you cosy and warm!

5. Party Warm Ups

There are more social gatherings in the holiday season, and that can mean lots of people crammed inside (with the possibility of germ-sharing – see next tip), and trying to talk over the hub-bub and loud music. Throw in some raucous carols or karaoke (as well as the rich food we just mentioned) and you have a party-petri dish of problems for you voice.

Before you go to the party, warm up your voice with the exercises we’ve looked at before. On arrival be careful about immediately shouting greetings across a room, but ease your voice into anything with volume. Keep your voice lubricated during the event, but go careful on the alcohol. Find a quieter corner if you can, so you can talk softer.

A but niche perhaps but also consider what else you are breathing in: chemicals from someone’s vape, being spritzed with perfume in the department store, fake smells of pumpkin spice in a coffee shop’s air conditioning, the manufactured ‘Christmas pine’ scent in the bathroom, atmospheric dry-ice and smoke machines at showbiz events – all of these can be vocal fold irritants.

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