Singer's Tip #3 - EAT HEALTHY

Our body is our instrument for us singers. This doesn’t mean that you HAVE to eat nothing but salads and lean meats or go full keto or follow the mediterranean diet … although that’s not a bad idea! The key is balance, as with everything in life. What it does mean is that if you know you could be making healthier choices in your diet, it’s a good time to take stock of what you’re eating and making the necessary adjustments. I recommend that you don’t do anything too terribly drastic and follow something so out of your norm that you can’t stick to it. I am suggesting that you make sensible changes like adding more veggies and healthy proteins and eating less sugar, and junk food. “Avoid the trough” is what Dr. Scott Martin used to say!

The reason this is so important is that singing is a physical endeavor and to truly sound your best and to sing at a gig or a concert you will need energy and stamina to maintain the proper support and openness for good vocal technique through the show.. This needs to be your foundation and your body and your voice will thank you for it.

So now we’ll look at what foods and drinks are good before you sing and which ones you’ll need to avoid.

Let’s start with what to avoid-

Anything that is dehydrating (keep in mind you can balance it somewhat with drinking more water. Again, drinking plenty of water is super important as I outlined in Singer’s Tip #1 (It’s #1 for a reason!)- this includes: coffee or anything with caffeine, alcohol and carbonated drinks Hot peppers or legumes - or anything that will cause heartburn, acid reflux or gas Fried foods and anything too oily or greasy- this will not only cause thick phlegm but also gunk up your throat Dairy of any kind will cause problems with phlegm Overeating in general especially right before a gig

What will help before you sing-

Water of course (room temperature)! Adding lemon or chunks of melon is great for the throat - it’s super alkalizing AND helps produce thin mucous- the good kind of mucous! Herbal teas (Throat Coat is my absolute fav and I mix it with Tension Tamer) Clear broths or broth based soups and miso soup Water based fruit & vegetables Eat a healthy larger meal with plenty of protein at the beginning of the day and then a lighter meal an hour or more before you perform.

Remember, balance is key - don’t be too stringent or too careless with your eating habits. Make good, sensible healthy choices and know that it’s okay to indulge once in a while as long as you keep a healthy diet as your foundation! Happy and healthy singing everyone - bon appetit!