Keeping in Tip Top Health for the Studio or Anywhere Really…

Last year I caught a cold every month. Every month that year. My immune system had taken a dive!

It really took a toll on my voice and what I could do in the studio, teaching, socially, and my self esteem. After a trip to the Ear/Nose/Throat doctor and some blood tests it was determined that there were some things I could do to improve my overall wellbeing. So far so good. This year I had one cold and my voice is getting better, knock on wood. I share some of my wellness tips with you here so maybe before you get ready for that important gig or day in the studio you’ll feel in tip top shape.

Wash your hands often for the duration of saying the ABC’s. Don’t touch your face, eyes or stick your fingers in your mouth for goodness sakes! Stay away from sick people; no hugs and kisses and rather than shaking hands do the elbow bump. You can say you’re sick even if you’re not just to not come across as a germaphobe jerk. If you must be around a typhoid Mary, keep a six foot distance from them, preferably not right across from them. If you must be in close proximity of sick people, heaven forbid, invest in a respiratory mask. I wear mine when I give piano lessons to little kids with colds; I even got one with Hello Kitty all over it. Stylish!

Keep a regular sleep pattern. Human bodies like routine. Even if your body can function at 3 hours sleep one night and then 10 hours the next, doesn’t mean it should. Bodies out of whack get sick. If you function at 6 hours sleep a night regularly, that’s awesome, do it. Drink lots of fluids, like water or herbal tea. Too much water washes vital nutrients out of the body so don’t overdo it. But the worst thing you can do is diuretics; coffee, caffeine, alcohol. Being dehydrated makes the body produce phlegm to protect itself. Sticky vocal chords and mucus membranes are the perfect haven for viruses and germs to take up residence. Dairy and orange juice also tend to make you phlegmy, so stay away from those too.

Keep your life relatively drama free. Stress can take a toll on the immune system as well as your digestion and sleep. In times of unavoidable stress, take time to be still. When I have a twelve hour work day I take a moment to sit in silence. I turn off the radio and drive in silence. I read a book, look out the window and watch the birds, pet my cat, anything to stop the brain. My doctor told me don’t talk unless I’m getting paid to do so. Other less obvious stress is to the body. Keep your core body warm. When the body gets cold, it has to work overtime to stay warm thus taking a toll on the immune system. Hello layers!

Don’t eat hard to digest foods. Red meat takes a long time to digest. Fried foods too. Eat healthy. Besides vitamin C, vitamin D3 has been my saving grace vitamin this past year. A lot of people are deficient in D3, so taking a supplement is a good idea if your doctor approves.

Most of all balance is key to good health. I’ve found these bits of advise that work for me from a myriad of different websites over the past year as well as my doctor. Just remember, I’m not a doctor. If you have serious concerns about your own health see a real doctor, not the internet.

For DTS Recording Studio, signing off for now

Julie Braeckman

(not a doctor)