Sickness is never fun. However, a common cold can be a huge problem for musicians as it can keep them from performing. This is especially true for singers. Singers should not use their voice whenever their throat is sore or swollen. They turn to sugary cold syrups and decongestions, but these have can have costly side effects such as dryness, nausea, and drowsiness. Because of this, many singers turn to naturopathy. Naturopathy is described by the google dictionary as “A system of alternative medicine based on the theory that diseases can be successfully treated or prevented without the use of drugs.“ This system includes many natural remedies such as changes in your diet, avoidance of things that prolong sicknesses, using natural symptom reliefs found in simple forms, and aroma and hydro therapies.
One of the most widely ignored natural remedies for common colds is eating lightly. Eating lightly causes your body not to focus on digestion and it focuses on producing white blood cells. It’s okay not to be hungry when you are sick because of this fact. When you are hungry though, one great way to eat lightly is to consume small amounts of steamed vegetables, soups, and broths. These foods are soft and smooth for easy consumption through out the day. As well, they are packed full of nutrients and vitamins that your body uses to fight off sicknesses. In addition to these super foods, herbal teas are another way to booth your immunity system when you are sick. Herbal teas contain properties that fight off infections and when mixed with honey and lemon, sooth a sore throat better than over the counter medications.
Together with adding healthier and overall beneficial foods into your diet when you are sick, some food should be avoided. Refined sugar can restrain immune system cells that attack bacteria. This effect can last for several hours after drinking a few sugary drinks. Fruit juices are also guilty of these sugary tendencies. These slippery creatures hid behind their ‘all natural’ labels while secretly being stuffed full of sugar. It is recommended to stay away from fruit juices when sick to help beat a common cold just that much faster. Another, but unusual, suggestion is to stay away from Dairy products. Dairy has been blamed for decreases in white blood cells and depressing the immune system. This is because of the antibodies that the body produces against the compound Neu5Gc which is found in most dairy and red meat products. Each person’s body reacts different to this compound, so this is not the case for everyone.
Over and above the recommended diet of a person suffering from a common cold, is natural immunity system boosters and symptom reliefers. Firstly listed is Vitamin C. It is no secret that vitamin C has been used to help prevent colds, less symptoms, and shorten their duration for a very long time. It is a vitamin as well as an antioxidant that the body uses in the maintenance of bones, muscles, and blood vessels. Vitamin C shortens the duration of an average cold to about 3-4 days. This is the difference between a performance on a weekend to no performance at all which is why it is often turned to. Secondly, Zinc is also known to shorten the duration and weaken the severity of a sickness, but there is less scientific proof to back up this claim as studies within the medical field are fewer then that of Vitamin C. Thirdly listed is oregano oil, as it has made a name for its self with a long history of symptom relief. This history goes back as far as ancient Greece. The oil of oregano oil relieves respiratory ailments, sinus, conditions, and digestive complaints. It is an active antimicrobial and antioxidant. This makes it a notable natural symptom reliefer. Lastly of our symptom reliefs is Ginger. Ginger fits the bill when it comes to common colds. It is an anti-inflammatory which relieves sore throats and kills rhinoviruses which cause the common cold in the first place.
Consumption is not the only way to treat a common cold. One of these treatments is aromatherapy. Healthline.com describes aromatherapy as “A holistic healing treatment that uses natural plant extracts to promote health and well-being. Sometimes it’s called essential oil therapy.” These include nonabrasive essential oil nasal sprays, oil diffusers, application to skin, and more. Some of the essential oils that are used include essence of lavender, eucalyptus, peppermint, tea tree oil, and Melissa oils. Hydrotherapies are also recommended for the common cold. Google dictionary describes these as “Hydrotherapy is a part of alternative medicine that involves the use of water for pain relief and treatment.” Warm baths, showers, and inhaling steam do wonders to break up phlegm and get the cold on its way out.
In conclusion, over the counter medications can be harmful to singers. Many singers turn to naturopathy to help fix their common colds and their symptoms. The natural remedies of changing in your diet, avoiding refined sugars, and using symptom reliefs found in nature, as well as aromatherapies and hydrotherapies are all great naturopathy relief for singers to get back on the stage.
Resources: Information Bases
http://www.voicecouncil.com/singers-with-colds-dos-donts/
https://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/cold-guide/10-immune-system-busters-boosters#1
https://www.google.com/search?q=Dictionary
https://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/cold-guide/vitamin-c-for-common-cold#1
https://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/news/20110215/zinc-may-prevent-and-shorten-colds#1
https://naturalfactors.com/articles/oil-of-oregano-your-secret-weapon-this-cold-flu-seas
https://www.foxnews.com/health/6-natural-remedies-to-cure-a-cold
https://www.healthline.com/health/what-is-aromatherapyhttps://www.healthline.com/health/what-is-aromatherapy