One of my coaches was a classical singer, Gert-Jan Arendsen. With him, I would soar through “Quella Fiamma Che M’Accende”, warble Beethoven’s “Sehnsucht” and yearn “Sospiri di foco”.

I just loved zooming in on all technical aspects; breathing, posture, diction, the classical sound. And when the tone would ‘sit’ – it felt as if I secretly had a Ferrari in my throat. A red one.

That feeling of sheer joy, lightness and freedom is a beautiful thing to attain and to hold on to. But sometimes it’s nearly impossible. Especially in winter… How can you make sure that you keep your voice in excellent condition?

Here are my top 10 vocal health tips that I try to live by:

  1. Drink lots of plain water. Hot water is just as wonderful. Try to drink at least 1.5 liters plain water daily, as this will make sure that your body and vocal chords are well hydrated. Besides water, choose natural, herbal teas. Prefer them above black teas.
  2. Don’t smoke or use drugs. This one practically is Captain Obvious.
  3. Stay away from too much alcohol, as this has a drying effect on your vocal chords, and they’ll get vulnerable.
  4. Stay away from nuts when you have to sing. It may irritate your throat and cause you to cough.
  5. Stay away from (too much) chocolate. This may also have a drying effect on your vocal chords. (I know this tip may be quite a challenge…)
  6. Stay away from dairy products. The milk may cause an overload of mucus, which will not help you sing easily.
  7. Stay away from (too much) coffee. You predicted it right: it has a drying effect on your vocal chords. This one can be hard… I haven’t succeeded yet myself, but maybe you will?
  8. Stay away from (very) sharp food before you have to sing. This may include citrus fruits. And although I love the Asian kitchen, the red peppers can be quite hard to process…
  9. Eat healthy, nutritional food. Work out. Take long walks. Dance. Swim. Yoga. Stretch. Everything to keep you in shape. And sing every day!
  10. When you have a sore throat, a fierce cold, or when you are fatigued: rest. Don’t force yourself to sing. When you train your voice, you need a lot of energy and focus. If your body is in a recovery state, this will seriously affect the quality of your singing. So take your time to rest. Sleep early. Indulge yourself in books, films, friends. Call your mother. Or take a ride in that red Ferrari. 

With love,

Ilse Huizinga

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