A prescription...for dehydration

An entertaining article (with recipe) from the November 22 Sunday Styles...

Shaken & Stirred

Barkeep, a Placebo on the Rocks, Please

By JONATHAN MILES

Published: November 22, 2009

Bartenders, normally dispensers of pleasure, have lately been playing doctor behind the bar.

My favorite tidbit:

Consider the Flu Shot, a drink on the menu at Drop Off Service, a bar on Avenue A in Manhattan. It’s a mixture of garlic-infused honey, jalapeño-infused tequila, orange-lemon-ginger purée and a few drops of liquid echinacea. The Flu Shot — which is meant to be slugged, not sipped — sounds like a cheeky gimmick. But its creator, Signe Grant, is earnest.

“You’ve got your vitamin C in there, and the garlic is an antiviral, and the ginger is also an antiviral and an immunity booster,” she said. Ms. Grant is also the creator of another remedy, the Throat Coat, in which honey-and-pepper-infused vodka and B&B, a French liqueur, are combined in a snifter with a spoonful of honey. This one is meant for sipping, and is tasty enough for taking with symptoms or without — which is decidedly more than one can say about Robitussin.

I hate to judge before tasting, but I think The Flu Shot might work simply because after you drink it no one will come near you. These bartenders' hearts are in the right place, but if you're a singer coming down with a cold, drinking alcohol is generally a bad idea. Have as much garlic, vitamin C, honey or echinacea as you want - just hold the liquor till you're healthy.

On Staying Healthy

Fall and winter in Seattle seem to sneak up on us every year - the leaves change color, the air turns crisp, the rain begins...and within a week or so half the city is sick. I was just hit with the flu 2 weeks ago, and now the crud is making its way through the school, causing missed lessons and lingering coughs that make singing (or even walking up the stairs) a difficult task.

Living in a city that is damp for over half the year makes it nearly impossible to completely avoid illness; however, as singers we rely on our voices and really can't afford to be sick at any time. The best thing we can do is take preventive measures to lessen the chance of catching a virus and make sure we're in the best overall health possible. Most of these measures are pretty standard: maintain a healthy diet (lots of green vegetables, not too much junk), drink plenty of water, exercise regularly, wash your hands often, get enough sleep. Seriously, I can't stress enough the importance of getting enough sleep!

Every once in a while, though, you can feel something coming on. Is it a cold or just allergies? Do I need to drink more water or is my throat dry because I'm getting sick? For these occasions, I have a few favorite homeopathic tricks up my sleeve.

**Please note that these are observations based on my own experience and are not a substitute for professional medical advice. I recommend that you visit your primary care physician before embarking on a treatment plan, and always check to make sure that the remedy you choose does not conflict with any of your current medications.

Favorite over-the-counter cold/cough remedies

When I feel a cold or sore throat coming on, I swear by Anti - V Formula. It contains a potent form of echinacea along with astralagus root and reishi mushroom, and it tastes disgusting. But it really works for me, and has stopped many a cold before it started. (Couldn't stop the flu though.) I first took it two years ago when I had a throat infection that wouldn't go away; within a day and a half of taking this every 3 hours, it was gone. Love it!

Singer's Saving Grace is a natural throat spray that can really help with dry, scratchy throat. The mint flavor tastes sort of like Aveda products smell, but it makes my throat feel much happier and I'll put up with a lot of funny tastes for that.

If you've already got a cold, Umcka can help shorten the duration; I have several students who have great success with this product. If you decide to use it I'd recommend getting the alcohol-free drops so you don't get too dried out.

Sometimes you just need a lozenge. My new favorites are Halls Vitamin C drops and Ricola Honey-Herb, but I'm pretty fickle. Find your favorite flavor and keep a stash with you.

For more homeopathic remedies to help with sinus congestion, visit my March blog post about allergy remedies for singers. Whether it's allergies or a cold, the sinus pain and remedies are pretty much the same.

Sometimes you just get sick and there's nothing to be done about it but let the virus run its course. If this happens to you, do everyone a favor and stay home! No one wants to get sick because you were so dedicated to your rehearsal, lesson or class that you couldn't stay away. Take the time to care for yourself, watch some bad TV, get well and come back when you're healthy.

The Voice Box recommends

A selective listing of vocal performances 11/6 - 11/8:

Balagan Theatre presents The Full Monty

From MTI:

Seeing how much their wives enjoy watching male strippers during their "Girls' Night Out," unemployed steelworkers in Buffalo, New York come up with a bold way to make some quick cash. In the process they find renewed self-esteem, the importance of friendship and the ability to have fun.

Based on the 1997 film of the same name.


The Full Monty
Balagan Theatre
Friday, November 6th - 8 pm
Saturday, November 7th - 8 pm
Sunday, November 8th - 2 pm
Tickets $12 - 20, available at brownpapertickets.com

*****
Tacoma Opera presents The Daughter of the Regiment

From Tacoma Opera:

Boys meets girl. Boy sings a bunch of high notes. Boy loses girl. Girl sings a bunch of high notes. Boy gets girl. Everyone lives happily ever after.

This comedy about a young woman raised by a French regiment is that simple, that sweet, and that utterly delightful.

The Daughter of the Regiment
Tacoma Opera
Friday, November 6th - 8 pm
Sunday, November 8th - 2 pm
Tickets $12.50 - 62.00, call 253-627-7789

*****
Tacoma Little Theatre presents Lend Me A Tenor
LAST WEEKEND

From TLT:

It’s 1934 Cleveland. Saunders, the general manager of the Cleveland Grand Opera Company, is expecting Tito Morelli, the greatest tenor of his generation, to appear for one night only as Otello. Through a hilarious series of comic mishaps, two Otellos end up running around in costume with two women chasing them in lingerie. For ages 13 and older.

Lend Me A Tenor
Tacoma Little Theatre
Friday, November 6th - 7:30 pm
Saturday, November 7th - 2 pm (Actor Benefit), 7:30 pm
Sunday, November 8th - 2 pm
Tickets $16 - 24, call 253-272-2281

Catching up

Whew! The end of October really flew by, and between coachings, dress rehearsals and recitals (congratulations to all the participants!), there wasn't much time for blogging. Getting back into the groove, though - check back this week for a post about staying healthy during the raging cold & flu season, as well as the latest edition of The Voice Box Recommends. In the meantime, enjoy this intriguing version of my favorite autumn song. Iggy proves that it's not how great a singer you are, it's how you deliver the song that counts.