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How to Overcome Colds/Flu/Cough/Mucous/and Allergies

highmtnhighmtn Administrator, Moderator, Enrolled, Pro, 3.0 Streaming Posts: 15,380

Ken asked me to post this for him:

Here are a few excellent things you can do that will help you.

1) First: Just before your warm-ups, take a REALLY hot, long shower.  This is not a joke.  Take in as much of the fumes as you can (especially through your nose).  This will warm the breath and help put moisture (temporarily) back into your cords.

2) Get some tea tree oil or eucalyptus oil.  Drop 3-4 drops in a cup of hot filtered water. You can microwave the water like warming up a cup of tea.  Then put in the drops and waft the vapors, breathing them in through the nose and mouth for about 2-3 minutes.  Do this before and after your warm-ups. 

On performance or recording days, do this same thing but take 3 ibuprofen, (DON'T do ibuprofen all the time.  This is "emergency" only and avoid alcohol and caffeine and sodas and carbonated beverages).

3) To help your immune system fight off infection:

Juicing is excellent.

Here is a juice cocktail that absolutely rocks.

 

1 small bushel spinach

1 clove of garlic

1 thumb size sprig of ginger

4-5 peeled carrots

1 stick celery

1/2 apple

(you can add 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper if you can handle it for circulation and blood/oxygen flow).

You must drink this with food.  Do not do it on and empty stomach.

4) Danielle L'don grape seed extract spray viral fungal fighter (do triple the dose it says). You can find it here:  http://danielleldon.net/virafungalfighter.html

5) Echinacea throat spray by ZAND.  Spray the back of the throat and allow it to slowly drip down the back of the throat.  You can find it here: http://www.camformulas.com/herbalmist-throat-spray-1-oz-zand-herbal.html?utm_source=googlepepla&utm_medium=adwords&id=35201754639&gclid=CKSE64-brLkCFaU5QgodjAcAbg

6) I like to use this with Oil of Oregano.  A few drops under the tongue and down the back of the throat.  This is spicy.  Only do what you can handle.  This is a really good one.    http://blueskyvitamin.com/100-wild-oil-of-oreganotm-13-5-ml-physician-s-strength.html?gclid=CJ3Utoecq7kCFap7QgodVGAAYw

7) Zinc Lozenges. Nature's Way is a good one.  Follow instructions:  http://www.puritan.com/mineral-products-036/zinc-lozenges-with-echinacea-and-vitamin-c-075021?scid=26593&cmp=gpl-_-Mineral%20Products-_-075021&CAWELAID=1782915784%26catargetid%3D520010730000001413%26cadevice%3Dc&cagpspn=pla&gclid=CJPMkqacq7kCFRDZQgod9mIABQ

8) For flu and additional virus fighting (this is EXCELLENT for fighting flu).  ABI Colloidial Silver.  Get the 1100 ppm.  Follow directions.  You can find it here:  http://www.abi4health.com/index.php?sub=silver5002

9) This company makes all organic vegan super foods to compliment your nutrition.  I couldn't recommend them more highly.  http://healthforce.com/     All of their products are excellent and will help keep you healthy expecially when on the road and not getting the food you need.  They are expensive but worth every penny.

Here in the order of importance:

http://healthforce.com/superfoods-rejuvenation/vitamineral-green

http://healthforce.com/superfoods-rejuvenation/chlorella-manna

http://healthforce.com/superfoods-rejuvenation/earth

10) A pro biotic is also essential.  Get one that has been (and stays) refrigerated.  This is a good one (but there are many): http://www.professionalsupplementcenter.com/TheLivingShieldVSL3Capsules.htm?device=c&network=g&matchtype=&gclid=CL7Pl8Weq7kCFQ9eQgodNnsAVQ

FOR ALLERGIES:

Local Bee Pollen (the refrigerated kind).  Bees have built up antibodies and you can benefit from them. 

1/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper and filtered glass of room temp water.  

These things will help you!

 

KT

 

 

 

 

 

 

Comments

  • sspatricksspatrick Enrolled Posts: 1,278
    The cayenne pepper in water does wonders if you have a little extra phlegm:)
  • vikshutvikshut Pro Posts: 15
    @highmtn: thanks for the tip. I've developed a cough and cold over the last week and its performance day tomorrow evening! I've been doing light warm ups and singing even more lightly in our practice sessions. I think I need ibuprofen in my situation. i'm gonna have to buy it now before my warm ups and practice session today (and use it tomorow as well). Is ibuprofen also a liquid to be dropped into hot water and inhaled before and after warm ups like you described for tea tre oil/eucalyptus oil?
  • highmtnhighmtn Administrator, Moderator, Enrolled, Pro, 3.0 Streaming Posts: 15,380

    @vikshut,

    Ibuprofin is for taking internally.  You don't want to take Ibuprofin for an extended period of time.  It has side-effects, but if you need it for a few days it's probably OK if you don't exceed the recommended dosage.  It will help reduce swelling, which includes swelling of the vocal cords.

    Be careful, though, because if your cords are compromised from the illness, you don't want to overdo it and overuse your cords. If you are feeling relief from the Ibuprofen, that could cause you to feel like you're OK and push harder than you should. 

    Stay within your boundaries, and remember that you need to save your voice for another day.  Hold back just a little, even if you're feeling better.

    Take it easy and take good care of your voice!

     

    Bob

  • vikshutvikshut Pro Posts: 15
    @highmtn: thanks a lot. Today, I think I'll just go with the hot shower and eucalyptus oil in hot water therapy that you've described here, bofore my warm ups and practice. Let's see how it goes.

    I'll write in tomorrow morning again about my progress and worst case, I'll take the ibuprofen tomorrow since I'm performing the same evening.
  • vikshutvikshut Pro Posts: 15
    @highmtn

    Hey Bob,

    I took the hot shower and did the eucalyptus oil in hot water breathing (before and after warm up). However, I was still experiencing a bit of pain, which I wanted to numb out, so I took a 200 mg ibuprofen pill and went for my practice. I sang 14 songs (as light as I could - thankfully, my band mates cooperated :-)) and I was fine for most parts, except some of the high notes, which I couldn't hit, so I had to back out. But, there was no pain. I learnt how support was so crucial to getting me through all the songs, on pitch and without straining!!

    My show is in 24 hours. I'm gonna try the juicing for dinner tonight. Let me know if there's anything else I can try to do so as to avoid (as much as possible) popping an ibuprofen tomorrow before the show.

    Thanks!
  • highmtnhighmtn Administrator, Moderator, Enrolled, Pro, 3.0 Streaming Posts: 15,380

    Get lots of rest.  Sleep is when your body heals, and you need healing.  In the meantime, be very gentle with your voice.  Save all that you can for your performance. 

    Go easy during your performance.  Even though it is an important performance, you don't want to hurt your voice.

    To the extent possible, have your monitors cranked up so that you won't have to scream to be heard.

    Good luck with your show!

     

    Bob

  • vikshutvikshut Pro Posts: 15
    @highmtn

    Bob,

    The show today was quite a roller coaster ride. I arrived for sound check after having done my warmups (in the range I could manage). But to my shock, I wasn't able to hit the notes of a relatively easy range song. I got all shook up and so did the band. We had an hour break before the show was to start. So, I took 2 ibuprofens and had a hot green tea.

    It fortunately worked for me, and i sang my 16 songs with proper support and was on key for the most part (for notes I
    couldn't hit, I substituted them with the 3rd of 5th note in the lower octave).

    Thanks for all the feedback and advice!
  • highmtnhighmtn Administrator, Moderator, Enrolled, Pro, 3.0 Streaming Posts: 15,380

    @vikshut,

    Glad you survived!  Sounds like it was a close call!

    I hate it when illness attacks the voice!

     

    Bob

  • kaulferskaulfers Pro Posts: 300
    If starting this training taught me one thing (I'm learning a lot) it's I was congested in the sinuses and didn't even know it.  

    I've added zinc, codfish oil, and Danielle L'don grape seed spray into my routine.  Over the last 3-4 weeks I've been able to breath from both side of the nose from the moment I wake up.  It's crazy how use to things we get.  

  • jrejre Pro, 2.0 PRO Posts: 99
    Thanks for sharing the links! I remember this stuff from Ken's great video on health.having the links is helpful
  • highmtnhighmtn Administrator, Moderator, Enrolled, Pro, 3.0 Streaming Posts: 15,380
    Yes, It's that time of year again, depending on which hemisphere you're in...
  • DonniDeVilleDonniDeVille 2.0 PRO Posts: 25
    @highmtn Thank Ken on behalf of us all, for this incredible information, which alone, will help us all so much!
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