Aloe Vera Juice

Furious_Phil

I could swear I read or saw Ken talking about the benefits of drinking Aloe Vera Juice?
Of course I can't find it straight off hand

Regardless, I had the opportunity to try some the other day, and it turns out that I really like the taste, so I am considering getting some and adding it to my regimen
I found it left my vocal cords feeling like fresh out of a steamy shower.

Any of you ever try it?

Cheers,
Phillip

bentk

Never tried it actually, does it contain a lot of sugar? I shy away from sugary drinks generally.
It's readily available here too. Aloe vera is also used a lot for skin-care.

I am always interested in products that can keep the vocal cords fresh/reduce phlegm etc. The oil of oregano tip from @highmtn was a very good one, although i dilute it just a little. Taking that stuff straight from the bottle requires a esophagus of steel, it's pretty caustic stuff. I only take it if i feel i really need it, the warm ups are usually enough to open up the throat. But there's always that one time where it doesn't of course, leaving you helpless with phlegm.

Sorry i went a little off-topic.

All the best,

Ben

Furious_Phil

LOL... You can get the Aloe Vera juice sweetened or unsweetened.
I have had oregano oil in this cold remedy I have, and OMG, it is like Garlic from hell

bentk

I might give the unsweetened a go, but a lot of drinks are terrible unsweetened. That's why is mostly stick with water, tea and coffee, because i love those unsweetened, haha.

Some people seem to think that aloe vera can help with a sore throat, but that might depend on the cause of the sore throat. Aloe vera is full of minerals, vitamins, enzymes and polysaccharides. Perhaps it could support the immune system so to speak. It seems very healthy.

I was aware of topical applications with aloe vera, but not so much the ingestion of it.

All the best,

Ben

highmtn

Ha, ha! Phillip, did you have flames coming out of your ears?

Furious_Phil

@highmtn, I won't lie, it caught me off guard to say the least

Alyona

I never had aloe juice.. I have aloe plant on my window. So once I took one leaf and tried to chew it a bit ahahahah -wow that was strange - it was biting, like stinging my throat. So I was scared maybe it's not good use it just from the plant! So i stopped doing this. What I like to do is get some ginger, lemon and honey drink, and i drink it almost every day! very good feeling. Helps mucus go out.

Furious_Phil

@Alyona, you're worse than my cat! LOL
Pretty sure it has to be processed before you can safely ingest it.
If I had to liken it to something, taste-wide and consistency-wise, I'd say it was like a pear juice with a bit of pulp. Super delicious, and a fantastic way to assist keeping the vocal cords supple, especially in arid climates like where I live

bentk

@Alyona

Please be aware that some aloe vera varieties are not considered edible. This might be stated on the packaging in the store, but it's important to know which type you have, as there are many.

So it's a good thing you stopped eating the plant, just in case. lol.

Ginger, though, is great stuff. Fresh ginger is also pretty cheap here in general. It also stays good for very long amounts of time, you just slice of the ends if they dry out.

We have a local asian supermarket nearby, i should check out what types of aloe juice they have.

All the best,

Ben

Alyona

LOL! ahah yes I agree, didn't eat any plants since then!
We have some aloe juices here in Moscow, but as I can say - the ingredients don't seem too natural. Some are sweetened with something added there. So I will look for something natural then!

Furious_Phil

The type I found was indeed the Chinese Food cultural section, if that helps?

It really helped take the unwanted perma-rasp out my voice from the brutal cold-dry winter... and also just may very well have been factor that enabled me to break out of the Eb5 barrier I had been stuck at for close to a year! Since I have been drinking it, I suddenly can now touch G5. It could be just a coincidence, but perhaps not????

I can tell you that the winters here are bitter; -10c to -35c and very dry at about 15% humidity... so it is very possible that despite my heavy water intake, my cords were still parched or something of the like?

They feel so much more responsive and supple now for applying nuances and for approaching the high stuff. Hasn't hurt my false distortion either, but allows me to engage it at will, instead of it being permanently there in some state.

Cheers,

Phillip

bentk

A clear throat will help you access your range more easily for sure.
I suffer from rasp in my mid-voice (some days worse than others) when i don't really warmup. It's simply mucus in the throat/nasal cavity. After a warmup, it's mostly gone. It's like a natural mucus-rasp. Doesn't inhibit my singing really, just adds that unwanted overdrive to your voice. However, range will probably be slightly better when it's all gone.

You made me even more curious now, Phil. I will try to find some unsweetened or slightly sweetened version!
I have the oil of oregano as my secret weapon these days, which helps loads. But having a few extra tools is always good.

Also, i wouldn't mind a soothing drink compared to the volcanical, caustic oregano......

All the best,

Ben

Furious_Phil

LOL... " Volcanical, caustic oregano"

I found mine was more just dried leathery vocal cords, which made them raspy and non-pliable.
To set the scene, I was born and raised a stone's throw away from the Atlantic... for the last 4 years I have been in Alberta (Canada)... parts of which have been called the badlands etc, as they are so arid, that things just don't grow all that well. But on the plus-side, it has one of the richest dinosaur rich grounds on the planet :-B

bentk

Ah i see, your 'rasp' is more from dryness. That's also a possibility for sure. Now with the cold weather, even here i notice more of a dry throat. Especially when i wake up. I try to keep my home somewhat humid at these times. Is that something you've thought about? I put a bowl of water on one of the radiators here. There also humidifying devices.

So dinosaurs still walk the earth in Canada, ey?

All the best,

Ben

Furious_Phil

Yeah, the bowl of water doesn't really help as the house has central heat/cooling.
There is a humidifier system, but it is a very bad design, and doesn't do anything.

More like the dinosaurs are under the earth and supply all the oil reserves lol

streeter

It’s probably more psychological than anything else but when I’m staying in hotel rooms with set room temp via the air con, Aloe Vera works wonders. Again, could be totally placebo. But I know a few other singers who swear by it as well... after plane trips... sleeping in hotel rooms.

bentk

Okay, i tried some aloe vera juice, and @Furious_Phil is right about it. It really soothes the throat. I just want to find one without sugar though, as the sugary part of it is what i'd rather avoid for singing.

It's great stuff. Really soothing, and delicious too. I'm thinking one with sweetener would be better pure for the throat, as sugar might 'coat' the throat and cords a little. However i've seen some pure ones as well, being 98% or more aloe juice.