Category: Health

In the previous blog post, we looked into activated carbon; what it is, how it works, and how it’s made. In this blog post, we will look further into popular methods of using activated carbon for health, and precautions to keep in mind.

Plain charcoal powder has been used for centuries as an antidote for many forms of poisoning, to treat flatulence or upset stomach, preserve and purify drinking water, and help get rid of odours. Activation increases the effectiveness of the charcoal by increasing its adsorption ability. Now, this powerful detoxifying agent has been deeply integrated into our lives so that not a day goes by that most of us aren’t, in some way, affected by an activated carbon product or application.

Common uses for activated carbon include: teeth whitening, reducing gas and bloating, water filtration, helping to treat cholestasis in pregnancy (reduced bile flow), and first aid and emergency toxin removal. Individuals have also used activated carbon with success to treat insect bites, reduce body odour in acne, get rid of viruses and bacteria, and reduce symptoms of food poisoning.

The effectiveness of activated carbon in some of these areas has not been fully tested, and you use at your own risk. Nevertheless, activated charcoal is considered generally non toxic and safe. In case of an emergency, you should call the nearest emergency centre or local poison control centre.

Activated charcoal is usually taken in a pill, liquid, or powder form. For emergency toxin removals, it may be administered by a professional in a healthcare facility through a tube leading into the stomach. The pill is available as a tablet or capsule. The capsule may be more expensive, but can be preferred due to the fact that it can be opened up to use the powder. Liquid form may be available as pre-mixed, specially made juices.

Avoid liquids or any activated charcoal product that contains additives like artificial sweetener, since it may lower the effectiveness of the activated charcoal (it will adsorb the chemicals in the drink) or may cause side effects. Sorbitol may be added to activated carbon to act as a laxative and prevent constipation, but it is not always recommended since it can cause diarrhea, dehydration and chemical imbalance in some people.

Powder form is usually taken by mixing it with a non-acidic drink, such as water.

Activated carbon helps whiten teeth by adsorbing plaque and microscopic material that stains teeth. To whiten teeth, you can dip a wet toothbrush (you can also add natural toothpaste that doesn’t contain any harsh chemicals) into powdered activated charcoal (you can empty a capsule) and then gently brushing or dabbing teeth.

Or, you can mix equal parts water and powdered charcoal and then swish it in your mouth for a minute, then hold it for a few more minutes, and then spit it out. Always be sure to rinse well, until the water runs clear. It may cause your mouth to go black. This is temporary, but there is a possibility that it could stain crowns, caps, or porcelain veneers. It may also adsorb some of the mercury from mercury fillings.

For digestive health or to reduce gas and bloating, you can take the powdered or pill form of activated charcoal in water a minimum of 90 minutes to 2 hours before consuming a gas-producing meal. Some people have taken it to improve digestion and prevent food poisoning when eating out. Follow instruction on the bottle for the correct amount. You can also take the activated carbon 90 minutes to 2 hours after a meal to assist the digestive process in removing toxins or byproducts.

Activated charcoal should not be taken within 90 minutes to 2 hours before or after eating a meal or taking a supplement or medication. The charcoal is unable to judge the difference between “good” and “bad” substances, and can interfere with the absorption of nutrients and can reduce the effectiveness of some medication. If you have a medical condition or are on medication, you may want to use activated charcoal with caution, or with the supervision of a health professional.

Unless it is in the case of acute poisoning, you also want to avoid taking large doses of activated charcoal since it can become too strong and adsorb nutrients stored in fat tissue, and can buildup in the body, especially without proper fluid intake.

If, for whatever reason, you find that activated charcoal is not the best choice for you, you can still help detoxify your body by eating plenty of seeds, such as flax seeds, and fruits and vegetables, particularly dark leafy greens. Even if you do decide to use activated charcoal, eating a well-balanced diet full of nutrients is still recommended to help your body long term.

In the case of poisoning or the overdose of many pharmaceutical drugs and medications, an adult can take 50 to 100 grams of activated charcoal (about 10 grams for children) with water. Depending on the drug or poison, this is followed by more charcoal (20 to 50 grams) every 4 to 6 hours. This should be taken as soon as possible; preferably within 30 minutes to one hour of the overdose or consumption of the toxin. The more time that passes, the less effective the activated carbon will be. In an emergency, it always best to call a local poison centre or emergency centre first to see what they advise.

Activated carbon has also been effectively used to treat poisoning in dogs, rabbits, cats, and other pets to prevent the adsorption of the toxins. Similar to when given to humans, it should be given soon after the ingestion of the toxin/poison. The dose depends on the type and weight of the animal. In case of an emergency, you can call a vet to get the correct amount for your pet.

Activated carbon has been shown be effective for adsorbing most organic compounds and many other substances including pesticides, mercury, lead, aspirin, cocaine, morphine, dapsone, cardiac glycosides, theophylline, and carbamazepine, but is not effective for treating poisoning from alcohol or caustic alkali or acids such as cyanide, lithium, iron tablets, cleaning fluid, gasoline, and kerosene.

The dark carbon may interfere with endoscopic examination (evaluation of the a person’s digestive tract) and should be limited to use only when the causative agent (poisoning agent) is known to be adsorbed by activated charcoal.

In the case of snake or insect bites (including spider bites), you can mix the activated charcoal with water, coconut oil or aloe vera to make a paste and then apply the mixture to and around the sting or bite. For venomous bites, you may need to apply the mixture several inches around it. Apply some of the mixture to the bandage as well and then wrap around the area. Depending on the severity of the bite, you may want to reapply every two to three hours, rinsing well in between.

Despite the lack of scientific study and evidence, activated charcoal has been successfully used to absorb snake and insect venom, viruses, and bacteria. Some people have reported taking activated charcoal immediately after showing symptoms of the flu or hangover, and reducing their severity.

When taking activated carbon orally, make sure to drink plenty of water. This helps to eliminate the toxin-laden activated carbon out of the body. It is also common for stool to be black, and is a sign that the carbon and toxins are being moved through the body and excreted.

Activated carbon has also been used in external application for treating body odour and acne by adsorbing oil, dirt, and odours. It can also be used as a clarifying mask or added to shampoo or body scrubs. The activated carbon is usually mixed with another cleansing substance, such as aloe vera, coconut oil, or even honey, before applying to the skin. For acne, the mixture is smoothed over the face, left to dry, and then rinsed off.

Always make sure to rinse thoroughly after application. It is not meant for daily use, but only in moderation, or as needed. You may also want to test it first on a small piece of skin to make sure it won’t stain. Avoid using on dry skin.

Indirectly, taking activated charcoal can help boost your energy levels by helping to eliminate harmful chemicals so that less strain is placed on the body and it isn’t forced to work as hard. The process uses up less energy, so you have more to use for other things.

Activated carbon can stain, so you want to be very careful when using. It can usually wash out of sinks or bathroom counters, but may permanently stain certain fabrics or rough surfaces. Keep out of reach of children or pets.

This product is not meant to be taken long-term like a supplement or to treat conditions such as excess gas. It is usually best used as needed. While not known to be toxic, some side effects when taking orally can include black stools, black tongue, constipation, vomiting or diarrhea. Serious side effects can include gastrointestinal blockages, swelling or pain in the stomach, slow movement of food through through the intestine (reduced peristalsis), or dehydration. While the carbon content of activated charcoal can naturally stain the stool black, it may mask upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract bleeding in people with serious digestive problems.

For this reason, activated charcoal may not be recommended if you have a condition that causes intestinal bleeding, blockage, or reduced peristalsis, or have recently undergone surgery. Side effects such as constipation can be avoided if you make sure to drink plenty of water to keep the carbon particles moving throughout your body. You can also create a natural laxative, using epsom salt or other substances.

It is important to keep in mind that activated carbon only helps in the detoxification process. If you experience constant gas or other digestive issues, you want to look at what is causing those symptoms or digestive strain in the first place and then work to fix it by changing your diet or lifestyle habits, instead of relying solely on the activated carbon.

Even regular charcoal, as long as its sterile, has been shown to work effectively as a water and air filter, and has played a significant role in detoxification and purification throughout the years. The activation processes increases the purity, potency and effectiveness.

Its ability to bind to wide range of toxins and chemicals and prevent their absorption has given activated carbon a position as one of the most effective single agents available. It is used for water purification, air filtration, and health applications across the world, and deserves a place in every first aid kit. A little of this powder can go a long way in detoxifying our environment and our bodies.

To read Part I of this series of blog posts were we looked into how sound and music work, click here: Music Art Entertainment and Medicine Part I Sound and Music.

To read Part II of this series, where we looked into how music affects us physically, mentally, emotionally, and socially, click here: Music Art Entertainment and Medicine Part II Music and Health.

Music has the ability to transcend cultural barriers, reach people of all ages and abilities, and influence the way we think, feel, and move. Because of music’s unique ways to affect us and the significant role it plays in our lives, it has been used as a form of therapy known as music therapy.

Music therapy is the clinical and evidence-based use of music and musical elements by an accredited music therapist to accomplish individualized goals and address the physical, emotional, cognitive, and social needs of the individual. It can be used in institutional, community, and private settings, including psychiatric hospitals, rehabilitative facilities, medical hospitals, outpatient clinics, day care treatment centres, community mental health centres, drug and alcohol programs, senior centres, nursing homes, hospice programs, correctional facilities, halfway houses, and more, for individuals of various ages and abilities.

The exact qualifications of a music therapist may vary depending on the country, but generally a person must be a graduate of an approved music therapy degree program and complete a supervised internship of 1000 hours or more. A music therapist requires knowledge in psychology, medicine and music. In music therapy, the therapist assesses the emotional well-being, physical health, social functioning, communication and cognitive abilities, preferences and circumstances of the patient, and then designs a treatment plan to meet the client’s needs. Music therapy can be categorized as two different types: active or receptive. Active music therapy can involve singing, playing an instrument or composing music, while receptive music therapy can involve listening to or responding to music with movement such as dance or through analyzing and discussing the music and/or lyrics. Effective therapy sessions usually combine both of the categories.

These approaches help facilitate contact, interaction, self-awareness, learning, self expression, communication, personal development, and physical rehabilitation in the client, and has been proven helpful for acquired brain injury, AIDS, autism and other pervasive development disabilities, critical care, developmental disabilities, emotional traumas, geriatric care, hearing impairments, mental health, neonatal care, obstetrics, oncology, pain control, palliative care, personal growth, physical disabilities, speech and language impairments, substance abuse, teens at risk, victims of abuse, and visual impairment. Sessions can be conducted with a group or individually, and any type of music such as pop, rock, jazz, folk, country, Celtic, and classical can provide potential benefits. You do not require any prior musical ability or knowledge to benefit from music therapy.

Music can provide numerous benefits to anyone when listened to for recreational purposes, but it isn’t considered music therapy unless it enlists the aid of an accredited music therapist and involves treatment planning, goal setting, on-going evaluation, and follow up. For instance, a person with Alzheimer’s who listens to an iPod of his favourite songs may feel some of the therapeutic benefits of music, but it is not considered clinical music therapy. An example of music therapy would be a professional working with a patient with Alzheimer’s for the purpose of helping to restore normal communication among brain regions and improving their overall quality of life. Due to music’s ability to influence both positive and negative behaviour, the guidance and professional assistance of a music therapist can help delve into the full effects of music in order to achieve the desired results and healing. Music therapy is considered a low-risk treatment that can provide a greater sense of enjoyment and motivation than other therapies.

Music has been enjoyed by people of every age, of every ability, and in every culture throughout the years. It’s ability to resonate with us and have a profound impact on us mentally, physically, emotionally, and socially makes it a powerful tool in healing. It can offer us a form of communication and expression at times when it might be difficult, help us deal with stress and pain in a positive way, and help us tap into our memories and emotions in order to change our thinking processes so that we can progress forward and improve our life.

In part I of this series of blog posts on music and health (Music Art Entertainment and Medicine Part I Sound and Music), we looked into how sound and music work. In this blog post, we will look further into how music affects us.

The rhythm of the music triggers the areas of the brain that control movement and our body naturally match this beat in what is known as entrainment. In biomusicology (the study of music from a biological point of view), entrainment refers to the synchronization of organisms to an external rhythm. An example is when we tap our foot to a rhythm or walk in time to a beat. Not only does the music affect our muscles and movement, but it also influences our heart rate, respiration rate, and blood pressure. It also has a psychogalvanic effect (pertaining to or involving changes in the electrical properties of the skin caused by mental or emotional stimuli).

It is the tempo or pace of the song, measured in beats per minute (bpm), that has great affect on our heart and breathing rate. Lively music stimulates the brain and increases heart and breathing rate and blood pressure while slow music subsequently slows brain waves and heart and breathing rates and reduces blood pressure. The decreased blood pressure helps in relaxation. In some cases, the speed and flow of the lyrics have greater influence on the energy the music provides than the underlying beat.

Songs that are livelier with higher bpm help energize us during exercise, and can help reduce or delay fatigue by competing for our brain’s attention. This pulls our brain’s attention away from the fatigue or muscle pain. This only works for light or moderate exercise. Music usually isn’t enough to override the increased signals of fatigue and pain during high intensity exercises. Listening to music while exercising also increases muscular endurance and efficiency. We tend to use less oxygen when exercising while listening to music than if we had exercised in silence.

Upbeat music helps lift our mood and “easy listening” music, such as classical music of only 60 bpm, can help relax us. Listening to music causes a release of dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin. These act as neurotransmitters in the body. Dopamine helps regulate movement and emotional responses and helps control the brain’s reward and pleasure centres; serotonin plays a role in transmitting impulses between nerve cells and maintaining mood balance; and oxytocin plays a role in aiding reproductive functions, but also exerts multiple psychological effects. Oxytocin also influences social behaviour and emotion and may influence romantic attachment and empathy. Music also decreases the amount of cortisol, a stress-related hormone produced by the body in response to stress, in the body. The effect of music on our brain and the chemicals it releases means it can play a large role in helping to regulate our mood, bring pleasure, increase happiness, and reduce stress and anxiety.

Not only does music provide a distraction and motivation during exercise, it can help reduce one’s perception of pain and help reduce chronic pain from conditions such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, disc problems, and depression. In some cases, listening to music has been shown to be more effective than some pain medication. Relaxing music reduces sympathetic nervous system activity. Along with its effect on decreasing heart and respiration rate and muscle relaxation, it can help improve sleep. Both listening to and playing music also improves the body’s immune system by increasing the production of immunoglobulin A and natural killer cells, which play a key role in the immune system.

Music activates many areas of the brain and forces the brain to use multiple levels of thinking simultaneously. We don’t often consciously analyze the music, but when listening to it the brain is forced to listen to the sound, perceive and analyze the tones, and interpret any lyrics. This analysis often happens subconsciously. Processing the musical pulse activates motor areas in the brain, which are responsible for dancing, and foot tapping. Playing an instrument utilizes even more areas of the brain as it processes tactile and visual information.

The employment of large-scale neural networks when listening to and playing music make it an exercise for the brain. Music training has been shown to improve concentration and alertness, reading and literacy skills, spatial-temporal reasoning, mathematical abilities, emotional intelligence, visual and language processing, information recall (memory), and creativity. Early music training has been shown to encourage brain plasticity (the brain’s capacity to change and grow), but listening to relaxing music has been shown to improve concentration in all age groups, from infants to seniors, and ability levels, and even a half-hour music lesson can increase blood flow in the left hemisphere of the brain.

Music’s ability to stimulate memory (second only to smell) helps in tapping into memories and recalling events and information. The structure of music makes it an effective mnemonic device and easy tool for teaching concepts, ideas, and information, such as how many people learn their “ABCs” through song. By “tagging” the information, it makes it easy to recall later. The effect of music on memory helps in improving it and protecting against memory problems. Listening to music or playing an instrument can impact brain health and function in people of all ages.

Even sad music can bring a sense of comfort and pleasure. It can provide a cathartic effect, and give feelings of comfort when experiencing loss or going through a rough time. For others, sad music can still bring pleasure since it provides a sort of ambivalent emotion, much like how we may perceive the sadness or struggle of a character in a story without feeling the intensity of the emotion. While the music may be perceived as sad or tragic (known as perceived emotion), the listener may feel less sad, and more relaxed, or even romantic (known as felt emotion).

However, while there are a variety of styles and traditions for creating music, and listening to most types of music, from pop and rock to classical and jazz, has been shown to provide benefits, we still need to be cautious of the music we listen to. It is easy to forget that music not only has the ability to soothe us and uplift our spirits, but to disquiet and disturb us, and increase feelings of anxiety and aggression. Music itself usually does not directly cause violence, but explicit or violent music and lyrics can increase aggressive thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. It can desensitize the listener to violence and can play a role in creating an overall negative, hate-filled view of the world. Certain people, particularly adolescents, may be particularly vulnerable. Sad music, though cathartic for some, can increase anxiety and cause feelings of profound grief in others.

This doesn’t mean we stop listening to music, because music will always play an integral role in our cultures and lives, but it does mean that we need to select songs wisely, and be aware of the influence they have on us. Music has the ability to enhance all moods, whether positive or negative, so we want to choose music that helps improve our overall health and wellbeing. Knowing why we are listening to a particular song and what we hope to gain from it can help in making better song choices.

For instance, if you chose to listen to a sad song, you can ask yourself whether you are listening to it to feel a sense of comfort, or to increase the intensity of your negative emotion. Our moods also influence how we perceive others, particularly how we interpret facial expressions. Happy music can make you perceive other’s faces as happier, while sad music can make you perceive them as sadder. This means that we might project the moods of the music we are listening to onto other people, which in turn can influence our behaviour. The mood of different music can also influence how we perceive certain events, situations, environments, and activities.

Not all music affects us the same way. Some pop and rock music, rather than energize us, can make us feel jittery, and music that it too loud, or jarring can compete for our attention, distract us, and impair thinking. We need to listen to a variety of music, and select those that help improve our state of mind, and help give us what we need at the time, whether it is increased energy, relaxation, or improved concentration.

Ambient or moderate background noise levels increase processing difficulty. Contrary to what we might assume, this increased difficulty can help us by promoting abstract processing and leading to more creative approaches. For some people, music can serve as background or environment and help use regain our focus and concentrate on work. This only works when the music is kept at moderate levels, and it is usually recommended to avoid songs with vocals, since they can vie for your attention, or make you more likely to remember the words of the song rather than what you are studying or working on. Music can also be a distraction while driving depending on the chosen music. Studies have shown that drivers tend to drive more aggressively when listening to their choice of music, and that uninteresting music may be better for safe driving.

Music can be a solo activity or experience, or it can be a social one. Singing together, such as in the case of choirs, can cause heart rates to synchronize, and can create a feeling of connection. Music itself can act as a sort of companion if we are feeling lonely or hurt, but it can also offer a more engaging and interesting form of interaction with others, whether we play in a band or in music class; listen to live performances at concerts, theatres or restaurants; or discuss it with others. For those with impaired social skills, music can help them express their emotions and communicate with others.

In the next blog post, we will look into how music has been implemented as a medicine in the form of music therapy.

Music has played an important, intricate role in our lives for thousands of years. Throughout history, and in every culture, we have listened to, performed, or responded to music through song and dance in order to bond, pass down stories, celebrate, and mourn. Music has also played a role in healing rituals around the world, making it more than an art and entertainment, but a medicine. While music has been considered “non-essential for survival,”” archaeologists have unearthed ancient musical instruments alongside materials for cooking and heating, showing that music was, and still is, a staple of human existence, and has been made an essential tool used for multiple needs.

The popularity and importance of music has not faded through the years. With the increased availability of instruments and music playing devices such as computers, tablets, smartphones, iPods, radios and more, as well as almost unlimited access to songs through the internet, music is now more popular than ever. We sing lullabies to soothe children and listen to music while driving, walking, reading or studying, and while at the mall or a restaurant. Television shows and movies carefully incorporate sounds and music to enhance the storytelling and viewing experience. Some of us spend more time listening to music than we do listening to our family or friends. For many, music is simply a form of pleasure or expression, for others it is a career. Multiple careers exist that involve working in the music industry, including musicians, music editors, audio engineers, tour managers, mix artists (also known as disc jockeys or DJs), songwriters, and more. Music is deeply embedded into our culture, careers, and lives.

While we often listen to music in the background, to help us study or focus, or to help give us energy when exercising, it often does not serve as the focus itself. We don’t often sit down and concentrate on it. This means that many of us remain unaware of how deeply music is affecting us. The effect that music has on us goes much deeper than pleasure or career, it can affect our breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, physical coordination and development, memory, attention, reasoning skills, and more. It has a profound impact on us – body, mind, and soul.

Music could be considered a specialized sub-set of sound. Sound is produced by a series of sound waves (waves of pressure). These waves are created when something vibrates, such as a slamming door, which then vibrates the air molecules. These vibrations push and pull the air, creating what is known as compression and rarefaction waves, or regions of high air pressure and then low air pressure. These waves eventually reach the eardrum, where a signal is set to the brain to interpret what we are hearing. Sound consists of: a vibrating source to set up or create the sound waves, a medium such as air to carry the waves, and a receiver to detect them.

While music is comprised of sound, most of us would agree that not all sounds are musical. The screeching of worn out breaks, the raucous call of a bluejay, or the slamming of doors all tend to sound unpleasant. This is due to regularity of the vibration and the combination of tones or notes. These sounds have a mix of different and changing frequencies and the waves tend to be jerky or irregular.

Frequency is the speed of the vibration, and it determines the pitch of the sound, or how high or low it sounds. It is measured in Hertz (Hz), with a frequency of 1 Hz referring to one wave cycle per second. As the frequency and its Hz measurement increases, the wave cycles become shorter and closer together. The amplitude or loudness of the sound is created when vibrations compress the molecules of air more forcefully and give them greater energy. It is measured in decibels (db), with 0 indicating the softest audible sound. Sounds above 120 db can begin to be painful and may damage hearing.

Everything around us is vibrating, including the human body. The human body is comprised of cells. These cells are comprised of atoms, which in turn are composed of particles, or vibrating energy. The type of frequency determines whether the wave is radio, light, heat, microwave, etc. Bruce Ainio of Tainio Technology in 1992 determined that the average frequency of the human body during the daytime is 62-68 MHz (megahertz), and a healthy body is 62-72 MHz. This frequency is outside the range (much higher) that human hearing is able to detect, or below the threshold amplitude. The average range of human hearing is 20 Hz to 20 000 Hz (or 20 kHz). Not only does the body give its own frequency, it also has its own rhythm, which can be seen in its heart beat, respiration rate, and the way in which it moves.

Music involves rhythm, melody and harmony, and musical sounds consist of vibrations that are strongly regular. It often has a predictable steady beat and logical organization and structure (such as the common verse-chorus structure). “Even sound waves that make up a single tone or an entire chord are organized in mathematical ratios” (http://blog.brainhq.com/2010/04/22/top-12-brain-based-reasons-why-music-as-therapy-works/“). It is this predictability and structure that our brain enjoys.

While music cannot exist without sound, for many people it is far more than that. Deaf musicians may not hear the beat, but they can still experience it by feeling the vibrations resonate throughout the body.

In the next blog post of this series, we will look into how these vibrations, and music as a whole, affects us physically, mentally, emotionally, and socially.

Another part of our body that many of us tend to use and abuse without much regard is our voice.

Vocal health may be a priority for singers or actors, but the rest of us tend not to put much thought into it, unless we suffer noticeable problems such as laryngitis, sore throat, respiratory infections, or even cancer of the larynx.

The larynx or voice box is a hollow muscular organ located between the base of the tongue and top of the trachea, the passageway to the lungs.

Our voice often goes through years of misuse and overuse before we realize something is wrong. We have stopped listening to our own voice, and when it tells us that it needs a break.

Voice problems can be caused by a number of infections and diseases, but there are some tips and techniques that we can begin doing on our own to help prevent and reverse voice problems and keep our voice healthy.

One of the biggest enemies or major damaging factors to the voice is smoking. Smoking irritates the vocal cords and causes inflammation and polyps (a type of growth).

Vocal cords, also known as the vocal folds, are two bands of smooth muscle tissue that are positioned opposite each other within the larynx, and vibrate when air is passed through.

To protect your voice, it is best to quit smoking, or, at the very least, significantly limit it. Even breathing in secondhand smoke can cause significant irritation.

Alcohol and caffeine can also dry out the vocal cords and larynx. This dryness can cause irritation when the vocal cords vibrate while talking or singing.

Instead, it is important to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water or consuming foods with a large water content, such as apples, bell peppers, peaches, and grapes. Foods containing vitamins A, E, and C also play an important role in keeping the mucus membranes that line the throat healthy.

The most simple sound production can cause the vocal cords to vibrate extremely fast, and it is important to remain hydrated to keep vocal cords well lubricated, and to dilute and flush the mucus in the throat so that it doesn’t build up. It is better to drink room temperature or lukewarm water than cold, since cold water can restrict the throat muscles.

Certain medications can also dry out the vocal folds including some allergy, cold, and flu medications. You may want to limit use or find an alternative. Many natural herbs and remedies are capable of reducing inflammation and bacteria in the throat without drying it out or causing other side effects.

Conventional mouthwashes and gargles may also contain alcohol or irritating chemicals, so it is recommended to avoid or limit use and instead use a salt water solution.

Dry air from air conditioning or living in a dry climate can also dehydrate you and dry out your vocal cords. Using a humidifier or vaporizer can help add the necessary moisture back into the air. You want to avoid adding fragrances or additives since they can dry out the voice, and using cool mist or moisture tends to be better than hot since it does not promote bacteria growth.

Food such as dairy can stimulate the production of mucus in the throat and nose and result in throat clearing. It may be best to limit or avoid.

For singers, who may be at a higher risk for acid reflux because of the vigorous pressure changes inside the midsection of the body, or people who have GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) or other acid reflux problems, it may also be best to limit spicy foods, which can cause stomach acid to move into the throat or esophagus and irritate the vocal cords.

Getting plenty of sleep and exercise is not only beneficial for the rest of your body, but your voice as well. Exercise increases stamina and muscle tone, which helps create good posture and breathing, and increases blood flow to promote healing and optimal function in all parts of the body.

Keeping throat and neck muscles relaxed can also help prevent tension in the throat and strain on vocal cords. It may help to do daily stretches.

It is important to give your voice plenty of rest, and this also means taking breaks during times of heavy use, such as teaching a class or giving a speech. For teachers, this may mean finding a quiet way to spend time during breaks instead of talking in a noisy staff room.

You also want to rest your voice if you have allergies and are sick with a cold or other infection. Colds or other illnesses cause strain and make your vocal cords more susceptible to damage.

To protect your voice, you also want to avoid phonotraumatic behaviors such as yelling, screaming, cheering, loud talking or singing, throat clearing, coughing, and whispering. These behaviors cause the vocal cords to come together more forcefully, and this increased pressure can lead to red and swollen vocal cords.

Instead of clearing your throat, you can try taking a small sip of water; using a gentle, breathy cough where there is high airflow with little sound; or simply swallow to clear secretions from the throat and alleviate the need for throat clearing or coughing (http://www.entnet.org/content/tips-healthy-voices).

If these methods don’t work and you still feel the need to excessively clear your throat or cough, then it may be the result of an underlying health issue that you may want to get checked out.

To prevent yourself from straining your voice from yelling or talking too loud, you may want to avoid talking in areas with significant background noise or crowds since they may cause you to shout in order to be heard. Using an amplifier when giving a speech or presentation can also help lessen the strain on your voice.

Warm up exercises are also important for maintaining voice health. They help in loosening the muscles of the throat, removing excess mucous and reducing risk of strain or injury. These exercises can include scales (gently extending your voice to its low and high ranges), lip trills (like doing a “raspberry” or motor noise with your lips), tongue trills (creating something like the Spanish “r” sound), sirens (like mimicking the sound of a siren), kazoos (making a “buzz” like sound), and humming.

These warm ups are often done by singers, but they are for anyone who wants to maintain the health of their voice. Practising good breath support is also vital in preventing yourself from running out of breath while talking.

By listening to your own voice and whether it sounds hoarse, raspy, or strained, you can determine when something is wrong, and then give it the attention and care it needs in order to heal.

Whether you are a singer, actor, teacher, doctor, lawyer, nurse, public speaker, or simply a person who likes to communicate vocally, it is important to take care of your voice and focus on keeping it, and the rest of your body, healthy.