HEALTH
Depression? Drown it into a cup of tea
Ahhh! It’s gone
Regular drinkers of green tea appear to have lower rates of depression, says American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2009, quoting research in Japan. Both green and black tea are made from the same plant, camellia sinesis, but are processed differently. Tea is high in a class of antioxidants called flavonoids. These flavonoids are potent antioxidants and are thought to be the ‘active ingredient’ in tea that provides many of its potential health benefits.
Tea, especially green tea, appears to have a beneficial effect on the prevention and management of depression due to its anti-inflammatory properties. Green tea also contains large amounts of an amino acid called tehamine which has been shown in laboratory studies to have a relaxing effect on the brain by increasing the dopamine production.
Depression? Who? Me?
You need it for the vocal folds to vibrate well. No liquids touch the vocal cards, but they are lubricated by a saliva-like fluid made by nearby glands. The body must be kept hydrated enough to facilitate this lubrication.
Avoid spicy food
A common cause of damage to the voice is acid reflux. It irritates and dries out the throat. The signs of silent reflux are throat clearing, a croaky lower voice in the morning and the feeling of having a lump in the throat. Avoid eating foods with an irritating effect on the stomach, such as onions, chilly fizzy drinks and chocolate.
Talk regularly
Simply staying sociable and using your voice is vital. By using the vocal cords, you delay its ageing.
Sing in the shower
This is one of the best ways to preserve your voice, as it deeps the larynx muscles strong while the steam lubricates the voice box. Joining a choir is one of the best ways to preserve a youthful tone. Professional singers’ voices take longer to age as they keep the muscles strong.
Don’t shout
Shouting can inflame the vocal cards, making them harder to close properly. If they repeatedly ‘bang’ together, it can lead to callous – like growths called nodules. These make the larynx work harder, causing muscle tiredness and discomfort.
Take care of your teeth
When you lose teeth, the jaw bone starts to waste away, the shape of the face begins to collapse inwards and, as a result, the muscles do not work as well to formulate speech. The tongue is adept at moving up and forward in the mouth to make the‘t’ sound.
Improve your posture
A good posture is essential to keeping the voice young; slumping causes the entire vocal tract to change, preventing deep breathing and making the vocal cords work harder to make a sound.
Cut back on smoking and alcohol
Smoking is disastrous, drying up the inside of the larynx and stopping the vocal cords working. Nicotine also exacerbates gastric reflux, while the heat from cigarette smoke can scar the vocal cords, causing a rough rasping quality. Alcohol can inflame the mucous membranes that line the throat.
Rest the throat
The vocal cord can be scarred if you use your voice during a bad cough. If you have a case of laryngitis with a cold, you should rest your voice for a day or two. Scaring on the vocal cords means when they heal they may not vibrate so well – your voice will sound rough and you may lose your upper register, possibly permanently. If your voice is hoarse for longer than two weeks then it’s time to seek medial advice.
`Exercising will ensure lung capacity is high, helping to produce a strong sound. Exercise, such as Pilates, which strengthens the abdominal muscles, helps you take deeper breaths as it means there is better airflow through the voice box, producing a stronger tone.
Ahhh! It’s gone
Regular drinkers of green tea appear to have lower rates of depression, says American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2009, quoting research in Japan. Both green and black tea are made from the same plant, camellia sinesis, but are processed differently. Tea is high in a class of antioxidants called flavonoids. These flavonoids are potent antioxidants and are thought to be the ‘active ingredient’ in tea that provides many of its potential health benefits.
Tea, especially green tea, appears to have a beneficial effect on the prevention and management of depression due to its anti-inflammatory properties. Green tea also contains large amounts of an amino acid called tehamine which has been shown in laboratory studies to have a relaxing effect on the brain by increasing the dopamine production.
Depression? Who? Me?
Tips to keep your voice young
You need it for the vocal folds to vibrate well. No liquids touch the vocal cards, but they are lubricated by a saliva-like fluid made by nearby glands. The body must be kept hydrated enough to facilitate this lubrication.
Avoid spicy food
A common cause of damage to the voice is acid reflux. It irritates and dries out the throat. The signs of silent reflux are throat clearing, a croaky lower voice in the morning and the feeling of having a lump in the throat. Avoid eating foods with an irritating effect on the stomach, such as onions, chilly fizzy drinks and chocolate.
Talk regularly
Simply staying sociable and using your voice is vital. By using the vocal cords, you delay its ageing.
Sing in the shower
This is one of the best ways to preserve your voice, as it deeps the larynx muscles strong while the steam lubricates the voice box. Joining a choir is one of the best ways to preserve a youthful tone. Professional singers’ voices take longer to age as they keep the muscles strong.
Don’t shout
Shouting can inflame the vocal cards, making them harder to close properly. If they repeatedly ‘bang’ together, it can lead to callous – like growths called nodules. These make the larynx work harder, causing muscle tiredness and discomfort.
Take care of your teeth
When you lose teeth, the jaw bone starts to waste away, the shape of the face begins to collapse inwards and, as a result, the muscles do not work as well to formulate speech. The tongue is adept at moving up and forward in the mouth to make the‘t’ sound.
Improve your posture
A good posture is essential to keeping the voice young; slumping causes the entire vocal tract to change, preventing deep breathing and making the vocal cords work harder to make a sound.
Cut back on smoking and alcohol
Smoking is disastrous, drying up the inside of the larynx and stopping the vocal cords working. Nicotine also exacerbates gastric reflux, while the heat from cigarette smoke can scar the vocal cords, causing a rough rasping quality. Alcohol can inflame the mucous membranes that line the throat.
Rest the throat
The vocal cord can be scarred if you use your voice during a bad cough. If you have a case of laryngitis with a cold, you should rest your voice for a day or two. Scaring on the vocal cords means when they heal they may not vibrate so well – your voice will sound rough and you may lose your upper register, possibly permanently. If your voice is hoarse for longer than two weeks then it’s time to seek medial advice.
`Exercising will ensure lung capacity is high, helping to produce a strong sound. Exercise, such as Pilates, which strengthens the abdominal muscles, helps you take deeper breaths as it means there is better airflow through the voice box, producing a stronger tone.
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