The best foods to strengthen the vocal cords and treat hoarseness
Singing is no longer the only goal to improve the voice, as Dr. Norman Hojekian at the University of Michigan said, “Your voice is your ambassador to the outside world.” Therefore, many people seek to improve their voice, and that begins by paying attention to the vocal cords. In this article, here are the most important foods that help strengthen the vocal cords and treat hoarseness, with the most important tips that must be followed to maintain the vocal cords well.
How food improves the performance of the vocal cords?
The larynx is located in the middle of the throat, and in addition to helping to produce sound, its external muscles help it direct food to the stomach by pulling it away from the food path, which helps direct air to the lungs.
Therefore, the quality of the food you eat plays a role in affecting your voice, as eating some foods leads to acid reflux, or silent reflux. This may cause hoarseness, sore throat, and inflammation of the vocal cords.
Difficulty swallowing may also affect the voice. Because the larynx is not sufficiently closed when swallowing, which leads to stuck parts of food, which affects the voice and may also cause suffocation.
Foods that strengthen the vocal cords
There are many foods that are good for the voice, including:
1. Apple
Apple juice contains many nutrients that help improve the vocal cords, including antioxidants and vitamin C, in addition to containing calcium and magnesium.
2. Cucumber
Cucumber contains many important vitamins and minerals, such as: vitamin C, magnesium, potassium, in addition to antioxidants.
3. Green pepper
Green pepper contains potassium, vitamin C, and vitamin A.
4. Broccoli
Cauliflower is an excellent source of vitamins and minerals, containing 3g of fiber, vitamin C, magnesium, and phosphorous.
5. Spinach
Spinach is an excellent source of vitamins, as it contains vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, and vitamin B2.
There are many other useful foods, such as: tomatoes, melons, radishes, and others. On the other hand, there are foods that harm the vocal cords.
Foods that harm the vocal cords
Examples of these foods are:
1. Dairy products
As dairy products increase the density of mucus in the throat, which makes it difficult for the vocal cords to get rid of it, so it is preferable not to eat any dairy products before an important meeting or sermon.
2. Spicy foods
Eating spicy foods can cause inflammation of the vocal cords, and spicy foods can cause acid reflux.
3. Foods high in fat
Foods that are high in fat or cooked in oil affect the vocal cords, where they can cause acid reflux.
4. Chocolate
Some take it when feeling stressed or pressured because it contains caffeine, but on the other hand, caffeine may lead to dryness of the throat, which leads to tight muscles around the vocal cords, which may lead to reflux esophagitis.
With the change of diet to a more healthy one, here are some important tips to prevent inflammation of the vocal cords.
Important tips to protect and strengthen the vocal cords
- Drink more water, as water helps hydrate and strengthen the vocal cords.
- Avoid consuming too much caffeine, such as coffee and tea. Because we bear damage to the vocal cords.
- Don’t smoke. Smoking increases the risk of throat cancer.
- Do not try to raise your voice for a long time, especially in noisy places.
- not talking a lot during illness; So as not to strain the vocal cords.
In the end, many of us seek to improve our voice, not just singers or actors, so more attention should be paid to diet, as it is of great importance in strengthening the vocal cords and maintaining them in excellent condition, and thus obtaining a wonderful voice.