Avoiding Sickness and Staying Healthy
Weekly Teaching Tip – Nov. 24, 2014
by Teri Stock
A. As we head into the cold and Flu season I thought I would share some tips and recipes to help keep you, the teacher and your students healthy.
1. Clean the “touched” surfaces of your studio including:
Door Knobs (Hint: Keep a canister of lysol or clorox disposable wipes handy so you can wipe them often.)
Microphone stand and Microphone. (How many students sneeze, cough or spit on your mic per day? There is a spray developed for microphones. You can find it at www.microphone.com.)
2. Run a humidifier during the winter months (make sure you clean the filter often)
3. Keep a bottle of nasal saline spray handy and use it often. A dry nose is more susceptible to virus and bacteria invasion.
4. Try to eat an alkaline diet. This will not only help your voice but it will also help keep you healthy.
5. Wash your hands often or use hand sanitizer.
6. Increase your water intake (Add some lemon for alkalinity. Yes I know lemons are acid, but the body processes it as alkaline.)
B. If you or your student does get a stuffy nose from a cold, flu or allergies here is Dr. Curt Stock’s stuffy nose protocol and saline rinse recipe.
This is a 3-5 day on 3 day off protocol. For 3 to 5 days do this everyday in this EXACT order:
1. Use Neo Synephrine (phenylephrine) or similar brand nose spray as directed. This is quick acting, but temporary. It will reduce the swelling in the nasal turbinates and allow the nasal rinse to clean better. It can produce a rebound effect so can only be used for 3-5 days at a time.
2. Use a bulb syringe or Neti Pot with Dr. Stock’s all natural recipe for saline rinse. You can do this everyday for good nasal hygiene.
3. Follow with a nasal steroid. This is an effective long acting swelling reducer. It will do a better job with clean turbinates.
Rest 3 days and repeat if needed.
Note: You can buy all these products in the pharmacy without a prescription in the US.
If this is not possible in your country, discuss this protocol with your doctor and see if they will allow you to keep the products on hand for when you may need them.
C. Curt Stock Md. Saline Rinse:
To 1 quart of distilled water add and mix well:
2 tsp sea salt (make sure the salt has no iodine as iodine will burn/sting)
1 tsp baking soda
Some possible additions:
For moisture: 1 tsp glycerine
For crusty thick mucus: add 1/2 tsp. of lemon or lime juice (this helps with infection).
Stay Healthy! If you have questions, I will post this on the IVTOM private Facebook page. Join us there for some great discussions!
Teri Stock Vocal Studio
Director of Mentoring and Board member – International Voice Teachers of Mix (IVTOM)
www.teristock.com
