note: this advice is anecdotal, not medical.
Throughout my life I've heard many bits of advice to take care of my voice:
- Honey in everything
- Warm down
- Whiskey
- Hydrate
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Warm up
- Avoid coffee
- Sing through a straw
The list goes on, and some of these are useful, but not always for the reasons one thinks.
I like to think in terms of systems and structures and so never believe something like "honey is good for you", without looking it up. Especially because people can very often forget teh difference between the trachea, and the oesophagus.
For example I asked Chat GPT, "is honey good for your voice?", and it gave me this
**Soothing Properties**: Honey has natural soothing properties that can help alleviate throat irritation and dryness, which is especially helpful for singers and speakers.
**Moisturizing**: It can help to keep the vocal cords hydrated, which is essential for maintaining vocal health.
**Antimicrobial Effects**: Honey has natural antimicrobial properties that can help fight infections, which is beneficial if you have a sore throat or are at risk of vocal cord issues.
**Natural Energy Source**: Honey provides a quick source of energy, which can be useful for performers who need stamina during long performances.
Now on the whole these aren't necessarily wrong but let's break it down:
- Soothing: This is the same as cough syrup. It's got a lovely texture which coats your mouth, but once you swallow it goes down the oesophagus. You may feel better, but the only air coming up that pipe is your belching.
- Moisturizing: The vocal folds are in the larynx, if liquid reaches them you cough. It is important to keep these organs moisturized, but that's best done from the inside out by drinking water throughout the day, as it takes 4-6 hours for water to reach them.
- Antimicrobial Effects: absolutely true, however honey stays where you put it, and won't necessarily kill microbes while you're constantly washing it down with saliva.
- Natural Energy source: Sure, it's sugar.
So overall we have a placebo. It won't magically cure a dry throat or make you sound better. But it will make you feel more comfortable. And that reduces stress which solves 90% of your problems. The only way to safely moisturize your vocal apparatus in real-time is with water vapour.
So what should we do?
The vocal apparatus is representative of the rest of the body. It consists of mucous lined channels and some muscles. Everything you would normally do to stay healthy applies to your voice: eat well, reduce stress, and drink enough to not be thirsty. This will keep your voice in good shape to do what it needs to do. There are a few things we can address:
Food
I had a textbook, and under the title "mucous producing irritants" it listed every food you could imagine, short of water. Milk, caffeine, salt, pepper, alcohol, curry, cocoa, sugar... some of these produce a mucous response, while others may dehydrate you. Overall while they are fine for you, leading up to a performance its best not be munching on spicy crisps, or having an ice-cream sundae. Opt for milder moisture rich foods that are easy on stomach. A salad will do you better than a burger and chips.
Finish your meal at least two hours before you need to perform. Don't over eat, or eat to fast. You want your stomach relaxed and reflux free. Overly salted food will make you thirsty, and if you drink too much you'll start to feel uncomfortable. Enjoy your meal and be sated, not bloated.
Warming up
Did you watch Zombieland? Woody Harrelson's character doesn't believe in "limbering up" stating, "I don't believe in it. You ever see a lion limber up before it takes down a gazelle?".
He clearly never saw a cat stretching.
Warming up is important, mentally and physically. Unless you've been silent for a week, your vocal apparatus is probably pretty limber, however you need to be in performance mode. That requires taking stock of how easily you can reach all of your registers, maintain your breath, and produce sound on demand.
Work out an easy warm up regimen that tests everything is working, before you need it. Don't tax your yourself, go slowly, reaching a point where you can generate whatever sounds you need, without any surprises.
After you've done your work, take it easy. Stay hydrated, and let any adrenaline subside. Some people may find that doing extra lip trills, or siren calls help. They're a good way to make sure everything is still working ship-shape. But it's more about putting yourself back in that mindset of taking care of your instrument. Use the warm down time to centre yourself, so that you are letting your voice relax.
Stay aware
When we're using our voice passively, it's very easy to drop all our good habits. This can very easily happen once you're out of character. Remember, don't shout, project. Don't force a sound, ease it. Use proper breath support. Stay relaxed and enjoy yourself. Unless you're outrunning a lion, stress is no good for you.