Traditional Medicinal Teas- Keep Your Audition Arsenal!

College Majors Musical Theater Majors
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<p>For those auditioning next year and to anyone else who ever needs to take care of your voice for any reason, I highly highly highly reccommend the medicinal seasonal teas by Traditional Medicinals. Traditional Medicinals have teas for every reason man could possibly think of. At Farm Fresh they sell sampler packs for their different types of seasonal teas. The pack contains 4 bags of the popular Throat Coat, 4 bags of Breath Easy, 4 bags of Organic Echinacea Plus Herbal Tea, and 4 bags of Gypsy Cold Care. Here’s the basic rundown of how each of these teas can help you in which case:</p>

<p>Throat Coat: Used for basic vocal health. Throat Coat provides a protective coating on the membranes that line the throat. Throat Coat contains herbs with demulcent action, and in a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study it was shown to provide rapid, temporary relief of sore throat pain. Great for getting ready for a performance or if you have a cough or sore/hoarse throat.</p>

<p>Breath Easy: Breathe Easy promotes normal respiratory tract health by reducing mucus and helping to keep the nasal passages open. Breathe Easy combines eucalyptus, fennel and licorice; herbs that have been found to have beneficial effects on upper respiratory tract health. Their effects are complemented by the addition of Bi Yan Pian, a traditional formula for the sinuses, widely recommended by practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine.</p>

<p>Organic Echinacea Plus: Used to keep immune system healthy. It activates and stimulates immune cells, helping you to reduce the duration of symptoms. A double blind, placebo-controlled clinical study on Organic Echinacea Plus showed that it was effective in reducing symptoms as well as shortening their duration. Contains marshmellow as a demulcigen. Definitely drink this during the whole winter season.</p>

<p>Gypsy Cold Care: Gypsy Cold Care is a multi-action formula that helps regulate body temperature and encourages normal breathing. Based on a traditional European formula, these herbs have been used for centuries to assist the body’s natural responses to challenging seasonal conditions. If you have a cold or feel one coming on, use this tea religiously.</p>

<p>I recommend these teas 150%, but I do have to say that none of these taste like any traditional teas. Do not expect for them to taste good for the most part. My ranking of the taste of these go (from best to worste taste) Throat Coat, Breathe Easy, Echinacea then Gypsy Cold Care. But despite how not good these taste, I encourage everyone who needs to sing to buy this stuff for themselves or their auditioning children.</p>

<p>:)</p>

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<p>freedom - My D loves these teas too, and she has recently added to her arsenal. Good Earth makes a “Tea for Colds” she likes and Celestial makes an echinacea tea. She adds a bag of Bigelow “I love lemon” tea to some to help with taste - and honey of course. She also likes to make tea from the pickled ginger that comes with sushi.</p>

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<p>This is interesting. I would love to hear Coach C’s opinions on the value of these teas, though I am sure that many performers like them and find them soothing. Coach?</p>

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<p>I think the aroma sometimes helps as much as anything else - she likes that some of them open her up a bit. I know that Coach C has said that none of these things actually reach the vocal folds or cords so soothing the throat is probably about it. They are also an added way of just getting liquids into them.</p>

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<p>You’ve got it, cartera - but soothing the throat is important b/c it can help reduce muscle tension when a singer is feeling scratchy/sore. But remember not to sing through a cold that is anything other than mild!! :)</p>