Drinking Warm Drinks for your Vocal Health
Nothing is better on a cold day than a hot drink to help you keep warm. Hot/warm drinks have a secondary benefit; they are great for your throat and vocal cords as they keep them warm and limber. Herbal teas are also great way to treat cold/flu symptoms! Not only do you get the medicinal benefits, but they are also soothing, warm, and relaxing.

Directions:
· Pour boiling water over the herb, steep at least 20 minutes, and strain.
· You can also use a French press, preparing as above and pressing after 20 minutes

Great Singer Choice:
Throat Coat Herbal Tea
Herbal tea or Fruit tea (no caffeine)

To counteract the dehydration factor of Coffee/Non-Herbal Tea, drink one glass of water per cup of coffee/tea.

Tea Infusions usually use more herbs than regular herbal teas and are steeped for longer periods of time. Using a French press is one of the best methods of infusing and the easiest way to strain. But, any glass jar and a fine mesh strainer/cheesecloth can be used.
Directions:
· 2 ounces of herbs or 2 generous handfuls of dried herb
· 1 pint of water (Add more water until the herb material is completely covered)
· Steep for 4 to 10 hours or overnight
· Strain herbs

Basic Cold and Flu Tea
Use this tea as a base and then add some of the other remedies below if needed. (Garlic can irritate the stomach, so you may need to adjust the amount of garlic or eliminate it.)
Ingredients:
· 3-4 slices fresh ginger with skin
· 1 clove chopped garlic
· Cayenne powder (as hot as can be tolerated to induce sweating)
· Tea (black, green, oolong, herbal)
· Honey to taste
· Milk/milk alternative, (almond, soy or other)
Directions:
· Bring 3-4 slices of fresh ginger (skin on) and one clove of chopped garlic to a boil and simmer for approximately 20 minutes.
· Use ginger/garlic water to steep with tea. Add cayenne powder. Add honey to taste.
· Add milk or dairy alternative (optional).
· Drink 3-4 cups per day. Drink before bed and bundle up to induce sweat.

Shopping List for Home Remedies for Colds and Flu:
Cayenne powder – stimulant, anti-microbial, analgesic, carminative, diaphoretic, and expectorant. Cayenne can help prevent a cold or flu as well as shorten the duration of a cold or flu. It brings heat to the body, which can help dispel coldness.

Garlic – anti-viral, antibiotic, and antiseptic.

Ginger – antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory. In addition to treating cold/flu, ginger is excellent for nausea and vomiting.

Honey – raw, local honey should ideally be purchased either at a farmer’s market or at Whole Foods or Trader Joes. Honey is antibacterial, antimicrobial, and antiseptic.

Lemon – high in vitamin C, lemon may help decrease the strength of the cold and flu virus in the body and reduce phlegm. Many folks use lemons to build resistance to cold and flu, and speed up healing.

Onion – great for coughs and raw onion keeps the respiratory tract open.

Sage – carminative, antiseptic, and astringent – the mouth and throat plant. Used for sore throats and cough. Also used for sinus congestion. Sage should not be used when pregnant or breast feeding.

Thyme – antimicrobial, antibacterial, antiviral, expectorant, and astringent. Thyme is great for respiratory infections and coughs. It is also good for the stomach and relieves gas.