Asthma and cough drops

[Linzey]

Starting my Whole30 today, and already I'm having trouble without my cough drops.

 

I have cough variant asthma and take daily medications, but I still rely heavily on cough drops, every day.

 

I searched the forums and saw suggestions for sore throats (water w/ lemon, various teas, etc), but mine problem is preventing coughing outbreaks.

 

There don't seem to be any good Whole30 compliant options, as I can only find cough drops with sugar, artifical sweeteners or honey.

 

Any ideas are greatly appreciated.  Thx

[MeadowLily]

All of those suggestions here would be worth a try.  It's possible that the cough drop has become a security blanket more than an actual cough preventative.  Some are hooked on sugarless gum, others diet pop.  

 

Folks who take blood pressure medicine often have a constant dry cough.   I would try drinking anything, lemon water to break the dependency.  Google what opera singers take before they sing.   Some say lemon water is too acidic but maybe you can pick up some other ideas here. 

 

http://www.operapulse.com/refine-your-craft/guide-to-opera-training/the-rules-of-singing-mythbusters-edition/

[Linzey]

Thank you MeadowLily.  I am a coach and a fitness instructor and tend to strain my voice a lot, so these are probably really good tips for me to follow.

 

I will give it a try without my cough drops.

[MeadowLily]

Yes, Linzey.   You might even get a voice teacher for singing lessons so you can learn how to project your voice without strain.

 

As professional singers say...if it's difficult to listen to  (others are wincing when they hear it), then it's going to be difficult to keep straining your voice in that same way every day.   Singers who project only from the head/throat  end up with voicebox damage.   A voice teacher can show you how to use your voice without damaging it.   You have to learn how to bellow without strain.  

 

You know how some singers end up without any projection, barely a whisper in the mic after a few years and others finish strong until old age....that's what you want.

 

Here's a clue to watch for....when you see a singer make all kinds of extreme facial contortions just to try and stay on key....you know they've lost it.   They try to make up for a lost voice by forcing the face into grimaces/contortions/ straining for every note - to get the voice out.   It's sad thing to watch and listen to.

 

 

http://www.vocalscience.com/publications/voice-repair

 

 equation are special voice repair exercises. I usually start out with speech exercises. After the client has mastered them, we move on to low pitch singing exercises, which I have found to be very therapeutic and healing. Once the voice has been repaired the next step is to teach the singer correct vocal technique to prevent damage from reoccurring again in the future. After all, you would not get a tire patched up and then go park on the same broken glass that caused the hole in the first place would you? This always has the pleasant side effect of improving the quality of singing - and speaking - as well.

The other main part of the vocal repair equation are special voice repair exercises. I usually start out with speech exercises. After the client has mastered them, we move on to low pitch singing exercises, which I have found to be very therapeutic and healing. Once the voice has been repaired the next step is to teach the singer correct vocal technique to prevent damage from reoccurring again in the future. After all, you would not get a tire patched up and then go park on the same broken glass that caused the hole in the first place would you? This always has the pleasant side effect of improving the quality of singing - and speaking - as well.

[Emma]

I was diagnosed with cough variant asthma years ago and it's the pits!  However, I want to encourage you to keep plugging along with Whole30.  After I started eating clean for a while, I caught a cold and it did not erupt into huge coughing fits like it normally does.  It has been such a wonderful change to put away the inhalers and allergy meds.  I'm not cured by any means, but I'm so much more resilient than I was.  I also just discovered that Afrin (an over the counter drug) works wonders when I do start getting The Cough.  It seems to pull up the little infection that is often a trigger for the chronic reactions.  

 

When I did Whole30's in the past, I did drink a tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar (with the mother) in a cup of hot water several times a day.  That also helped move things around in my sinuses and areas that trigger the coughing.  It's totally worth giving a shot.   BUT, sometimes the cough was just so bad and so spasmodic at night that I did drink honey tea in the middle of the night as a medicine.  It worked to calm the cough which was necessary.  It meant that that particular Whole30 wasn't pure, but I still did lots of healing by sticking to it the rest of the time.

 

I'd totally encourage you to drink the Apple Cider Vinegar (with hot water) and stick with Whole30 as much as you can.  It's SO worth it! 

[ArmoredBallerina]

A cheerleading coach can also help teach you to bellow without yelling and thus straining your voice - there is a way to do it from your chest. I used to be a cheerleader and learning that probably saved my vocal chords.