What to Do About Acid Reflux? It Interferes with My Singing.

Question:

“What to Do About Acid Reflux? It Interferes with My Singing. I never hurt myself or end up losing my voice after intensive hours of singing, and according to my vocal teacher my technique is relatively healthy. However, it is hard to pull off extremely high notes when acid reflux strikes.”

My answer:

Let’s address the acid reflux. Assuming your vocal technique is good and healthy, this is crucial to get under control. If you need help with your technique, check out my many previous posts and get the book and online course, see below.

Whether you’re a singer, speaker, performer, teacher, or anyone who uses her/his voice a lot (think solo entrepreneur):

Some simple guidelines I use and recommend to my students may help you here:

1. Eat something fresh and raw with EVERY MEAL, even a small one. Salad, a green smoothie, a piece of vegetable (no fruit, see next point). The enzymes and freshness can help break down anything that might cause an adverse reaction in your gut.
2. Always eat fruit BEFORE or away from other foods. Fruit is cooked, “pre-digested” by Nature, and goes through the digestive tract relatively quickly. If you eat it after other cooked or processed food it sits there on top of the pile and festers, and that can cause problems. Melons should be eaten before and away from other fruits, then fruit, then cooked and other food. In the morning it’s okay to have fresh fruit with your cereal, if you use cashew milk, almond or coconut milk. Cow’s milk mixed with fruit is asking for disaster.
3. Vegan/vegetarian foods are easier to digest than meat.
4. Don’t eat a large meal right before bed. Ditto no alcohol (highly acidic).
5. Make lunch your largest meal if possible. Our digestive fire is highest then.
6. Drink plenty of water first thing in the morning, then have a cup of water with lemon juice. Wait about 10 minutes before eating any breakfast (again with something fresh).
7. Alkalize as much as possible, without going to the other extreme, haha. Look up alkaline foods and then pick some with every meal. And remember to eat something fresh—a salad, smoothie or a piece of raw veggie—remember no fruit!—with every meal.

Hope this helps. You can do this. Good luck, and Sing Yourself WELL! 🙂

Get your Basics for Your Vocal Wellness today: order your copy of Sing Yourself Well in 7 Seconds for just $14.95, and get the online course at the intro price of $97 before it goes to its regular price of $197 on September 1st: