Find Your Voice

Do you love to sing? Botanicals can improve your voice and soothe a sore throat

- By Karta Purkh Singhi Khalsa, DN-C, RH

Chances are that your throat pretty much performs on command, so you give it little thought—unless it’s your moneymaker or it’s sore. Then it probably becomes just about all you can think about.

Since their voices are their instruments, singers rely on a variety of secret weapons to keep their throats in tiptop shape. But these botanical wonders aren’t just for vocalists. They can help anyone who experiences a sore throat or related respiratory symptoms.

Herbs That Open Your Airways

These helpful herbs are known as “astringents,” which means they help shrink throat tissues. This in turn helps open up airways and allows you to breathe more freely.

BIBHITAKI (Terminalia belerica) is the best single Ayurvedic herb for generally controlling mucus, fat, and toxins in the body. One of three herbs in the Ayurvedic formula triphala, bibhitaki nourishes the lungs, throat, voice, eyes, and hair. It excels at removing stones and deposits (mucus, cholesterol, mineral deposits) in the digestive, urinary, and respiratory tracts. A strong astringent, bibhitaki is great as a gargle since it opens the throat. Put 1 teaspoon of bibhitaki powder in a glass of water and gargle several times until the glass is empty.