Know Your Fuel

The gig is in 4 hours, you’ve rehearsed the tunes, gone through your vocal exercises, packed your warm-up CD, picked your outfit and now have time to grab a bite to eat before heading to the venue. The question is: what’s on the menu?

With so many foods to choose from, it can be difficult to decide what to fuel your body with. Keep this in mind before rushing off to your nearest fast-food joint: garbage in, garbage out. When you overload your body with foods that are not nutritionally sound, it functions at a less than optimum level and can start to cause you problems. Think about the caffeine-induced “shakes” from too much coffee or soda, or the way your body feels “heavy or sluggish” after consuming fast-food – it’s not called “junk-food” for nothing.

Let’s take a look at the “typical” American diet:

• Coffee - creates excess acids in the stomach.

• Creamer Substitutes - contain hydrogenated oils which cause cholesterol build up.

• Nutra-Sweet or Aspartame - when heated it converts to formaldehyde.

• Donuts - contain a lot of sugar, which destroys B-vitamins (needed for nervous system functions).

• Burger with processed cheese - contains antibiotics and steroids from meat.

• French Fries - cause cholesterol build up in arteries due to their saturation in hydrogenated oils used in cooking.

• Soft Drink - leaches calcium from the body (starting with the jaw bone).

• Canned Foods - loaded with preservatives and foreign chemicals.

• Ice Cream (commercial) - one of the ingredients is also used in paint remover and anti-freeze (all-natural ice-creams, however, do not contain such chemicals).

• Cookies - most contain hydrogenated oils and lots of sugar. Again, there are all natural varieties that are better for you, so read the labels!

• Pasteurized Milk - forms mucous in the throat.

Still want that cheeseburger meal?

The idea is to figure out what is going to work best for you so that you can work your best for your audience. It’s pretty difficult to sustain notes when you are constantly trying to clear your throat of mucous because of too much milk. It is also an exercise in futility trying to sing hard after consuming coffee. Caffeine leaches moisture from your muscles leaving them less responsive.

If you want to be on top of your game, eating right is a good start. Choose foods that have good nutritional values and are helpful to the body.

• Water – filtered is good, distilled is best, but bottled water will do. Avoid tap water. It contains harsh and harmful chemicals (used to “purify” the water) including chlorine and fluoride.

• Vegetables, especially dark green – these are rich in calcium, provide water for hydration and lots of nutrients.

• Fruits – have a high water content (important for hydration), contain important vitamins and provide energy.

• Whole Grains – provide necessary fiber to keep the “system” clean.

• Fish (Salmon, Cod, Haddock or Flounder) – are rich in Omega 3’s (releases joint tension). While fish other than those mentioned also have high Omega 3 content, they additionally contain higher levels of mercury (a poison and neurotoxin) which can be unsafe.

• Poultry (Baked, broiled or grilled) – high in protein, which supports energy metabolism.

• Vitamin/Mineral Supplements – these provide the recommended daily allowance of nutrient intake.

When you’re on stage, the only thing you want to think about is giving your all to your fans. If your attention is on how tired you are or how bloated you feel, it will be hard to be there for your audience (let alone sing!). Put in the fuel that helps your body function at the optimum level and you’ll get optimum results.

Here’s To Your Health!

CM Jones

Craig M. Jones is a professional singer, musician, songwriter and vocal educator with over 20 years experience in the entertainment industry. He has performed locally and internationally, as both a singer and percussionist, with such notables as Orange Then Blue, Stan Getz and Walter Beasley. A member of The American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine (A4M), he strives to blend his knowledge of health and wellness into a cohesive vocal technique to both develop and support all musical styles and genres.

*The A4M is a not-for-profit medical society dedicated to the advancement of technology to detect, prevent, and treat aging related disease and to promote research into methods to retard and optimize the human aging process. A4M is also dedicated to educating physicians, scientists, and members of the public on anti-aging issues.