In Oregon’s Willamette Valley we’re in our third week of temps reaching into the high 80’s, 90’s, and over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. I don’t know about you, but the older I get, the less I enjoy hot weather. It makes me feel listless. Also, we vocalists need to stay hydrated!
So, here’s Lake Oswego’s Transformational Voice® Teacher’s impromptu list of 7 ways to beat the heat this August.
1. Walk early. Get out to walk early in the morning. Air-conditioning is a wonderful invention, but days on end of no connection with Mother Nature makes some of us (me) cranky. So, this night owl is managing to get up earlier to go outside and walk earlier.
2. Stay hydrated. The internet tells me (so it must be true, right?) that huge numbers of people are chronically dehydrated and often don’t know it. Dehydration is not good for speakers, singers, or anyone else. If you don’t normally drink enough water, add some flavor to it. I adore lemon in my water. And I especially adore flavored sparkling water over ice with lemon or lime. My most recent purchase was a 12-pack of Trader Joe’s pineapple-flavored bubbly water on sale for $3.49. One of the women in my Wishweavers mastermind circle, Sidra, loves her kitchen gadget (https://idrinkproducts.com/) that carbonates water and other beverages.
3. Cool off in water. Speaking of water, if you have a pool or nearby lake or ocean, awesome. I can drive to the Oregon coast (where it’s much cooler) in an hour and 45 minutes, something I’ve deeply appreciated since moving to Oregon from Arizona in 1990. If not, get creative. I ran across my neighbor, Mike, walking his chocolate lab, Jazzy, last week. He had just gotten one of those kiddy pools for Jazzy and she loved it. He climbed in with her and Mike loved it, too! Why not?!
4. Eat cold food. I love to cook a couple of times a week, but when it’s hot outside, not so much. Get creative with cold food, like salads. Chop up some romaine lettuce, bell pepper, tomato, cucumber, and toss on some baby spinach leaves. Maybe grate a little carrot or add green peas. For my last chef salad, I added a hard-boiled egg, a bit of diced ham and cheddar cheese, and topped it with a drizzle of both Catalina and blue cheese dressing. SO delicious on a hot day!
5. Enjoy watermelon. Yes, what about watermelon? This watermelon salad recipe (https://www.loveandlemons.com/watermelon-salad/) is more elaborate than those I’ve made in the past, and it looks spectacular. Did you know you can add watermelon to vanilla ice cream for a yummy shake? Seriously, try it – it’s wonderful. Just don’t add extra liquid because the watermelon provides plenty. Personally, I don’t mind a slightly runny shake.
6. Be quietly creative. In the middle of a heat-wave may not be the best time to start a new dance class. But it might be the very best time to pull out a sketch pad and pencils, or use karaoke videos on YouTube to sing out the songs you loved in high school and college. (I’ve been doing that!)
7. Experience gratitude. If you live in a house with air-conditioning, like I do, remember that many people across our globe don’t have that luxury. I’m grateful for my little Vornado fan that blows on me quietly at night when I’m in bed.
There you go, your voice teacher’s hacks for beating the heat! Enjoy your August until I show up in your inbox again in two weeks. Thanks for allowing me space there.
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Please spread the love and pass this along to a friend!
Love Your Voice & Voice Your Love,
Laura