by B.J. Armstrong

You can get laryngitis anytime of the year. If you get it, its "time to stop talking" and rest the vocal cords. Laryngitis is telling you that your vocal cords need a rest. It's usually caused by overusing your vocal cords, but sometimes extreme hoarseness is the result of a cold or infection. No matter what the cause of laryngitis, you can't go around whispering for a length of time.

Matter of fact, a person shouldn't even be 'whispering.' If you need to communicate with someone, write it out with paper and pen. "No talking" at all. Because talking strains your vocal cords, prolonging and making laryngitis

worse. Even whispering causes you to bang your vocal cords together as strongly as if you were shouting. What's the answer? Give everyone the 'silent treatment' until you are better. Your spouse may enjoy this little bout of 'quietness' for a few days.

So, how do you get better with laryngitis? Begin with water. Drink eight glasses a day at least, but strive for ten glasses a day. This ensures that the larynx stays moist, a key in curing laryngitis. The water should be warm or room temperature.

If you just can't seem to drink water (I don't understand this, but some people say they do not like water). Young parents, please give your children water everyday, beginning when they are babies. When you fix the milk bottle, fix a water bottle. They will grow up drinking water.

Fruit juices, tea, coffee, and any beverage does not count toward liquid intake whenever you are supposed to be drinking water.

While you have laryngitis, you can drink juice and tea with honey along with the water. You may count this in with the total of glasses of liquid.

Suggestion: if you must fly at this time, drink even more liquids because the air you breathe in airplanes is very drying.

If your laryngitis is caused from yelling too loudly, you've probably ruptured a capillary. Do not take aspirin. This will only impact the healing process by increasing clotting time. You might suck on cough drops. They don't have any healing effect, but make you think your throat feels better. Use the honey or fruit-flavored Cough drops because mint and mentholated are too drying.

If you haven't been to the YMCA lately, now would be a good time to go. Just visit the steam room for the designated time. This time will restore lost moisture in your throat and quicken healing time. If you can't get to the Health

Factory, try using a cold-air humidifier that will be almost as good. If your voice loss is accompanied by pain so bad that you have trouble swallowing, you need to visit the doctor. It might be the result of swelling in the upper part of your larynx that could be blocking an airway. And this is a life threatening situation that requires medical care promptly.

If your laryngitis doesn't improve after five days of voice rest, go to the doctor. Also, if you cough up blood or hear severe wheezing when you breathe, don't wait any longer, go to the doctor.

Now, lets go to the kitchen. Get the hydrogen peroxide to gargle with. It will soothe the throat and get rid of some germs. Also, there's the apple cider vinegar. First gargle with it. Then, drink about a half a cup. It's not too bad if you will drink juice afterwards. While we are in the kitchen, let us go through the spices for some other problems.

Spice rack remedies! Ease your cold symptoms, fix hot flashes, and prevent other ailments by reaching for your spices. Got a toothache? Make a paste with a few drops of water and a spoonful of cayenne. Dip a cotton swab into the paste and dab on your tooth (not gum.)

Cinnamon helps ease diarrhea and dries up the sniffles. Make a tea with one teaspoon of cinnamon and one cup boiling water. Steep 15 minutes, strain out the cinnamon, and drink.

Ginger relieves morning sickness and is as effective as over-the-counter drugs for motion sickness. In fact, it's good for most any upset stomach. Make tea with one teaspoon of powder and one cup boiling water. Steep ten minutes, strain and drink.

Reduce menopausal hot flashes and night sweats by drinking a cup of sage tea three times a day. Add 3/4 teaspoon sage to one cup boiling water. Steep ten minutes, strain and drink.

For an effective cough remedy, add one teaspoon dried thyme to one cup boiling water. Steep for ten minutes, strain and drink. For sore throats, brew two teaspoons thyme in one cup boiling water for ten minutes. Gargle, then spit.

Tokens for Living:

Rubber band - to remind you of hugging and those times when you want to give a hug or to receive one.

Tissue - to remind you to dry someone's tears (or perhaps your own.)

Button - to remind you to "button your lip" so as to keep from saying things when you shouldn't.

Band-Aid - to remind you of healing hurt feelings either yours or someone else's.

Penny - to wish you good luck always.

Toothpick - to remind you to "pick out" the good qualities of everyone, including yourself.

Gold thread - to remind you that friendships are the gold threads that ties together the hearts of everyone.

Candy - to remind you to be sweet to someone today.

Eraser - to remind you that everyone makes mistakes sometimes, and that's alright.

Mint - to remind you that YOU are worth a mint to me!!
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