| How to Develop a "Radio Voice" Posted: 09 Jun 2017 05:00 PM PDT Warming up your voice and practicing are important components to strengthening your radio voice. For example, practice pronouncing words clearly, at both fast and slow paces. Speak naturally and be yourself – you don't want to sound "announcer-y" like a ringmaster. The more thought and practice you put into your delivery, the more effortless you can make it sound. EditPracticing Your Radio Voice - Exercise your vocal cords. Develop a powerful voice by practicing strength training for your voice. Choose words with specific sounds, and repeat them going up and down the octaves of your vocal range. Repeat them again at a louder volume.[1]
- Try repeating, "Mm-mmm. Mmm-hmm."
- Try repeating, "Nay, nay, nay" ten times.
- Try making a siren sound using vowels up and down your vocal range.
- Broadcasters use their vocal cords quickly and with well-controlled tension.[2]
- Enunciate your words. Look in the mirror and practice saying each word slowly and properly. Don't mumble.[3] Practice saying tongue-twisters at a rapid pace. Improve your speech quality and it will be easier for you to enunciate live at a faster pace.[4]
- Try repeating, "Betty Botter bought a bit of butter" six times.
- Try repeating, "The ragged rascal ran around the ragged rocks" several times.
- Listen to your recorded voice. Get to know the qualities of your voice. Evaluate how you handle mistakes and where you can make improvements. Make sure that you aren't dwelling on your mistakes, which will just draw attention to them.[5]
- For example, if you mispronounce a word, just correct it – if that's necessary for the audience to understand what you meant – and keep going.[6]
EditWarming up Your Voice - Hydrate. Drink warm water or tea with a slice of lemon when you get up in the morning and throughout the day. Don't drink a lot of sugar or caffeine, which can have a drying effect on your voice. Avoid milk and dairy products, which encourage mucus production.[7]
- Warm drinks are best, rather than very hot or cold drinks.
- Green apples contain pectin, which can combat phlegm. Try drinking green apple juice or eating a green apple.
- Relax your posture. Relax your shoulders, but don't stoop them or slouch. Keep your body erect but relaxed. Do posture exercises if it's hard for you not to slouch.[8]
- Good posture gives you the best use of your abdominal-diaphragmatic breathing.
- Slouching pressures the rib cage which makes it harder for you to inhale.
- Control your breathing. Open a window, if possible, to make the air you're breathing fresher. Breathe deeply into your lungs without raising your shoulders. Take breath into your nose for the count of three, pause, and then exhale in one big breath for a count of eight.[9]
- Lubricate your voice with steam. Maintain a humidity level of at least 30% in your work environment. Run a humidifier, if needed.[10] Breathe in steam from a personal steamer (available at drugstores) or a hot shower. Alternately, pour boiling water into a sink basin and inhale the steam.[11]
- Inhaling steam moistens your voice box and can relieve irritation of the vocal folds.
- Don't inhale steam from directly over a pot of boiling water or a stove.
- Try wetting a washcloth in hot water, wringing it out, and breathing through it with your mouth and/or nose.
- Relax your jaws. Put the heels of your hands under your cheek bones. Rub the muscles of your face by pressing inwards and down. Let your jaw open itself as you massage your face.[12]
- Do this a few times to warm up your mouth and lessen tension in your jaw.
- You can also use circular motions to massage your facial muscles.
- Hum and buzz your lips. To hum, exhale with a light "hmmmm" sound at a low octave that's comfortable for you. Do this again, adding an "ahhh" sound for the second half of the exhale. To buzz your lips, purse them somewhat and vibrate your lips as you breathe out, with your tongue relaxed. Inhale, then trill with your lips again on the exhale.[13]
- You can try these exercises at escalating and deescalating pitches.
- Trill your tongue. Hold your tongue behind your top teeth. Breath out, vibrating your tongue in the sound of an "r." Maintain the sound. Do this at various pitches, without going past your comfort level.[14]
- This exercise helps your tongue to relax, while stimulating your voice and breath.
- Go up and down octaves. Stretch your voice by starting in a low octave and moving upwards using the sound of "me." Don't force your range. Instead, use gentleness to broaden your range with each repetition.[15]
- Also try this exercise with the sounds "e" and "oo."
EditDeveloping Your Own Vocal Style - Keep your voice natural. Maintain the organic tone of a conversation. Read written words in a relaxed manner to appeal to the listener. Avoid overly formal speech. Imagine that you are reading aloud to yourself or talking to someone one-on-one. Bring the words to life like you're telling a story.[16]
- Casey Kasem gave the advice to imagine your microphone is an elegant violin that you wish to play with as much feeling as you can.
- Don't drop off at the end of a sentence or thought. Express your ideas and statements strongly throughout. Don't trail off, leaving an idea unfinished. Keep a consistent focus and volume.[17]
- For instance, don't use all of your air until it's necessary for you to take a breath. Pause your sentence to quickly inhale, then continue speaking.[18]
- Be authentic. Focus on sounding like you. Don't try to pigeonhole yourself to satisfy a stereotype, such as by intentionally enhancing your dialect to match a region, age, race or religion. Be sincere and people will want to listen to you, more than if you presented them with a purposefully inauthentic version of you.[19]
- You may have broadcasters you admire, but don't try to sound like someone else. Your uniqueness is what can set you apart.
- Use the voice you hear in your head when you're reading a story to yourself.
- Connect with your audience. Research news and current topics of interest. Prepare talking points and notes. Talk about what you think your audience would want to discuss, more than what you want to talk about.[20]
- You can find hot topics by looking online at trending information, and observing what listeners call and write in about.
- If desired, you can consult with a voice actor who specializes in radio work.[21]
- Over-the counter pain relievers and cold/flu medications can have a drying effect on your voice.[22]
EditSources and Citations
Cite error: <ref> tags exist, but no <references/> tag was found
|
| How to Improve Spinal Flexibility with Yoga Posted: 09 Jun 2017 09:00 AM PDT While building strength in your core and your lower body will do much to improve your posture, a strong and flexible spine can help you feel better, especially as you age. You can improve spinal flexibility with yoga by doing poses specifically designed to lengthen and twist your spine. There also are a number of yoga poses that serve to warm up and energize your spine and entire back. As with any exercise program, speak with your healthcare provider before starting a yoga practice to improve spinal flexibility, particularly if you have a recent back injury or chronic health condition that affects your spine.[1] EditWarming Up Your Back - Begin with cat/cow. Transitioning between the cat and cow poses is an excellent starting warm-up for your spine that will ease stiffness and get you to articulate your spine better. This yoga exercise also helps you bring awareness to your spine.[2]
- Get on all fours with your wrists directly below your shoulders and your knees directly below your hips. Your back should be flat. Take a few deep breaths, focusing on each inhale and exhale and connecting your mind and body.
- On an inhale, arch your back, lowering your navel towards the floor. Open your chest and lift your head up to gaze forward. Be mindful of your shoulders, keeping your shoulder blades in line with your spine and melting down your back.
- On an exhale, drop your tailbone towards the floor and slowly curl your spine outwards, dropping your gaze as you release your chin to your chest. You should end in a position similar to a "Halloween cat."
- Arch your back when you inhale to return to the cow position. Repeat this exercise for at least five breath cycles, or as long as feels comfortable for you.
- Flow into a plank. You may be familiar with the plank pose primarily as an exercise to strengthen your core, but it also warms up your back muscles and provides good preparation for further yoga poses that target spinal flexibility.[3]
- From all fours, extend your legs behind you so that you are on your toes and your body is a straight line from the crown of your head to your heels. Hold the position for at least five breath cycles, breathing deeply. Then release to the floor.
- If you can't breathe through a full plank, you can modify the pose so that you are supporting your body on your knees and elbows, rather than your toes and hands.
- Flow from plank to cobra. You can target the spine more directly by creating a vinyasa with the plank and cobra poses. With a vinyasa, you move from one pose to another with a breath for each movement.[4]
- Start in plank, and on an exhale lower yourself to the ground, bending your elbows with your arms pressing close to your sides.
- On an inhale, raise your upper body, leaving your lower body on the ground. Raise up until your arms are fully extended, opening your chest and lengthening your torso. Keep your shoulder blades melting down your back in line with your spine.
- As you exhale, push your hips back and roll onto your toes to return to the plank position. Inhale, then on an exhale lower again. Repeat for five breath cycles.
- Energize with downward facing dog. Downward facing dog is a good whole-body warm-up, and the mild inversion can be relaxing for your nervous system. This pose also is a calming pose that stimulates blood flow.[5]
- From all fours, lift your hips toward the ceiling as you inhale, straightening your legs and arms so that you are roughly in an upside-down "V" shape. Stay on your toes, but press down toward the floor with your heels.
- Lift away from your wrist joints, keeping your shoulder blades in line with your spine and your gaze soft. Stay in the pose for at least five breath cycles. On each inhale, focus on lifting towards the ceiling. With every exhale, focus on pressing down through your heels.
- Rest in child's pose. Child's pose is a standard resting pose in yoga, but also benefits your spinal flexibility by encouraging a long spine and bringing peaceful energy and relaxation to your lower back.[6]
- From all fours, slowly lower your hips on an exhale until your buttocks are resting on your heels. You may want to put a rolled towel or blanket behind your knees if you have any joint pain.
- Walk your hands slightly forward so that you can extend your arms all the way out in front of you, and on an inhale fold your torso over your thighs, keeping your spine long. Lower your forehead to rest on the floor.
- If you can't comfortably rest your forehead on the floor, you may want to use a block or another flat object such as a book so you can keep your spine aligned in the position. Hold this pose as long as you want, breathing deeply.
EditLengthening Your Spine - Open your chest and neck in bow pose. Bow pose is a key yoga pose to improve spinal flexibility. This pose energizes and stimulates your body, while also strengthening your abdomen and back to better support your spine.[7]
- Start this pose by lying on the floor flat on your belly. Bend your knees, and reach back to grab your ankles or the tops of your feet.
- As you inhale, lift your feet towards the ceiling and raise your chest, arching your back and drawing your shoulders back towards your feet.
- Hold the pose for at least five breath cycles, breathing deeply. Then release to the floor.
- Loosen up your lower back with the live nerve stretch. Strong hamstrings are important if you want a long and flexible spine. The live nerve stretch will strengthen and stretch your leg muscles as well as stretching and opening up your lower back.[8]
- From a seated position, extend your legs out in front of you. Bend your right knee, placing your right foot firmly on the inside of your left thigh.
- On an exhale, raise your arms over your head and slowly fold from the hips over your left leg, grabbing your foot or ankle.
- Hold the position for five breath cycles, then slowly raise up on an exhale. Straighten your right leg and repeat on the other side.
- Open your hips with a bridge pose. The bridge pose helps strengthen your core and lower body to support your spine, as well as helping to lengthen your spine to improve spinal flexibility. You can do a supported modification in which your lower back is supported by a yoga block if you are not yet flexible enough to breathe through this position.[9]
- Start by lying on your back on the floor with your arms extended down your sides. Walk your feet towards your fingertips. Tuck your shoulders down so that your shoulder blades are lined up along your spine.
- On an exhale, lift your hips toward the ceiling, keeping your shoulders and arms flat on the ground. Think of lifting your chest up to meet your chin.
- On an inhale, slowly lower your hips back to the floor. Repeat this for five breath cycles.
- Rock and roll to massage your spine. You may feel a little silly rolling around on the floor like a child, but this pose provides a good massage for your spine that will help open it up and improve your spinal flexibility over time.[10]
- Start by lying on your back, and bend your knees, bringing them up toward your chest.
- Hug your legs with your arms and breathe deeply. Rock forward and back as well as rolling from side to side to massage your spine. Focus on rocking all the way up and down to cover the entire length of the spine.
- Release tension with extended puppy pose. Extended puppy pose is a gentle beginner's yoga pose that will lengthen your spine as well as relaxing your back. Take care with this pose if you have had a recent knee injury.[11]
- Come onto all fours with your wrists in line with your shoulders and your knees in line with your hips. Curl your toes under so the tops of your feet are resting on the floor, and walk your hands forward a little.
- On an exhale, press your hips back toward your heels until your buttocks are at about the halfway point toward resting on your heels. Keep your arms straight out in front of you and reach forward, keeping all but your hands off the floor.
- Lower your forehead to the floor and arch your back slightly, feeling a stretch in your spine as you breathe. Hold this pose for five to ten breath cycles, then release your buttocks to your heels to rest in child's pose.
EditTwisting Your Spine - Start with a seated spinal twist. The seated spinal twist is a gentle twist and a good way to get your spine warmed up for more difficult twisting poses. Adding this twist to your practice can improve digestion as well as spinal flexibility.[12]
- Come to a comfortable seated position and extend your right leg straight out in front of you. Cross your left leg over your right so that your left foot is flat on the floor on the outside of your right thigh.
- As you exhale, twist towards your bent knee, keeping your back straight so that your heart is aligned over your pelvis. Rest your left hand on the floor behind you, arm extended, as you hug your knee with your right arm or bring your right hand to rest on the floor next to your hip.
- Inhale back to center, then switch legs and repeat on the other side.
- Open your shoulders by threading the needle. This simple twist improves your spinal flexibility by creating space in your shoulders and back and loosening up your neck. You'll start this position from all fours, knees under hips and wrists under shoulders.[13]
- On an exhale, slip your right arm under your body toward your left side. Bend your left elbow and release your right shoulder and head to the floor. Bring awareness to your hips, making sure they remain balanced to support your lower back.
- Inhale back to center and repeat with the other side.
- Move to a high lunge twist. The high lunge twist improves spinal flexibility as well as strengthening your lower body and opening up your lower back. The twist also can help improve digestion and strengthen your core.[14]
- From all fours, lift your right foot behind you. On an exhale, bring your right foot forward between your hands. Your knee should be directly over your ankle.
- Extend your left leg behind you and rise up onto your right toes on an inhale, keeping your fingertips on the floor for balance. You are now in high lunge.Take care not to collapse your torso onto your right thigh.
- On an exhale, reach your left arm toward the ceiling and twist, aiming for a straight line of energy from your right fingertips to your left fingertips. Twist from the waist, keeping your hips square.
- Inhale back to center, return to all fours, then repeat on the other side.
- Open your spine with revolved side angle pose. Revolved side angle creates a lot of space in your spine as well as challenging your balance. Avoid this pose unless you can breathe through it and hold it without shaking or tipping over.[15]
- You can begin this pose from all fours or from downward facing dog. Walk or jump your right foot forward to enter high lunge position with your right knee over your right ankle, shin perpendicular to the floor.
- On an exhale, bring your palms together in front of your heart in prayer position. Lean forward and twist, bringing your left elbow to rest on the outside of your right knee.
- Inhale back to center, return to all fours, and repeat the twist on the other side.
- End with a reclined twist. The reclined twist is a relaxing and supported way to end a yoga practice designed to improve spinal flexibility. To begin this pose, lie on the floor flat on your back with your arms extended straight out from the shoulders to either side.[16]
- Make sure your shoulders are flat with your shoulder blades tucked along the sides of your spine.
- Bend your knees at a right angle, legs together. On an exhale drop them to the left, twisting from your hips. Gaze over your right shoulder. Take care that your shoulders don't leave the floor.
- Inhale back to center, then on an exhale drop your knees to the other side. Do this for at least five breath cycles, then drop your legs and lower your arms along your sides. Lay flat in this position, known as corpse pose, for at least five minutes, breathing deeply and allowing all of your tension to release into the floor.
EditSources and Citations
Cite error: <ref> tags exist, but no <references/> tag was found
|
| How to Include Red Meat in a Healthy Diet Posted: 09 Jun 2017 01:00 AM PDT Red meat is a delicious source of vitamins like iron, zinc, and B vitamins. It also has higher fat content than white meat like chicken and may increase your risk of bowel or stomach cancer.[1] You may wonder how you can include red meat in a diet that is healthy and well-balanced. Start by choosing healthier cuts of red meat and by preparing red meat in healthy ways. You can also limit how much red meat you eat as part of your diet so you can still enjoy red meat, in moderation, as part of a healthy eating plan. EditSelecting Healthier Cuts of Red Meat - Choose leaner cuts of red meat. Start by going for leaner cuts of red meat to cut down on the fat content. Buy lean cuts of beef like the round, chuck, sirloin, or loin. Opt for lean cuts of pork like tenderloin or loin chop. Get leaner cuts of lamb that come from the leg, arm, and loin. When you shop for red meat at the grocery store or your local butcher shop, select cuts that have minimal visible fat.[2]
- Chat up the butcher and ask them to recommend leaner cuts of red meat. For example, you may ask them, "Do you have a leaner cut of pork?" or "What do you recommend for leaner cuts of beef?"
- Go for "select" or "choice" grades of beef. "Select" or "choice" grades of beef contain less marbling than "prime" grades of meat. They will have less visible fat and are a leaner cut of meat. "Choice" grades of beef are considered higher quality than "select" grades of beef. Both grades will have a lower fat content than "prime" grades and are a good option for roasting, braising, or sauteing.[3]
- You should also look for the leaner option when buying ground beef. Make sure the label says "lean" or "extra lean." This means the fat content is lower than normal ground beef.
- Look for grass-fed meats. Meat that has been grass-fed will contain no hormones or additives and have less overall fat. They also usually contain less saturated fat, which can be an issue if you have heart problems or other health problems. Look for grass-fed red meat at your local grocery store or butcher.[4]
- If you have a good local butcher, talk to them about getting grass-fed meat. Often, shopping local at a butcher's shop will give you access to grass-fed meat and higher quality red meat.
- Avoid processed red meat. Processed red meat products like packaged sausage, salami, cold cuts, and hot dogs are high in sodium, calories, and saturated fats. They often contain additives and dyes that are unhealthy. Avoid eating processed red meat as part of your diet.[5]
- If you do eat processed meat, always read the ingredients list on the label to check for items like sodium, saturated fat, and additives. Go for the low-sodium and saturated fat option, if possible.
- Instead of buying processed meat, go for lean cuts of meat that you cook yourself.
- Avoid deli meats such as ham and turkey slices. Instead, make a sandwich from canned tuna or salmon.[6]
EditPreparing Red Meat in a Healthy Way - Remove the fat from red meat before cooking it. To keep the fat content down on cuts of red meat, remove any fat on the meat before cooking it. Use a sharp knife to trim away any fat on the outside of the meat or between the layers of meat. Do this right before you cook the meat.[7]
- If you do not like doing this yourself, you can get the butcher to do it for you. Ask the butcher to remove the visible fat on the meat before wrapping it up for you.
- Bake or broil red meat. Prepare the meat in healthy ways so you are eating less carcinogens and still getting the vitamins and minerals in the meat. Baking the red meat in the oven or as part of a stew is a healthier option than pan-frying the meat. Broiling or braising the meat in the oven will be less high-heat intensive, meaning there will be a lower fat content in the final dish.[8]
- Roast or stir fry meat. Roasting meat, rather than grilling it, will infuse it with flavor without subjecting it to high heat. Grilling meat can also produce carcinogens. Avoid grilling red meat or shorten the grill time by marinating the meat beforehand or roasting it partially before grilling it.[9]
- You can also stir fry red meat like beef or pork to cut down on the cook time. Make a beef stir fry with vegetables at home for a healthy meat option.
- Be careful with marinades if you are on a low-sodium diet. Marinades are often high in sodium.
- Cook red meat in vegetable oils. Whenever you are cooking red meat, make sure you use vegetable oils like olive oil, canola oil, sunflower oil, peanut oil, and avocado oil. These oils are vegetable based and are a healthier option than butter or other animal fats. Drizzle olive oil over red meat before roasting or braising it in the oven. Use canola oil or peanut oil to stir fry the meat in a wok or a pan.[10]
- Make sure you keep your kitchen stocked with these vegetable oils so they are easy to access while you are cooking meat.
- If you do pan-fry your meat, try using olive oil or canola oil for a healthier option.
EditLimiting Your Portions of Red Meat in Your Meals - Limit yourself to 18 oz a week. You should not eat more than 18 ounces of red meat each week. This means you can eat three ounces each day for six days out of the week or six ounces each day for three days out of the week.[11]
- These amounts are considered a healthy portion of red meat for the average person. If you have any health conditions or issues, your portions may be lower based on your doctor's recommendations.
- Build meals around vegetables instead of red meat. Rather than view red meat as the star of your meals, make vegetables the star instead. Build your meals around vegetables and whole grains. Then, add a small amount of red meat as a garnish or a condiment. This way, you still get the flavor of meat in your meals without eating a lot of red meat.[12]
- For example, you may prepare a salad with a garnish of cooked beef or pork. Or you may make a stir fry made with vegetables and serve it over brown rice, with sliced red meat as a garnish.
- Include other protein sources in your meals. To control your servings of red meat, try including other protein sources like beans, tofu, chicken, and fish in your meals. Cut the amount of red meat required for a recipe in half and substitute beans or tofu instead. Add fish, turkey, and chicken to your diet so you still get protein in your meals.[13]
- For example, you may prepare a beef stew by putting in half the amount of beef called for and substitute the other half with pinto or black beans. Or you may prepare a curry with half tofu and half beef so you still get some red meat in the dish.
- Have more vegetarian meals in your diet. Try to include more vegetarian dishes in your meals at home. Make one night "meatless" and serve meatless meals on that night for dinner, once a week. Or try to have two or three vegetarian meals at home as part of your diet. Add vegetarian side dishes to your meals or make a vegetarian dish the main focus of a meal, with red meat served on the side.[14]
- There are many vegetarian and vegan meals you can prepare at home using simple recipes. Look online for recipe ideas and buy vegetarian or vegan cookbooks to get ideas.
- There is a movement for "Meatless Mondays." Online groups and websites can help you find recipes and support for going meatless on Monday.
- Choose the lean meat option when you eat out. When eating out, try to opt for lean red meats as part of a healthy diet. Look for cuts of red meat on the menu that are leaner, such as the round or the sirloin cut of beef. Go for a smaller portion of red meat in your meals out so you still get some meat but other healthy ingredients as well, such as a salad with meat as a garnish.
- You may also try going to vegetarian or vegan restaurants more often, especially if you tend to eat a lot of red meat at home. Having professionally prepared vegetarian meals can expose you to new dishes and new ways of eating vegetable based protein in a healthy way.
EditSources and Citations
Cite error: <ref> tags exist, but no <references/> tag was found
|
No comments:
Post a Comment