What to eat to protect your voice and relieve sore throat from lecturing

Sore throat after lecturing is mostly caused by overuse of the voice. It can be managed through dietary adjustments and medication. Specific measures are as follows:

1. Dietary adjustments

You can use some throat-soothing drinks or herbal teas, and develop a habit of drinking plenty of water frequently. For example, steep herbs such as Sterculia lychnophora (Pangdahai), chrysanthemum, honeysuckle, and Ophiopogon tuber (Maidong) in hot water for drinking. Avoid irritating foods, especially those that are very salty or spicy. According to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), "heatiness" easily leads to throat inflammation, so it's advisable to avoid heat-inducing foods such as lamb, as well as tonics and supplements like ginseng.

2. Medication

You may take appropriate traditional Chinese patent medicines that help clear the throat and soothe the pharynx. Commonly used ones include Ganju Bingmei Tablets and Jinsheng Liyan Pills. Locally, throat lozenges such as Yinhuan Lozenges, Qingyan Drop Pills, and Yanlishuang can also be used. If throat pain is severe, timely use of antibiotics may be necessary—such as oral Cefaclor sustained-release tablets or Roxithromycin capsules—to prevent prolonged inflammation or worsening symptoms.

In summary, to protect your voice when lecturing, drink plenty of water, eat more fresh vegetables and fruits, avoid spicy, irritating, or heat-inducing foods, rinse your mouth frequently, maintain good oral hygiene, protect your vocal cords, and allow your vocal cords adequate rest. For sore throat, you may suck on lozenges such as Yinhuan Lozenges or Xiguashuang Lozenges, or take heat-clearing and detoxifying Chinese patent medicines to relieve symptoms.