Music Performance and Body Seminar

Towards a musician’s guide to understanding the performing body.

So, what should you eat?

bananasYour first guess would probably be bananas, or turkey. But contrary to common belief, these foods do not have an impact in reducing stress. Bananas do contain serotonin, but the nutrient never reaches the brain when digested. Turkey is a source of tryptophan, which is involved in the synthesis of serotonin in the brain, and contributes to a better mood. Yet, only in its purified form will this substance have a direct impact when ingested (Young, 2007).

There is no magic food that will significantly reduce levels of stress that might be experienced before or during a performance.   What truly makes a difference is the regular diet when considered as whole.

“Eat your veggies!”

Does this phrase sound familiar? Not only are they essential to a balanced diet, vegetables are also rich in nutrients with therapeutic properties (Bishop, 1991). Potatoes heal muscles and nerves, and are especially good for sciatica (nerve pain cause by the irritation of the sciatic nerve). Parsnips decrease nervousness and brain fatigue. Lettuce combats nervousness as well (Bishop, 1991).

Listed below are suggestions of foods you should think twice about before consuming, along with some brief explanations as to why they should be avoided. They consist palatable foods (link to stress eating), which are addictive and therefore difficult to eliminate from the diet. A gradual approach is ideal. All information below was retrieved from Dorothy Bishop’s book The Musician as Athlete.

SUGAR

 

Sugar is hard to avoid, as many processed foods contain it in some form (fructose, sorbitol, mannitol, dextrose, etc). Not only is it poor in nutritious value, it robs the body of nutrients such as vitamin B6, calcium, and zinc. Sugar may accelerate the development of osteoporosis (Rosen, 2008), raise blood cholesterol and reduce immunity. Eating a large quantity of sugar may cause swings of blood sugar levels, leading to hypoglycemia (link to def.: Hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, occurs when levels of glucose in the blood drop below normal levels. Symptoms include hunger, shakiness, nervousness, dizziness and weakness, all of which are to be avoided by music performers! ((U.S.), 2008). It hinders your ability to deal with stress, and draws water away from your muscles, and into the digestive system. (Bishop, 1991)

chocolatHowever, drastically and completely eliminating sugar from your diet will have many negative side effects: headaches, muscle tension, anxiety, delirium, depression, inability to concentrate, irritability, weakness, etc. (Bishop, 1991). Making subtle and gradual changes is the way to go.

What about chocolate? I have good news for you. Dark chocolate eaten in moderation will diminish stress. In one study, individuals who consumed 40g of dark chocolate each day for two weeks displayed a decrease in cortisol levels (more on cortisol and how it relates to stress in “why stress makes you hungry”) (Martin, et al., 2009).

SALT

Found in most processed foods, salt is over-consumed by many. A diet high in salt can lead to muscle damage, high blood pressure, increased sweating and chronic fatigue. Salt restriction, however, could increase the risk of injury and cause cramps. Gradual changes are once again recommended, and preferably so in the winter.

FRIED FOODS

High in fat, these may contribute to tissue damage and raise resting pulse rate as well as blood pressure.

REFINED FLOUR

Refined flour is digested similarly to sugar, and only contains few nutrients. When it reaches the stomach, it mixes with water to create a paste, which may contribute to constipation or other bowel problems.

FOOD ADDITIVES

Under this category fall preservatives and food coloring. Fresh, frozen, or canned?

Fresh foods is always best, as they are rich in nutrients and low in additives. Next are frozen foods which are generally better than canned. Packaged and processed foods are the worst, as they are much higher in additives, some of them not even indicated on the ingredient list.

Organic or not? Organic fruits and vegetables are considered healthier and richest in nutrients, as they grow naturally without pesticides or chemicals interfering with the process. They also generally taste better!

CAFFEINE

Caffeine can be found in coffee, black tea, chocolate, and colas. It can have both positive and negative side effects. Some positives include increased alertness and attention and relaxing of the smooth muscles, especially in the blood vessels. However, caffeine can also cause anxiety, sleeplessness, irritability, headaches, shakiness, nervousness and depression.

More on this topic in (cite Gabrielle’s article).

ALCOHOL

Moderate alcohol consumption can actually be good for you, by increasing lifespan and reducing stress. However, it is also implicated in memory loss, chronic fatigue and other impairments of cognitive functions. The carbs contained in alcoholic beverages may also cause sudden rising and lowering of blood sugar levels. (Bishop, 1991)

In all, be nice to yourself. Maintaining strict rules around food will decrease your body’s capacity to detect hunger and satiety cues, and might potentially lead to overeating. Appetite is based on regulatory processes; listening to you body’s needs is key (C.G. & Halford and John E. Blundell, 2005).

One thing to be avoided during a performance on stage is having low blood sugar levels which will result in impatience, hunger, and short attention span, difficulty to focus, muscle tension, poor memory, shakiness and tiredness. The foods listed above are among the substances that will cause the blood sugar level to dip. Following are additional recommendations from Dorothy Bishop’s book The Musician as Athlete in order to keep blood sugar levels stable.

A healthy lifestyle promoting sufficient sleep and rest as well as exercise will be essential to keeping blood levels stable. Certain foods also promote the stabilization of blood sugar in the blood: complex carbohydrates (whole grains, brown rice, millet, buckwheat, potatoes and other starchy vegetables), raw fruits or vegetables, avocados, lemons, beets, yoghurt (this is a better option than milk, as lactose, milk’s sugar, has been converted to lactic acid), string beans, garlic and onions, brewer’s yeast, as well as foods that are a good source of vitamin B, C, E, calcium, magnesium and zinc. A high protein diet will even out blood sugar levels, but will put strain on the liver. A balanced diet including the foods mentioned above and moderation are ideal (Bishop, 1991).

Each individual has specific needs and there is no such thing as the perfect diet. Further studies observing the relationship between food and its impact on serotonin and tryptophan levels in the brain may be conducted in order to more clearly understand the relationship between specific categories of foods, overall well-being and stress response.

In all, maintaining healthy habits for your mind and keeping your body well-nourished and satisfied while perhaps slowly replacing bad habits by new healthier ones will assure good health, and a great performance!

[toggle title=”References”]

  • (U.S.), N. I. (2008). Hypoglycemia. Bethesda, MD: U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
  • Adam, T., & Epel, E. S. (2007). Stress eating and the reward system. Psychology and Behavior, 91(4), pp. 449-458.
  • Bishop, D. (1991). The musician as athlete. (J. Carlson, Ed.) Calgary, Alberta, Canada: Kava Publications.
  • (U.S.), N. I. (2008). Hypoglycemia. Bethesda, MD: U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
  • Adam, T., & Epel, E. S. (2007). Stress eating and the reward system. Psychology and Behavior, 91(4), pp. 449-458.
  • Bishop, D. (1991). The musician as athlete. (J. Carlson, Ed.) Calgary, Alberta, Canada: Kava Publications.
  • C.G., J., & Halford and John E. Blundell. (2005). Regulation of macronutrient preference – component of food selection. In H. R. Lieberman, R. B. Kanarek, & C. Prasad, Nutritional neuroscience (pp. 93-109). Boca Raton: Taylor & Francis.
  • Edman, J. S., Kondrad, L. B., & Rakel, B. (2011). The use of nutrition and integrative medicine or complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for singers, Part 1. Journal of Singing, 68(2), pp. 165-173.
  • Everly, G. S., & Lating, J. M. (2013). A clinical guide to the treatment of the human stress response. New York: Springer New York.
  • Groesz, L. M., McCoy, S., Carl, J., Saslow, L., Stewart, J., Adler, N., . . . Epel, E. (2012). What is eating you? Stress and the drive to eat. Appetite, 58(2), pp. 717-721.
  • Martin, F., Rezzi, S., Pere, E., Kamlage, B., Collino, S., & Leibold, E. (2009). Metabolic effects of dark chocolate consumption on energy, gut microbita, and stress-related metabolism in free-living subjects. Journal of Proteome Research, 8, 5568-5579.
  • Rosen, C. J. (2008, December). Sugar and bone: A not-so sweet story. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, 23(12), 1881-1883.
  • Schwertly, S. (2014, May 28). The presenter’s guide to a nervous stomach. Retrieved March 31, 2015, from Ethos3: http://www.ethos3.com/2014/05/the-presenters-guide-to-a-nervous-stomach/
  • Stress a major health problem in the US, warns APA. (2007, October 24). Retrieved April 02, 2015, from American Psychological Association Press Release: http://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2007/10/stress.aspx
  • Wurtman, R. J. (1986). Ways that foods can affect the brain. Nutrition Reviews, suppl 3, pp. 2-6.
  • Young, S. N. (2007). How to increase serotonin in the human brain wihtout drugs. Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, 32(6), pp. 394-397.

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