This article was written by a longtime friend and loyal customer of GH, Jackie Kreitzer. Jackie is an internationally accomplished opera singer and voice professor at California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo.
Ms. Kreitzer strikes a healthy pose
This is a basic guide. I am NOT a health care professional, but over all my years of teaching, I have found the same problems crop up again and again, and have learned many solutions.
You cannot perform well in life if you do not feel well physically, mentally, and emotionally. Though these may seem to be basic suggestions, they will help you be calmer, stronger, have more energy and prevent many illnesses, if you follow them. Please take care of your body. It’s your vehicle to carry you through life.
EAT BREAKFAST.
High protein is preferable. Reduce carbohydrates. Avoid sugar in general at all meals. It has been established that it is a leading cause of so many illnesses. Fruit, maple syrup, stevia can fix a sugar craving. Eat whole, clean, unprocessed foods. Demand them and our country’s food system will change. Excess gluten (pizza, bagels, ramen, white bread) makes the thyroid (body control panel) function poorly, causing a myriad of problems for the body and brain.
DO STRETCHES.
Warn your body it’s about to start a rigorous day. Exercise at least 30 minute a day…this can include walking fast.
NURTURE YOUR SPIRIT.
Do meditation or concentrate on positive thoughts or a mantra. Warn your mind and emotions it’s about to start a rigorous day. 5 minutes is all it takes, every day. You’ll be calmer and stronger, and more prepared to handle life’s curve balls. Positive thought makes new “neural pathways” in the brain’s limbic system. Look into “Emotional Freedom Tapping,” a wonderful tool for reducing stress.
USE PREVENTATIVE CARE.
Use saline first thing in the morning, during the day, and last thing at night. Saline has been proven to kill virus, and loosen and relieve congestion.
In addition, having the following on hand, in case of illness:
- For flu symptoms, Occillococcinum dramatically lessens flu symptoms and duration of flu.
- For cold symptoms, Zi-Cam dramatically lessens cold symptoms and duration of cold.
- For sinus infection, Xlear from Whole Foods dramatically lessens sinus infection symptoms, and can help prevent them.
DRINK WATER & WASH YOUR HANDS
Drink lots of water, wash hands frequently, and keep hands away from your face.
TURN OFF ELECTRONIC DEVICES BEFORE BED
It has now been established that the BLUE LIGHT from devices is causing a drop in the production of melatonin, necessary to sleep. Less than 6-7 hours of sleep a night causes many problems.
Jacalyn Kreitzer, mezzo-soprano, with a “voice of molten gold” (San Francisco Examiner) American Mezzo-Soprano JACALYN KREITZER began her professional career singing Schoenberg’s difficult “String Quartet #2 in F# minor” in an orchestral transcription with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Simon Rattle conducting. She was then engaged with the Metropolitan Opera, recording Rossweisse in “Die Walkure” on Deutsche Grammaphon, James Levine conducting.
Ms. KREITZER has sung with some of the world’s great houses and symphonies, including Deutsche Oper Berlin, Theatre du Chatelet, Theatre del Liceu, Chicago Lyric, San Francisco Opera, New York City Opera, Geneva, Los Angeles Music Center Opera, the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, the Minnesota Orchestra, the Pittsburgh Symphony etc., under Zubin Mehta, Loren Maazel, Hugh Wolff, Jeffrey Tate, Valery Gerghiev, David Zinman, Christopher Hogwood, Mark Elder, James Conlin, Luciano Berio, Edo de Waart and Hermann Michael.
At Carnegie Hall, MS. KREITZER sang “Brangane” in TRISTAN UND ISOLDE with Loren Maazel conducting the Pittsburgh Symphony, and has performed several times with Prague Radio Symphony, James DePriest and Tamas Vasary conducting, singing in Verdi’s Requiem, the Bach Magnificat, and the Mozart Requiem, and several Mahler works. She sang the role of the “Mother” in Menotti’s “The Consul” on the Chandos label, recorded during performance in Spoleto, Italy. Recently,
Jackie premiered “E.O. 9066” with Kent Nagano conducting for the SLO Youth Orchestra’s 40th anniversary benefit. She lives on the California coast with her husband, celebrated artist David Kreitzer, and two children, Anatol and Frederica, and is currently on the music faculty of Cal Poly State University in San Luis Obispo, California, producing and directing their opera workshop, vocal performance class, taking care of 25 vocal majors and minors, and helped produce smaster classes featuring Marilyn Horne, Jubilant Sykes, and Frederica von Stade in conjunction with Cal Poly Arts. She was selected to be featured in “Who’s Who” in America and is a frequent panelist for the Opera America symposium held annually nation-wide.
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