LibriVox Forum

Hi everybody!

The question I’d like to ask has probably been already answered in another thread—and I must confess that I haven’t checked all the threads in this forum. But I dare ask it:

I usually drink water when reading. But I still have the feeling this is not the right thing to do. My mouth keeps being a bit dry, and after a while my belly begins to sing while I am reading—too much water, probably. (When I was a kid, my grandfather used to say that too much water would produced frogs in the belly. And only recently I understood what he really meant.)

Does anyone here have a good advice on how to avoid a dry mouth while reading?

Thank you in advance.
Didier

When I'm feeling very dry and water isn't helping I'll have a little apple juice and that seems to help or a bite or two of an apple. Another option is to find a cough drop (like Ricola) that isn't all sugar (the sugar will just make you gummy) but don't have it all at once, just a little then put it back in the paper and repeat as you start feeling dry.

I find that a lip balm sometimes helps, and ditto on the Ricola throat thingees.

Make sure you're properly hydrated. It can take hours from the time you drink for the water to rehydrate you properly. So plan ahead.

Apples help me. I like tootsie roll pops, too.

I'd second what Kristin says, plus avoid coffee and other caffeinated beverages before recording, as well as milk and other dairy, and chocolate. I have many bags of sugar-free Ricolas. A break every half-hour and one of those does the trick.

What!!! .... no chocolate

Kristin: I tried the cough drop today, and it worked. I forgot to buy apples but I had a nectarine, and it seemed to be fine--maybe a little bit too juicy, though.
aradlaw: I haven't tested the lip balm yet, but I will.
Great Plains: a planned hydration is of course a vital point. I have to be more aware of it.
sjmarky: argh... I rarely drink coffee but a lot of black tea.

Thank you again to all of you for your good advices. I not only know that I did something wrong, I know now what it was.

aradlaw wrote:What!!! .... no chocolate

After recording, of course!

Apples and apple juice supposedly match your mouth's PH mostly closely, providing hydration without drooling, but if other fruits or juices work for you go for it. I lean towards something a little tarter, like cranberry.

Switch to juice at least a half hour before recording, or non-caffeinated herbal tea. Lemon or mint are popular. You don't realize how much caffeine dries you out until you read for a little while, and then it seems like it's too late and juice doesn't help.

Woo... cranberry? Really? I love cranberry juice but if I have any I know I won't be recording that day. It makes my throat tight.

Didier - I drink a lot of black tea too. Just make sure you're countering it with enough plain water to hydrate you.

kristin wrote:Didier - I drink a lot of black tea too. Just make sure you're countering it with enough plain water to hydrate you.

I will! Recording for LibriVox isn't just recording, I reckon

Didier wrote:

kristin wrote:Didier - I drink a lot of black tea too. Just make sure you're countering it with enough plain water to hydrate you.

I will! Recording for LibriVox isn't just recording, I reckon

Haha. Yeah.

LibriVox is a Lifestyle.

kristin wrote:Woo... cranberry? Really? I love cranberry juice but if I have any I know I won't be recording that day. It makes my throat tight.

I have the same problem with a double-shot mocha cappuccino with whip and sprinkles - two of those and I'm on narrator IR.

sjmarky wrote:

kristin wrote:Woo... cranberry? Really? I love cranberry juice but if I have any I know I won't be recording that day. It makes my throat tight.

I have the same problem with a double-shot mocha cappuccino with whip and sprinkles - two of those and I'm on narrator IR.

Yup. All that, and a half bottle of hearty Zinfandel, and I definitely have to wait till the next day.