Balanced Bartender

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Balanced Bartender Pep Talk Sept 2021

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Hey Pals, it’s The Healthtender, Amie Ward, with your September Balanced Bartender Pep Talk!

Hello friends! I’m Amie Ward, The Healthtender, and this is your September Balanced Bartender Pep Talk! In honor of the efforts Jägermeister is making with their #SAVETHENIGHT campaign to raise awareness and support for our nightlife communities, we are focusing this month’s discussion on speech and auditory health for all of us; nightlife workers! Given the nature of hospitality, we chatty humans are generally prone to vocal overuse issues like hoarseness, but poor room acoustics and loud music atmospheres greatly increase our risk for otolaryngologic injuries.

Scroll Down For More On Speach & Auditory Health For All of US!

New Cocktail Alert! Time for a little "Port & Crew"

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Scroll Down to Indulge in Amie's Snacks & Sips.
Join Amie for a Zoom Class & this Month's IG Challenge!

Beyond the parental echoes of, “Turn that racket down!”,

the truth is listening to music too loudly can have negative repercussions for your ears. Weakened, muffled, distorted hearing, total hearing loss, and tinnitus can occur when hair cells and nerves in the ears are damaged by repeated exposure to music over 85 decibels. According to OSHA, 85 decibels sound like a cross between a freight train 100 feet away and a boiler room. To prevent irreparable hearing damage, invest in earplugs. Brands like 3M produce bulk, affordable, and disposable earplugs that can be squished to fit your ear canal and block up to 33 decibels of noise. And if you want to upgrade, there are many reusable and custom earplug options available, but ANY noise protection is better than nothing at all.

When it comes to acoustics, bar design plays a critical role in our ability to communicate. In the same 20-seat bar, an 18-foot ceiling will require significantly more energy for our voices to be heard than a 9-foot ceiling. More space means more areas our voices must travel to before they can reach our guests’ ears. The presence of flat, bare, and smooth surfaces are like a bouncy castle for sound, resulting in extra echoey and noisy establishments. (Shout out to my audio engineer pal Matt Cooley for helping me break down the science of acoustics into an easily digestible format!) Any combination of these situations can place undue strain on our voices. The occasional bout of laryngitis is nothing too scary, but repeated stress and overuse can cause serious damage. I shredded my vocal cords running a bar program in a 6500-square foot space with 25-foot ceilings. It took a gnarly surgery, weeks of vocal rest, and speech therapy for me to not sound like Clint Eastwood.

Beyond the parental echoes of, “Turn that racket down!”,

If you do not have control over the acoustics in your bar,

there are still steps you can take to protect that beautiful voice of yours. Staying hydrated, using a humidifier or steamer at home, getting plenty of rest, avoiding smoking, controlling acid reflux, keeping your throat warm during chilly months, and taking talking breaks (“vocal naps”) are all great routines to keep your vocal cords rested and limber. Additionally, try breathing before you speak. Inhale from the diaphragm and talk through the duration of the exhale to fuel your voice and avoid talking through your throat, which is extremely stressful for your vocal cords.

Thank you all so much for tuning in! Jägermeister and The Healthtender are back with another movement challenge, and this month, we are lunging! Complete 30 seconds of any variety lunge, take a time-lapse video or sweaty selfie, tag me @thehealthtender, and use the hashtag #jmbehindtheshot to be entered for fabulous wellness giveaways. Head on over to my Instagram for demonstrations and more details.   

Stay balanced, my friends! 

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and Jägermeister has no affiliation with any of the above-mentioned groups.

Amie's Snacks & Sips

Port & Crew

Recipe

1.5 parts Jägermeister Cold Brew
1.5 part Tawny Port
1.0 part Strawberry Shrub (feel free to go a little heavier on this if you like!)

Method: Build in mixing glass and stir until chilled. Pour over a large cube in a rock's glass.

Inspiration:

Tips & Tricks

Easy Peasy Cold-Pressed Strawberry Shrub

1 lb whole strawberries, muddled (yes, even the tops—get that vegetal note in!)
2 cups Champagne vinegar (Sherry vinegar is a solid backup choice)
2 cups white sugar

Method: Place all ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and shake vigorously for 30 seconds. Store in the fridge and give it a shake twice a day for two days. Strain out the solids and store your shrub in the fridge for two weeks (if it lasts that long).

Get to Know The Healthtender

Amie Ward

Amie Ward is a Veteran Bartender,

Exercise physiologist and has been outspoken on her fellow service industry members' health and wellness. You can find Amie appreciating the finer things in life when she is not pulling trucks and training for Strongwoman competitions, like Jägermeister.

Let's Get Balanced & Join My Zoom Classes Here

Classes Mon/ Wed/ Fri 12pm-1pm CST
Room: 443 336 2417
Password: 112233

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September 2021