Foods to avoid before an important
speech:

Experts agree that there are certain
foods that you should avoid if you want your voice to sound its best. There are foods that can make you produce excess phlegm and others that can dry out your mouth, making it hard to keep your lips and tongue from sticking to the inside of your mouth.

Forbidden foods for speakers:
Chocolate: the caffeine in the cocoa
dries the vocal chords.
Latte drinks: if you must have one,
make it with skim milk to avoid excess
spittle forming at the sides of your
mouth and gobs of mucus gathering
in your throat.
Dairy products: the cheese on pizzas
and public speaking do not mix! Again
it creates a lot of mucus.
Anything fried! Fatty foods can over
lubricate the vocal chords and can
make you sluggish and lethargic – less
likely to be able to think on your feet
if you get asked questions during your
speech or presentation
Anything creamy: mayonnaise,
cream cheese, butter, creamy sauces,
milkshakes etc. Again these foods are
generally fatty.
Baked goods: pastries, cakes, etc..
They all tend to be high in fat.
Mints: the menthol dries out vocal
chords.

How to be your own cheerleader:

Stress is all around us – it is within the very fabric of our society. And how do we handle it? Do we ignore it? No. We adapt and harness it in the achievement of our success.

The ability to turn stress into a positive
thing is in the creation, development
and maintenance of your positive self-image. And the concept of doing this
we call: ‘Be your own cheerleader!’

How do you do this?
Pat yourself on the back when you do
something right. All too often we obsess over the wrongs and merely gloss over what we’ve done right. Change this pattern today!
Take charge first thing in the morning.
The attitude you start the day off with,
will be the one that sees you through
the day.
Learn to bounce off negative and nasty
comments. They come from peoples own insecurities and baggage – recognise this and you will be better
equipped to handle them.
Remember, stress lies not in the situation itself, but in your perception
of it. Change your perception and you
will change your response to stress.
If you want to remain positive, always
distinguish between excellence and
perfection. NEVER strive for perfection, it is impossible and will only bring you anxiety, stress and frustration, because no one can be perfect. Rather, strive for excellence – to be the best possible person you can be.