Category Archives: Embouchure and Muscle Weakness

Embouchure and muscle weakness and lack of stamina in performing artists are often related to nutrient deficiencies and poor digestion.

When a performing artist suffers from unusual uncontrollable muscle weakness of any kind or an overall lack of stamina, poor digestion and nutrient deficiencies are often part of the problem. In determining if you have a digestion problem, ask yourself if you have any of the following symptoms:

  • persistent flatulence
  • gas or bloating after eating
  • acid reflux
  • irritable bowel
  • constipation
  • diarrhea
  • allergies

Any one of these symptoms may indicate that you are having trouble with digestion and also may have a candida overgrowth and bacterial imbalances in your intestinal tract. Digestive problems are extremely common today because our health dictates tell us that a high-fiber/low-fat diet is a healthy diet. However, high-fiber foods are often hard-to-digest, low in nutrients and can over time give rise to bacterial imbalances in the gut flora. We also absolutely need ample high quality saturated, traditional fats like butter and cream from grass-fed cows or coconut oil in our diet to absorb nutrients. So if we you trying to eat a healthy diet by listening to common dictates, you may ultimately develop digestive problems and nutrient deficiencies.

With both nutrient deficiencies and digestive problems, we can lack the energy needed to fuel our muscles for long periods of time–especially the small muscles used to play musical instruments.

Therefore, the first step to correcting stamina problemsĀ  is to carefully evaluate your symptoms andĀ  understand their root cause. The most powerful road to recovery is to eat a diet rich in traditional, nutrient-dense foods that will heal and support good digestion. Although nutritional healing takes time, there are no short cuts to overcoming long-term malnourishment. This process is absolutely necessary to achieve permanent healing. Considering the years you have spent mastering your instrument, dedicating yourself to protecting your continued ability to perform is well worth the same effort.

For more information on a healing diet of nutrient-dense foods, see our book information at www.performancewithoutpain.com.

To your health,

Kathryne Pirtle