The following foods can cause problems before a speech:
- Coffee increases nervousness and anxiety and also has laxative effects. For some people, the excitement caused by coffe helps their delivery. For many more, it has the opposite effect. Coffee also causes drowsiness a few hours after drinking it, which explains why some people need to be on a constant diet of coffee consumption. Unless you know how it affects you, refrain from drinking coffee before giving a speech.
- Milk thickens your saliva and makes you produce more mucus. This will impede your speaking and pronunciation.
- Salad and cabbage can cause gas and discomfort. Green leaves also have a nasty tendency to stay stuck in your teeth, which can be quite embarrassing if you notice it in the mirror only after you give your speech.
- Drugs and alcohol: Some people use alcohol to calm their nerves, hoping it will help them give a better presentation. That's a risky proposition, just like drinking and driving is a risky proposition. Alcohol will cloud your judgement, impair your speech, cause you to forget what you were to say, and so on. Stay away. Ditto for drugs.
- Spicy foods can cause irritation and discomfort as you speak. Some spicy foods also give you bad breath. At the end of your speech, you may be asked to meet people and if your breath stinks, you will leave a poor impression.
The message is simple: watch what you eat. Pay close attention to your reaction to certain foods and avoid them before giving a speech.
If you have to speak during an event where they serve food and drinks, watch what you choose to eat and drink before a speech. But once you're done, go ahead and live a little!