We’re living in paradoxical times. Our diet has never been so full of artificial flavourings, preservatives and texturising agents that serve no purpose other than to sell food. At the same time, study after study is showing how important our gut, and its bacterial balance, is to our overall health.

What are we feeding it?

The flow-on effects for energy, brain function, immunity, are huge. We know this. Yet the way food is produced isn’t changing, certainly not fast enough for our generation to reap any benefits. It’s up to us to look after our gut.

The problem with constant exposure to nasties, and the bacterial imbalance that comes with it, is they can cause constant gut inflammation. Inflammation is not your friend. It’s natural, part of the healing process, and just means white blood cells have flooded into the area to do their thing; but if your gut is inflamed all the time, it means it’s not happy.

And when your gut’s not happy, you’re not happy. You can probably guess the uncomfortable symptoms that follow! But it can also turn into leaky gut syndrome, Celiac Disease, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, reflux, and more.

Then there are allergies and intolerances that can develop at any age through repeated exposure to certain additives. Then things can get miserable: ever dabbled in avoiding soy? Or gluten? Or MSG? They seem to be in everything.

And it’s not just additives that make the gut angry. For meat-eaters, studies are also appearing that show the Western diet’s high concentration of animal fats also produce low but consistent levels of inflammation in the gut.

One of the big jobs of Fire Tonic™ is reducing inflammation. Its long ingredient list includes turmeric, garlic, ginger, celery, onion, Szechuan pepper, and many more gut-soothing fruits, roots and shoots.

Plus, it boosts immunity. The base recipe of Fire Tonic™ is the ancient oxymel, dating back to Socrates in 400 BC, used for centuries to resist disease. In fact, it famously protected the four thieves during the plague, which is where the name ‘Four Thieves Vinegar’ comes from.

Fire Tonic™ takes that ancient cure and adds its big anti-inflammatories, plus gut-loving prebiotics. That means it’s packed with tiny plant fibres: food for your good bacteria. The Western diet, full of sugar and additives, tends to help out the bad guys far too much. Taken regularly, Fire Tonic™ gives the good bacteria what it needs to reinforce a healthy balance.

That’s the beauty of the long steep. Our Fire Tonic™s are steeped for anywhere from three months to two years, depending on the product. That means with every dose you’re sending in plenty of reinforcements for the good guys.

Fire Tonic™ is all about supporting the gut. Include it in your diet to for improved metabolism, reduced inflammation, improved bacterial balance, and all the vitality that comes from it.

Fire Tonic™ may be all about prebiotic and anti-inflammatory properties, but it might as well be called an elixir for the vocal chords with so many of its ingredients relied on by performers and speakers all over the world.

Musicians who have met Jimmy Barnes tell of one of the great singer-songwriter’s go-tos, apple cider vinegar, which he takes regularly to protect his vocal chords against the strain of impassioned hits like Working Class Man.

According to Barnes, you can damage your vocal chords by singing while dehydrated or tired, or if you don’t warm up properly. And vocal performers of all kinds are aware of how taxing a rehearsal or recording schedule can be.

Australian singer-songwriter Ziggy Alberts swigs Fire Tonic™ on stage mid-concert to keep his pipes piping. It’s also greasing the vocal chords of many other Australian singers, including Lee Kernaghan and Wes Carr.

When Sydney vocalist Scott Hamblin gave Fire Tonic™ a go, the difference was stark. The lead singer of eighties cover band VOXNEON noticed improved resonance, tone and range, and his voice copes with loud, high notes better than it used to.

‘The boost helps me relax a bit more,’ he says. ‘It reduces the tendency to strain so my performance sounds less forced and way more natural.’

Fire Tonic™ takes the old apple cider vinegar remedy up a level with chili, onion and Szechuan pepper, which warms up your throat in no time with just a quick swig. The tongue-prickling base of Mother of Vinegar also breaks down mucus and stops bacteria spreading, reducing the likelihood of a throat infection.

Honey is also a tried-and-true antimicrobial and you’ll find it in all our non-vegan tonics. Many performers also like to mix their Fire Tonic™ with extra lemon, also known to be good for the throat.

The anti-inflammatory properties of turmeric, chilli, garlic, horseradish, ginger, celery and many more are also important care for your vocal chords when taken regularly.

Take it every day to keep your voice in tip-top condition, and when you’re on the job, you can take a shot at the first sign of that dry niggle. Let the honey, herbs and heat trickle down slowly to coat the throat. Don’t worry, you’ll feel it working!

And of course, a great side effect is the boost to your gut and metabolism, with all the increased immunity and energy that goes with it. All of that is great news for your performance.

Plus, we’re told the bottles are perfect for fitting into your microphone case.