Dear Healthy Friend,

Music is a universal language. It has the power to move us to places we've never been. Reduce us to tears. Remind us of the good times. And the bad. Now, it could also help stroke victims’ speed up their recovery time.

Jenny Thompson’s uncovered some incredible research that demonstrates the healing properties of music. The details are below.

In the name of good health,

Taryn Strugnell
Managing Editor of Nutrition & Healing

P.S. Tired of the 'cocktail' of prescription drugs you have to take to combat migraines? Try Dr Wright's natural remedy below to beat these debilitating headaches...

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The melodic way to speed up healing time
Jenny Thompson
Editor of Nutrition and Healing

Anyone who's ever heard Pavarotti blow the doors off a concert hall with the stunning conclusion of Puccini's Nessun Dorma knows that opera music has the ability to move the heart. (And in Pavarotti's case, move it to another province.)

In a new study from Italy (where else?), researchers examined the effects that different types of opera and classical music have on cardiovascular measures.

As reported by the BBC, when researchers monitored 24 healthy subjects while listening to a random selection of classical pieces, they noted clear physical changes. Fast tempo prompted increased blood pressure and faster breathing and heart rates. Slower tempo lowered blood pressure and brought down heart and breathing rates.

Their conclusion: Quiet, soothing music is actually NOT the best music for the heart. Music that modulates between slower and faster tempos, and lower and higher volumes (something like Nessun Dorma, for instance), has the most positive effects on heart rate and general circulation.

But here's where it gets interesting…

Commenting on the Italian study, Diana Greenman (who heads up a UK charity that brings live music to hospitals and hospices) told the BBC: "I hear time and again of stroke patients who are suddenly able to move in time to the music after previously being paralysed."

Now THAT'S pretty amazing!

So I followed a link in the BBC piece to a 2008 article that detailed a remarkable study from the University of Helsinki.

Researchers there recruited 60 stroke patients. Each began to participate as soon as possible after their stroke. Divided into three groups, some patients listened to whatever music they liked, some listened to audio books, and others had no specific listening plan. Meanwhile, all subjects received standard protocols for stroke rehabilitation.

After three months, testing showed a 17% improvement in focused attention and mental operation abilities in the music group. But there was no improvement in the other two groups. Verbal memory scores were even more impressive: The music group improved 60%. The audio books group improved a dismal 18%. And the non-listening group only improved 29%.

Subjects in the music group also tended to be less confused and less depressed than those in the other two groups.

Lead researcher of the study told the BBC that in the weeks after a stroke, patients are typically inactive much of the time. This gives them the perfect music-listening opportunity.

At the end of the BBC article, several readers submitted comments that offer real-life confirmation of the study results.

For one man, a motorbike accident prompted brain bleeding followed by a stroke that left him unable speak or move one side of his body. But when the radio was on, he could sing along with familiar songs.

A woman in India suffered a severe stroke that left her with a "major speech deficit" and limited vocabulary. But her daughter reports she can recall and sing some of her favourite songs.

One stroke expert told the BBC that there must be more research before doctors will widely recommend music as a therapy for stroke victims. A laughable caution, if you think about it. That is unless someone can produce any evidence at all of a single adverse side effect of music (with the possible exception of the Macarena song replaying in your head for a full afternoon).

So go on. Let the music move you to better health and a speedy recovery!

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Supplement your way clear of migraines, starting today

Q: I was recently diagnosed with ophthalmic migraines. One of the main symptoms is flashing zig zags of light, which last for 15-20 minutes and then go away for a day or even weeks. Once I even lost vision in my left eye for two to three minutes. The flashing light is usually followed by what my doctor referred to as a "hatband distribution" of pain. Do you have any suggestions for combating these attacks?

Dr. Wright: Ophthalmic and other varieties of migraines are frequently helped by the same general five-step approach that's usually effective in treating "regular" migraines. It's outlined as follows:

1. Have food-allergy and sensitivity screening done.
2. Have your doctor screen for hormone allergy and sensitivity.
3. Test for hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar).
4. After allergy/sensitivity screening and hypoglycaemia test, see a nutritionist to make a diet plan. This could help you desensitise or eliminate food allergens.
5. After screening the following to make sure they're not on your list of allergies and sensitivities, try using the following supplements:

• 200 milligrams of magnesium citrate twice a day
• 200 milligrams of vitamin B6 twice a day
• 3 feverfew capsules (which usually contain 100-125 milligrams of feverfew per capsule) twice a day
• 200 milligrams of riboflavin (vitamin B2) two or three times a day
• And a hypoallergenic multiple vitamin/mineral combination

The natural route does take time. But it gets to the root of the nutritional deficiencies and other triggers that could actually be causing your headaches. This way you could clear them up for good, rather than temporarily masking the symptoms with patent medications. And when you rid yourself of food allergies and give your body the nutrients it needs, you'll likely notice some other great health benefits too.