Jumpstart Stroke Healing with Singing!?

By Dr. Scott Olson, ND Posted November 25, 2021

Editor’s note: I want to wish you and your family a happy, healthy Thanksgiving! Thank you for being a loyal reader, and know that I’m grateful for you.

Dear Living Well Daily Reader,

If you or someone you know has had a stroke, you know firsthand how hard it is to recover.

It’s a slow and painful process, to say the least.

Depending on how severe the stroke was, you could be looking at weeks or months of therapy to help regain your mobility and senses.

But one of the hardest things to get back is speech.

Luckily, there’s an EASY way to help speed up the process.

This “sing-along method” SPARKS stroke healing… and it’s fun too!

A new study from the University of Helsinki in Finland found that music could help stroke patients recover their speech.

As you know, stroke victims often suffer from aphasia, a condition that robs you of the ability to talk.

Now researchers have discovered an easy way to speed the recovery of aphasia… singing songs!

In the study, researchers gathered 36 stroke patients and had them listen to one of three types of media daily: instrumental music, music with vocals, or audio books. The patients also had routine MRI brain scans to assess their recovery.

After three months, the folks who listened to vocal music had MUCH stronger language skills. Listening to songs with lyrics helped stimulate their frontal lobes, the area in the brain that’s in charge of speech.

You can take the results of this study a step further and have a sing-along!

Of course, trying to sing when you have lost your ability to speak can be frustrating and embarrassing.

I suggest picking a song you love and, in private, try to sing it. Play the song over and over on repeat.

And when you’re not trying to sing, listen to as much music or audio books as you can.

Research has shown over and over that timing and habit are key when it comes to stroke recovery. So sit back, relax, and let music help you find your confidence and speech again.

Written By Dr. Scott Olson, ND

Nearly 25 years ago, failed mainstream medical treatments left Dr. Olson in constant pain – and his health in ruins. And that’s when he did something REVOLUTIONARY. He began his career in medicine – and dedicated his life to uncovering the true, underlying causes of disease.
Through his innovative medical practices in Tennessee and Colorado, Dr. Olson has helped cure countless seniors from across America of arthritis… heart disease… diabetes… and even cancer. All without risky prescription drugs or painful surgeries.

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