Eddy's Good News: How a small change can make a big result and the healing power of music

Virgin Radio

2 Feb 2024, 16:12

Every day during his show on Virgin Radio Anthems, Eddy Temple-Morris brings you Good News stories from around the world, to help inject a bit of positivity into your day!

Be sure to listen each day between 2pm and 6pm (Monday - Friday) to hear Eddy's Good News stories (amongst the finest music of course), but if you miss any of them you can catch up on the transcripts of Eddy's most recent stories below:

Friday 2nd February 2026

If you or somebody close to you is worried about the prospect of prostate cancer, here’s some great news for you that a tiny change in your life can lead to a huge cut in risk, over a third in fact.

Researchers found those who increased their annual cardio fitness activity by just 3% or more were up to 35% less likely to develop prostate cancer. This small-change-big-result finding was established by a Swedish team, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, who hope to encourage men to improve their fitness in a bid to steer clear of the disease.

More than 44,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer every year in England alone, with a further 4,000 in Scotland and 3,000 in Wales so this is a massive win. Just a 3% increase! That’s one of those 5 minute YouTube workouts!

Via: goodnewsnetwork.org

I have preached here for years that music heals, you know, I know it, and this works on so many levels. There are certain frequencies that can literally promote physiological healing. There’s also the mental health benefits of listening to or playing music that are much studied and peer reviewed.

There’s the mindfulness angle of playing an instrument, the flow state that’s fantastic for your brain. Now science has measured what playing an instrument can do for us as we get older. Music playing and cognitive brain function is a fascinating area and now 25,000 people over 40 have been studied over 10 years and the results are that playing an instrument, especially the piano leads to better memory and what they call executive function. You don’t even have to play, singing helps too!

Returning to music in later life pays dividends, the research is all there and just published in the International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry. Even picking it up, remember my good news story about neuro plasticity? It’s never too late to learn a new thing. Make it an instrument, just please for the love of god and the sanity of your neighbours not a recorder. (wishful)

Via: goodnewsnetwork.org