03/19/08 How Do You Become a Chiropractor? Don't worry if you don't know the answer. Read full version

02/01/08 You Are Awesome!! It's about time you gave yourself a really good look. Read full version

01/27/08 All Stressed Out? If you're all stressed out, we have some information that might... Read full version

01/07/08 Reduce Muscle Aches In A Flash Small postural changes can go a long way in reducing muscle... Read full version

Could Anger Cause Heart Disease?
by Dr. David L. Wick, D.C.

One does not have to look far to find the prevalence of anger in our society. With increasingly demanding schedules and consequential stresses, anger is showing up everywhere. I've often seen young people at a coffee shop receiving much harsh criticism over a missing ingredient in a drink. The same is true for the fine waiters and waitresses of my favorite restaurants. And of course we've all witnessed "road rage" at some time or another also. Could all this anger possibly trigger heart disease?

A recent study published by Mayo Clinic Proceedings (March 2005) suggests that it might. The study, of 500 coronary artery patients, showed that those younger than 50 years who exhibited high levels of anger were potentially more prone to coronary artery disease. Along with the risk for coronary artery disease comes risk of heart attacks.

The study showed that younger patients with hostility symptoms enjoyed nearly 50 percent reduction in hostility symptoms, improvements in coronary artery disease risk factors, behavior characteristics and quality of life following cardiac rehabilitation.

In a prepared statement, the study's author, Dr. Carl Lavie stated, "We believe that reducing hostility and other parameters of psychological distress, particularly in young coronary artery disease patients, should be emphasized, as well as the potential benefits of cardiac rehabilitation for the secondary prevention of coronary artery disease."

It's clearly very important that reduction of anger take place. This can be done through several different methods that help defeat stress. Some of these include:

• Chiropractic adjustments
• Acupuncture
• Massage
• Exercise
• Soothing music
• Creative writing
• Adequate sleep
• Nutritional factors
• Spiritual development

This article is not intended for the diagnosis or treatment of any illness. Diagnosis and treatment of all health conditions should only be performed by your doctor of chiropractic or other licensed health care professional. Please use this article for informational purposes only. This information does not replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified healthcare provider.