Head of steam
Before you blow your top, think twice about doing it. While it might feel good for the moment, you could be doing lasting heart damage. And don't think I'm referring to just the men this time. While studies in the past have pointed out that there is a link between anger and hostility and a greater risk of heart disease in men, there had not been a specific study done on the link for women.
Until now. Researchers took a look at 636 women who took part in a study, the aim being to improve heart disease diagnosis and better understanding the relation of how anger affects heart health in women. All of the participants in the study had something in common: they had chest pain or related symptoms of coronary artery disease, and they underwent angiography to look for heart artery blockages.
The women also completed questionnaires that measured anger and hostility. These were used to gauge whether or not the women had an anger-prone temperament. More importantly, it looked at how she dealt with her anger: Expressing it or keeping it bottled up inside.
It was found that women who had a tendency to express their anger had an increased risk of developing artery blockages if they also had one of the other risk factors of heart disease: diabetes, high cholesterol, or advanced age. In fact, expressing anger was the worst manifestation of a hostile temperament, in terms of heart health.
The important take-away for men and women is the same: Manage your emotions. And I've told you before about my favorite remedy, which is talk-therapy, whether it's a therapist or a trusted friend or family member. Just skip the explosions by not allowing your anger to build up like a volcano.
