Anger and Stress Increase Risk for Heart Disease: What to Do

According to a report released September 2005, the number of deaths due to cardiovascular disease (CVD) is projected to grow seven times faster than Canada's population between the years of 2021-2031. One of the many implications from this study includes the need for individual risk reduction strategies. Dr. Greg Curnew, Cardiologist, McMaster University said, "One of the biggest misconceptions about heart disease is that we can't control it. Eighty per cent of cardiovascular disease is preventable so we need to adopt risk reduction strategies now."

Dr. Curnew outlines the most common CVD risk factors, which include a diet high in saturated fats, abdominal obesity, cholesterol, smoking, high blood pressure, a sedentary lifestyle, diabetes, mental stress and alcohol intake. Of the ten key strategies he offers to reduce one’s risk for CVD, among them is “reducing mental stress”.

While “mental stress” is listed almost in passing as a precipitating factor for CVD, it is in fact a major contributor. When the body experiences any kind of negative emotion, such as anger, fear, or stress, it automatically responds with an increase in heart rate and blood pressure. In this response known as “fight or flight”, the body naturally begins to produce blood sugar and cholesterol. Oxygen is diverted away from the extremities to the major organs (heart and lungs). Breathing becomes shallower. Bodily functions are put on hold or accelerated, and the body begins to perspire.

Now, consider these responses in two different contexts. Walking through the woods in a remote area, you come across a mother bear and her cubs. Mother bear is feeling very protective and sees you as a threat. She rears up on her hind legs and roars with all her might. Immediately, your brain sends the FEAR signal to your body and it responds with “fight or flight”. You choose flight!

Second scenario: you are giving a speech to a group of professionals in your industry. Minutes before you are to appear on stage, you hear the announcer reading the prepared biography, and suddenly your heart rate increases and you get light-headed. Your palms begin to sweat and you have this uncontrollable urge to run to the bathroom. You see, the body can’t tell the difference between a real or perceived threat, it only knows and responds to what it interprets from the perception.

Now watch this: no matter how healthy your lifestyle, you could still be at risk for CVD simply because high stress levels cause the body to naturally produce chemicals that could be harmful to your cardiovascular health! So, one can go a long way towards protecting one’s body simply by maintaining good mental health. Just as we need professionals to assist with maintaining good physical health, we need someone who will help us be accountable for our mental health. As it is with other aspects of our lives, sometimes moral support from friends is not enough.

The key is finding that unique balance between the good stressors and the bad ones. A lifestyle coach can show you ways in which you can achieve balance in your life overall. Some strategies work well for some people, but not for other. A coach can help you to find stress-reducing strategies that fit you best, and will work with you to reduce or eliminate factors in your life that cause you stress in the first place. For more information about how coaching can help you preserve your cardiovascular health, call (905) 329-6169 or E-Mail info@angersolution.com.

Julie Christiansen is an International Speaker and Coach. To obtain a copy of her free E-Book, Crazy Busy, email her at info@angersolution.com. Visit Julie’s website at www.angersolution.com.



Anger and Stress Increase Risk for Heart Disease: What to Do - To learn more about this author, visit Julie Christiansen's Website.

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