Once again, there is scientific evidence that good spiritual health translates into good physical health. God commands us to love, to forgive, to have patience with others, to consider others better than ourselves.
As it turns out, these things are good for our health. Or to put it another way, not doing these things damages our health. Anyone surprised? Do you think this is merely a coincidence or did God design us to work perfectly, but only according to His plan.
According to the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, anger and hostility are directly liked to heart problems. This evidence was collected from 44 separate studies, so it's very reliable
The findings indicate that people with high levels of anger are at greater risk for heart disease, such as strokes and heart attacks, than those with moderate or low levels of anger. Much of findings indicate that getting angry isn't really the problem, as long as you handle it correctly.
Expressing anger in reasonable ways can be healthy. There's no need to bottle up your emotions. In fact, people who suppress rage have equally as high a risk for cardiovascular disease than those who do express rage.
What you want, is the middle ground. Speaking gently, lovingly to someone is ideal. Using "I" statements is what you're aiming for. For instance, you say "I feel...when you..." or "It hurts my feelings when you..."
Stay away from "you" statements such as "you are selfish," "you are wrong" and so forth, and avoid telling people how they feel. Stick to only how you feel.
Explosive people who throw things and scream at others are the ones at greatest risk....and not just people who do it once every blue moon. These are people who are chronically angry, and we all know people like that, don't we? Hotheads, irritable, negative, intimidating people who experience high levels of anger very frequently.
According to the research, being short-tempered puts you at just as high risk for developing heart disease or having a stroke as having high cholesterol or having high blood pressure or being a smoker! Yelling is the new smoking!
In the studies, people with angry personalities were more likely to develop thickness in their carotid arteries. This is bad because that's the pathway your blood uses to get to your brain, so the thicker they get, the greater your chance for stroke or heart attack.
The good news is, chronic anger doesn't have to be a permanent condition. The person who is not motivated by concern for other people to stop berating them, has a new motivation: self. Considering the problem, that might be more effective.
When an angry person learns that their rage might negatively impact their own health, maybe they'll finally make a change for the better. That would be a blessing for everyone. With God all things are possible!