I have heard that anger and stress are detrimental to heart health. I often react with anger when under stress and lash out at family members. I also tend toward “type A” behavior. I’m worried this puts me in a high-risk category for heart disease. Is anger really the worst emotion for the heart? What suggestions do you have for me? I’m guessing there is no easy way out of this. I’m worried that my self-destructive behaviors are so engrained in me now that I can never break them. I’m just wondering if you have any tips for breaking this cycle, for getting free from this burden, for putting an end to the pain. Thank you for all the help you offer people and for having the strength and courage to give your love and guidance to people. It’s greatly appreciated.

Anger is like fire: It has a useful purpose, but it is very damaging when it takes on a life of its own. Anger is a boundary-setting emotion. Although there are times when the expression of anger can be healthy, it often causes more harm than benefit to both the expresser and receiver.

Conventional wisdom used to be that type-A personality traits (being hard-driving and competitive, for example) put a person at risk for heart disease. We now understand, however, that hostility is the dangerous character trait. Hostility has three components that put your heart at risk:

Recently I’ve been reading a great deal of your work, and it has helped to start a healing process in my life, which hopefully continues. However, there is just so much to get through that it seems impossible. My outer world seems quite normal – I am an elementary school teacher and do well at my job. However, my inner world is a mess. Since I was 15 (I am now 30), I have struggled with depression, and a feeling of complete worthlessness. This has led to a severe eating disorder, which is damaging my body. It has been the cause of failed relationships; since I never feel that I have anything to offer anyone, I usually push the people I love and care about out of my life out of fear of being a disappointment to them. My life is dominated by obsessive/compulsive behaviors ranging from exercising far too much to cleaning things several times a day. The list goes on . . . I’m guessing there is no easy way out of this. I’m worried that my self-destructive behaviors are so engrained in me now that I can never break them. I’m just wondering if you have any tips for breaking this cycle, for getting free from this burden, for putting an end to the pain. Thank you for all the help you offer people and for having the strength and courage to give your love and guidance to people. It’s greatly appreciated.

When we sense that our world is out of control, it’s not surprising that we often attempt to create some sense of order by controlling what we put in our mouth. Even as infants being spoon fed by our parents or caregivers, the only control we could exert was to close our mouth and shake our head in refusal. Many people manage stress by overeating or under eating. But as you have experienced firsthand, the short-term relief this coping mechanism provides is far outweighed by the long-term damage it inflicts on your physical and emotional health. The way out of this cycle must occur on two levels:

I am in my 30s and for years have struggled with low thyroid levels, yet I’m mostly within the “normal range.” Endocrinologists tell me they can't help me until I am clinically hypothyroid, but I have symptoms of tiredness, mild depression, and weight gain already. What can I do to keep it from progressing?

Thyroid hormone influences many aspect of human health, including body temperature, body weight, mental clarity, fertility, skin texture, hair growth, heart rate, and digestion. A variety of factors including immune function and nutrition can affect the thyroid gland. Due to its widespread effects, we often suspect that thyroid problems may be contributing to physical or emotional health challenges. Fortunately, current laboratory studies are often able to detect changes in pituitary and thyroid hormone levels before they produce noticeable problems.

I would be very glad if you please could shed some light on how birth control pills affect the body from an ayurvedic point of view.

The 5,000-year-old ayurvedic textbooks don’t have much to say about oral contraceptives, but they do have a lot to say about the seasons, rhythms, and cycles of life. Ayurveda recommends that we honor our rhythmicity and the cyclical nature of our body and the universe.

It is possible for a woman who is tuned in to her reproductive cycle to minimize her chances of an unwanted pregnancy. Assuming that you are in a committed relationship, you don’t want to get pregnant, and you are worried about the side effects of birth control pills, I’d suggest that you have an honest conversation with your partner about sharing responsibility for contraception.

I have received a diagnosis of fibromyalgia and would like to know more about the ayurvedic approach to treating this disease? Thanks for all your help.

In our experience at the Chopra Center, fibromyalgia responds well to a holistic ayurvedic mind-body healing approach. The overarching goal is to generate more natural pain relievers in your body. In many cases, lifestyle changes not only relieve pain but also eliminate behaviors that caused it in the first place. For example, researchers have found that meditation is an effective technology in dealing with chronic pain. In one study conducted by the University of Massachusetts Medical Center, chronic-pain sufferers who learned a mindfulness meditation technique experienced substantial improvements.

I been having back pain off and on for years, and lately it seems to be getting worse. My doctor prescribed a pain killer that just makes me feel loopy. What else can I do to relieve the pain? Does yoga really help?

Answer: Human beings have probably been having problems with our backs ever since we first stood up on two legs a few million years ago. Chronic back pain is one of our most common health problems, resulting in substantial physical, emotional, and financial distress. The costs associated with acute low back injuries have been estimated at over 50 billion dollars annually when you add up the expenses of diagnosis, treatment, and missed work.

I’ve been having problems lately with dizziness and a lack of balance. I feel like I’m going to fall. . . very unstable, like I’m walking on a wave. Could you help me? Thank you.

Considering that the earth is spinning at approximately 1,000 miles per hour, it’s amazing that we don’t all feel perpetually dizzy. The fact that we don’t is a testimony to the fact that we have an amazing brain, nervous and balance systems that give us the illusion that we’re standing still. There are many causes of dizziness, and it’s important that you get a full evaluation by a neurologist or an ear, nose, and throat specialist to make sure that the cause is benign.

I was referred to your web site by a friend and have been greatly impressed with all of the information. Our first little baby is 7 weeks-old, and the medical profession is strongly insisting on immunizing her. The thought of this is making me nervous as I would like to make an informed decision.

Because of concerns that immunizations have played a role in the increased incidence of autism, many parents are understandably anxious and confused about the risks and benefits of having their children immunized. However, the scientific evidence to date hasn’t revealed a clear association between immunization and autism. Although there has been a great deal of controversy over the chemical compound thimerosal (previously used as a preservative in vaccines), vaccine makers in the U.S. haven’t used thimerosal in vaccines since 1999. Against the questionable link between immunizations and autism, parents must weigh the known risks of their children being infected and developing a preventable illness.

I come from a large family. We keep in touch, but we are not particularly close. We center our family reunions on the holidays, and tensions always run high—stress builds as typical family patterns rear their ugly heads. I love my family, but I dread these concentrated “get-togethers.” Since I can’t opt out, is there anything I can do to help make this a better experience?

It’s important that you begin by recognizing that you can opt out. If you realize that you are making a choice to be there, you will be in a more empowered state of mind to stay centered, rather than defaulting to your long-standing childhood patterns.

My boyfriend tends to express himself in a passive aggressive way. I find myself afraid to dig deeper and at the same time resentful that I have to be the one to initiate open and direct communication. How can I handle this?

The first thing you can do to improve communication with your boyfriend is to look at the language you are using to describe him and your relationship. If your internal conversation is that he tends to express himself in a passive aggressive manner and rarely wants to engage, chances are high that you will reinforce your interpretation of him and perpetuate your resentful feelings.