Do you ever get so annoyed in traffic jams that you find yourself furiously honking at other drivers or banging your hands against the steering wheel in frustration? Or become so frustrated waiting in the check-out line behind the slowest person in the universe that every muscle in your body tenses and your brow begins to furrow tighter and tighter? It happens even to the “chillest” of people. But sometimes, the resulting anger can leave you exhausted and stressed out which puts you at risk for larger health issues.

In a recent piece by David Allan, editorial director of CNN Health and Wellness, he explains that while anger may be common, it’s also detrimental to our health.

According to Allan, “constant stress and aggravation is linked to a range of issues including overeating, insomnia and depression, and angry outbursts increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes.”

As a solution to this problem, Allan created an easy to follow system that can be implemented when uncontrollable feelings of anger or aggravation arise. Based on sound psychology, this system is aimed to reprogram the natural “fight or flight” trigger that many of us are so adept in acting upon.

This 10-step system is primarily used to give perspective to anger-induced situations. From taking deep, slow breaths, to finding humor in a given situation, Allan notes that these action steps have significantly reduced the number of instances in which he would have otherwise gotten irritated or annoyed. [Check out the full 10 Steps here].

At Integrative Nutrition, we teach the concept of Primary Food which is everything that nourishes your life: career, relationships, physical exercise, and spirituality. The way you live your life, your mental and emotional health, and the way you handle stress, anger, and frustration is just as important to your overall health as the food you eat. Learning to understand any overwhelming feelings of anger and frustration that are powerful enough to serve as the root cause of a multitude of health issues is crucial to finding lifelong health and happiness.

To understand and work through these emotions, Allan’s 10 simple steps and other alternative healing practices including yoga, meditation, mantras and affirmations, and listening to your inner voice, come in handy. As Health Coaches, we are taught to implement these practices into our lives and encourage our clients to do the same.

In this way, Integrative Nutrition Health Coaches are revolutionizing the way our current healthcare system addresses anger-related issues. By treating the mind, body and spirit – which we refer to here as total wellbeing – emotions such as overwhelming anger and aggravation can be understood, worked through and ultimately combated.

What techniques do you use to control your anger? Share in the comments below!