Each episode of anger or hostility sets off a physiological response in your body causing your heart to beat faster, your blood pressure to rise, your coronary arteries to narrow, and your blood to become thicker. When blood becomes thicker, heart has to work harder to pump it. For people with heart disease, this reaction can reduce blood flow to heart, creating a potentially fatal condition.

A study done by Dr. Ichiro Kawachi, of Harvard School of Public Health, examined about 1,300 older men (average age of 62) over a seven-year period. Dr. Kawachi found that those men with highest levels of anger were three times more likely to develop heart disease than men with lowest levels of anger.

Other researchers at Union Memorial Hospital and Loyola College of Maryland in Baltimore interviewed 41 patients who just had angioplasties to unclog arteries. Those who scored highest in hostility (Hostile Type A) were 2.5 times more likely to need repeat angioplasty within year. Furthermore, contrary to common advice from friends and therapists to "get it all out" when angry, verbally berating partners or expressing hostility towards other people only serves to compromise physical health.

1. Your siblings or parents have diabetes. 2. You are more than 20% overweight. 3. You do not exercise. 4. You have had gestational diabetes or you have had a baby over 9 lbs. 5. You have high blood pressure. 6. Your cholesterol level is not normal.

How to care for you Diabetes:

According to American Diabetes Association, people with Diabetes have same nutritional needs as everyone else. In addition to prescribed medications, well-balanced meals may help you keep your blood glucose level as normal as possible.

Also, just like everyone else, exercise is an important part of staying healthy. Exercising with diabetes does require a few extra safety steps that your health care professional can make you aware of.

Nutritious meals, an exercise routine, and using your NutriCounter along with help of your doctor may aid you in controlling your Diabetes. Diabetes will never truly go away, but with proper nutrition, exercise and prescribed medications, it can be controlled.

For more information on specific exercise and eating advice for diabetics, see following web sites:

American Diabetes Association http://www.diabetes.org

Canadian Diabetes Association http://www.diabetes.ca/Section_Main/welcome.asp

Online Risk Test http://www.diabetes.org/main/info/risk/risktest.jsp

Excellent article about Borderline Diabetes http://www.diabetes.ca/Section_About/borderline.asp

Am I at risk for Type 2 Diabetes? http://www.niddk.nih.gov/health/diabetes/pubs/risk/risk.htm

Safety Tips for Exercising with Diabetes http://www.diabetes.org/main/health/exercise/safety/25ways.jsp