Lehigh Valley Smile Designs December 2019

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How This Emotion Is Doing You Harm

Anger is a common emotion. It’s natural, and it’s a part of how you

including cortisol and norepinephrine. These hormones are responsible for triggering the “fight or flight” response. When these hormones enter the bloodstream, your heart rate increases and arteries constrict. This helps to more effectively pump blood to the arms and legs for a fight or a flight. The problem is that when a person is constantly angry or upset, these hormones course through the body more frequently, stressing the arteries and internal organs. As a person ages, this stress can become more damaging. One study that appeared in the Psychology and Aging Journal looked into this phenomenon. Researchers found that there is a link between frequently experiencing anger and increased inflammation and chronic illness for people ages 80 and older. This equated to more instances of heart disease and dementia.

The study also looked at other emotions, including sadness, which has also been linked to heart disease and other inflammatory diseases. Through a number of tests involving 200 participants ages 59–93, the researchers concluded anger was far more detrimental to a person’s health than sadness. Ultimately, if you regularly experience rage and frustration, properly dealing with your anger is one of the best things you can do for your health. Every person’s situation is different, and it comes down to getting to the bottom of what makes you angry so you can work through it, whether you work through it alone or with a mental health professional. Take the steps to prioritize your mental and physical health, and your efforts will pay off tenfold in the long run.

respond to certain circumstances in your environment. It’s how you express extreme displeasure. However, new research suggests chronic anger can be detrimental to your health. Essentially, it comes down to this: If you are stressed, tense, easily irritable, angry, and “snippy” all the time, you may be doing serious harm to your well-being. Studies have already shown a link between anger and the heart. People who showed signs of feeling anger on a regular basis experienced higher rates of heart disease. The first studies on the impact of anger came out in the 1950s and have since been confirmed: Chronic anger physically harms the heart. Why? When you get angry or upset, your brain triggers the release of specific hormones,

Our office is getting busier and busier as the end of the year comes closer. People are eager to schedule their dental appointments to ensure they have a perfect smile for family photos, as well as to greet the new year. While it’s important to have a smile you’re proud of, it’s equally crucial to use any dental benefits you may have before 2019 closes out. Every year, dental plans reset on Jan. 1 — that includes the coverage and services people work so hard to receive throughout the year. This means that any unused benefits from the previous year are lost. With your dental plan, like many others, you are expected to pay a premium every month that goes toward your dental benefits. Whether that benefit is a biannual cleaning or to fix something a little more serious, this money is there for you when you need it most. When these benefits aren’t used, the money you worked for and put aside goes to waste. Any benefits that you don’t take advantage of this year will not be carried into the next. Lehigh Valley Smile Designs can provide you with the dental services you need for the holidays, and we will help you get the most out of your dental benefits. Call our offices to set up an appointment today! DON’T WAIT UNTIL THE END OF THE YEAR Get the Most From Your Dental Benefits

CONGRATULATIONS! WINNER!

Rachel S. She was the winner of our New Patient Referral Contest! Be sure to check in with us during your next visit to find out about our upcoming contests!

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