The Anger Cure , livre ebook

THE ANGER
CURE
A Step-by-Step Program to Reduce Anger, Rage, Negativity, Violence, and Depression in Your Life
Kathleen O’Bannon, C.N.C.
The information contained in this book is based upon the research and personal and professional experiences of the author. It is not intended as a substitute for consulting with your physician or other healthcare provider. Any attempt to diagnose and treat an illness should be done under the direction of a healthcare professional.
The publisher does not advocate the use of any particular healthcare protocol but believes the information in this book should be available to the public. The publisher and author are not responsible for any adverse effects or consequences resulting from the use of the suggestions, preparations, or procedures discussed in this book. Should the reader have any questions concerning the appropriateness of any procedures or preparation mentioned, the author and the publisher strongly suggest consulting a professional healthcare advisor.
The names and/or circumstances of the people in the quotes have been changed to protect the privacy of Kathleen O’Bannon’s friends and clients.
Basic Health Publications, Inc. 28812 Top of the World Drive Laguna Beach, CA 92651 949-715-7327 • www.basichealthpub.com
O'Bannon, Kathleen.
The anger cure : a step-by-step program to reduce anger, rage, negativity, violence, and depression in your life / Kathleen O'Bannon
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-59120-543-2
1. Anger. 2. Anger–Treatment. I. Title.
RC569.5.A53O23  2007 616.85'2–dc22
2007006950
Copyright © 2007 by Kathleen O’Bannon, C.N.C.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written consent of the copyright owner.
Editor: Susan Davis Typesetting/Book design: Gary A. Rosenberg Cover design: Mike Stromberg
Printed in the United States of America
10  9  8  7  6  5  4  3  2  1
Contents
Acknowledgments
Foreword by Eke F. Wokocha, Ph.D.
Introduction
1. Go to the Mirror: It Doesn’t Lie
2. The Hidden Killer of Relationships and Love
3. Lips Together/Teeth Apart
4. Chew on This
5. Are You Hardening Your Heart?
6. Your Expanding Universe
7. How Your Body Creates Anger
8. Anger and the Fight-or-Flight Response
9. What Throws You Off
10. The Anger Cure Program
11. The Body/Mind Connection
Notes
Appendix A. The Importance of B Vitamins
Appendix B. Selected Recipes
Suggested Reading
About the Author
Acknowledgments
This book would not have been possible without the input of all the people who over the years asked me to help them overcome anger in their lives. A lot of them didn’t know that anger was their main problem, but when they were rid of it, they were glad. So thank you to all the people I have worked with in nutrition programs in clinics, private practice, or classes in the United States and Canada.
I would also like to thank all the people who have encouraged me to do this book and stick with it: the late Phil Gilliam, who bugged me almost daily to do this work; Marianne Woodson, O.B.J.N., a fabulous spiritual director, who hounded me with questions and research that were so important for this book; Charlie Fox, Mr. Garlic, who began every conversation for a year with “How’s the book coming?” and introduced me to Norman Goldfind, my publisher; Charlene Green, my friend of so many years I don’t even want to put dates on paper, who encouraged me to do this book because she believes people need to hear this information and that I’m the one to relay it to them, who lectures me all the time on business, investing, and other things I couldn’t imagine understanding or knowing, but she makes it so easy, I finally have understood it; and Dave Lampi, an old friend from high school, who sent me cards and e-mails of encouragement to make sure I finished this book.
This book would not be in order and read so smoothly without all the fabulous work my editor, Susan E. Davis, did on the manuscript. We laughed over some of my bad grammar habits that showed up over and over, while she gently insisted on correcting them. I also want to thank my sister, Carole Eisenlord, for giving me moral and emotional support throughout all the writing, editing, and recipe making. Most of all I want to thank Jim Weismann of Carson City, Nevada, who did the graphics and artwork. Without him this book might be dull and boring.
Foreword
W ith this book, Kathleen O’Bannon has forged a gold standard in the field of nutrition and health education, especially as that relates to anger. As if she were a conductor of a fine symphony, she has brought together a wonderful harmony of information and guidance across a broad range of disciplines and practices. The resulting composition is one from which we are able to fashion a life-dance that transcends anger and imbalance in our lives while deftly moving us toward vitality, longevity, and peace.
As a licensed clinical psychologist who has worked very extensively and over many years with anger-problem patients, I can attest that the step-by-step program designed by Kathleen is practical and comprehensive. Accordingly, its broad application to one’s overall health and quality of life may indeed be unprecedented. The scope of this particular work, along with its pragmatic and highly interdisciplinary perspective, represents a quantum leap forward in our understanding. This work may well become the seminal piece for a new era of understanding about health practices, nutrition, and anger. This work is a great resource for health professionals and laypersons alike.
A substantive and truly profound work, this book establishes Kathleen as a nutrition and health expert with few contemporaries. She writes clearly and brilliantly on how we can use diet, supplements, and lifestyle changes to improve our health. As one of the vanguard researchers in this field, Kathleen has amassed more than thirty years of experience in health and nutrition work. Over this time she has continuously evolved, tediously integrating the latest and most up-to-date practices and information as such became available.
I am deeply honored to write this foreword. Even more so, I am excited about the potential for great good to flourish in the lives of those who heed the guidelines, advice, and practices presented in this work. I invite you, I encourage you, I beseech you to make this book–truly a gift to humankind!–a part of your daily reading.
Eke F. Wokocha, Ph.D., Licensed Clinical Psychologist Alafia Wellness Center, Lemon Grove, California
Introduction
T his book shows you the nutritional way to overcome anger and all its variations: rage, violence, fatigue, anxiety, temper tantrums, allergies, lack of sex drive, insomnia, low self-esteem, and eventually, if ignored, its physiological manifestation in diabetes, heart disease, cancer, arthritis, obesity, addictions, and premature aging. You will also learn how to free yourself of anger and hate and become more loving. When you begin to deal with life through your heart instead of your liver and adrenals, you will automatically be more loving. To me, anger is the opposite of love.
Originally I called this health system “The Love Diet” because when you have what I call the “anger syndrome,” you shut down your physical and emotional heart and can’t love. This has been called “hardness of heart” for thousands of years. It’s well recorded in the Hebrew Bible that people hardened their hearts when they didn’t want to face something. In these times the standard American diet (SAD) does a much better, faster job of shutting down or hardening your heart.
VICTIMS
Your body, mind, and spirit are victims of your lifestyle. If you provide the fuel for your body to be healthy, you will not have anger, rage, or violence. You will be loving. If you provide the fuel that causes damage to your body and mind, you will reap the consequences. And if you go to extremes with SAD, you can destroy your spirit and conscience; you won’t be able to tell right from wrong.
IT’S NOT YOUR FAULT
This is probably the first time you’ve ever been told that if you have an anger problem, no matter how small or how large, it’s not your fault. It is not your fault! However, once you read this book, it will be your fault if you continue to pursue the lifestyle that contributes to your anger. You will now have within your control all the answers to why you have anger and angry outbursts. It’s up to you to do something about it.
ANGER AND RAGE
Here are some dictionary definitions of anger: A strong feeling of displeasure or hostility. A strong passion or emotion of displeasure or antagonism, excited by a real or supposed injury or insult to one’s self or others, or by the intent to do such injury. A feeling of keen displeasure (usually with a desire to punish) for what we regard as wrong toward ourselves or others; it may be excessive or misplaced, but is not necessarily criminal. A feeling that is oriented toward some real or supposed grievance. Belligerence aroused by a real or supposed wrong.
Here are some dictionary definitions of rage: Violent, explosive anger; a fit of anger; furious intensity, as of a storm or disease; a burning desire; a passion. To speak or act in violent anger; to be furious with anger; to be exasperated to fury. To be violently agitated with passion; to be violent and tumultuous; to be violently driven or agitated; to act or move furiously.
To me, anger is turning that emotion in on yourself and rage is turning that emotion outward to others. Anger doesn’t necessarily have to be a big emotion. Anger can be something as simple as the emotion you feel and direct toward yourself when the car in front of you at the light suddenly turns on its left-turn signal just as the light cha