There are several lifestyle and emotional factors that are related to Grave’s disease, but I’ll be looking specifically at the anger connection here. In Chinese medicine anger is neither negative nor positive, it’s part of the Five Element cycle and a creative force – if it is understood, expressed and used properly. But if anger isn’t expressed effectively, this emotion  (‘e-motion’ meaning energy in motion) moves in circles, it becomes hyperactive, turns acidic (in TCM we call this ‘toxic yang’ or ‘fire’ an energy which burns from within) and the force inherent in that energy will destroy the environment it is trapped in whether this is the liver (explosive anger and violent outbursts are always a liver health issue) or the heart, or the thyroid in cases of Graves. In Graves disease nutrients can’t be absorbed because the Fire burns and disintegrates them before they are absorbed by the body. The body enters a state of shock because it reads the situation as life itself being under threat, so a person with Graves Disease is highly strung, and in a constant state of reactivity towards almost everything and everyone. People can be seen as a threat because reason doesn’t apply when the body is fighting for survival. This is not a personality trait, it is not the person, it is the body fighting for its life. It is impossible for anyone to apply reason in this condition, yet the mind desperately wants an explanation for the situation.

‘Be calm, contemplate, and then act’ is the healing progression. Establishing calm comes first. Take blood building herbs to address insomnia so the body can start repairing itself. Orthomolecular therapy (nutritional supplements plus powerful herbal formulas) is the most powerful recovery tool because the entire body is so deficient. As energy builds so does the beginnings of feeling ‘better’. Only then is it is possible to look at expressing feelings or addressing a situation that caused the anger without reacting to it (if you are reacting the body is stressed and it is counter-productive). Energy techniques are crucial to this healing stage, especially chi-gung and tai-chi because they teach how to move energy (e-motion) via the body. It is a physical form of psychology. It was the body that manifested the disease initially, and now the body will manifest health. Take up a lifestyle that makes every day contribute to healing opportunity – this is outlined in my book Clock On To Health.