THE TRUSTING HEART: Great News About Type A Behavior

A sure-fire hit: sound, responsible help in an easy-going format on a hot topic--sorting out the Type A behavior-cardiac health link. This is straight from the horse's mouth: Williams (Duke University Medical Center) recently reported his research findings at an American Heart Association seminar, and was widely reported in the press: the news is that not all so-called Type A behavior is bad--just certain traits that he identifies and offers help in changing. This all stems from what Williams calls the ""second generation"" of research on Type A behavior. The first wave ended in confusion after Type A behavior was identified in the 1970's as a risk factor for cardiac disease--but many follow-up studies failed to find increased risk of heart attacks in Type As. Williams has since determined that ""hostility, anger, and their biological consequences are the toxic part of Type A behavior""--not only increasing the risk of coronary heart disease but possibly other life-threatening disorders as well. (Other Type A traits such as constant hurrying and competitive behavior were not found to be toxic.) He first sets out ""to convince you that hostility and anger are indeed harmful to your health and well-being""; he describes his research and findings in understandable detail. Then he describes practical measures readers can take to improve their own health. Here, he is realistic, comforting, and, above all, understanding of human foibles, especially regarding self-improvement. Knowledgeable, realistic, and up-to-date help is available here, then, in a most worthwhile self-help guide.