I have irritable bowel syndrome and my doctor said stress can aggravate it. Any suggestions on what types of stress-reducing act

Some simple activities to try -- and are easy to incorporate into a day -- are yoga and walking. If you're the type who would like to do it at home, there are lots of yoga books and DVDs available. But if you're looking for more instruction, look in the yellow pages for private centers in your town, or check out your gym, which probably offers classes that are already included in your membership.

When it comes to walking, don't think that you have to walk at least 30 minutes a day to get the stress-reducing benefits you're looking for. If you associate the activity with too many rules, you're going to feel guilty if you're not able to walk that much in a day, and inevitably, it's going to be a source of frustration for you. So keep life simple, and aim each day to at least take a walk around the block to clear your head. If you can walk more, great! If you can't, don't sweat it.

Last, but not least, it's crucial to get enough sleep per night. If you're not well rested, you may not function well enough during the day to easily deal with daily stressors. For advice on working in more winks, check out the National Sleep Foundation at www.sleepfoundation.org.