What's "eating" you: loss of job, falling property values (or, worse, trying to save your home like millions of us are so doing), lack of savings for emergencies . . . or, worse, life seems to just BE an emergency right now!
Some people do manage stress with regular exercise, which I think should be on top of your list of things to do, along with developing excellent eating habits if you don't already have them (and it seems that most American's don't!). Some calm down by listening to music, reading, watching television or a movie, playing a videogame or napping.
The American Psychological Association's annual "Stress In America 2009" report, released Tuesday, examined the impact of stress on families; the role of lifestyle and behavior in managing stress; what's causing Americans' stress; and how they are managing worry and anxiety. The survey of 1,568 adults was conducted online between July 21 and August 1, 2009.
This year, 49% of respondents reported turning to tunes when worried; 44% said they exercise. Reading helps calm 41% of respondents, while watching television or a movie and social interaction help ease the stress of 36% of those surveyed. Despite the prevalence of sedentary activity, a bright spot is that the report found that Americans are looking less to smoking and alcohol use than they did a year ago. Topping the list of symptons are irritbility or anger, fatique, and lack of interest or motivation top the list of symptoms. High stress levels are harmful, leading to high blood pressure, arrhythmia of the heart and hardening of the arteries, migraine headaches, and general lack of luster. Put these on top of your stress, and you can develop serious illness up to and including stroke and heart attacks (I know -- I've recently seen this from two friends who are fighting to save them homes from foreclosure.)
Of course, if are fortunate to have a job in these days of huge layoffs, stress will also affect your performance and may bring on workplace challenges you do not want. If you are in really bad shape, figure out a way to take a vacation. In September, after almost a year of unemployment and battling with my mortgage lender for a loan restructure (don't hold your breathe if you are in the middle of this process), I met with a client who decided they should branch out by offering workshops in various deluxe resorts in the Western United States. My clients was not in a position to travel to research sites. Being unemployed, I was (and am). So I was "elected" to review resorts for weekend workshop in EFT/NLP and various topics from this site. What was the best place I "had" to visit? Hawaii. For a week. In a friend's two-bedroom timeshare.
So, before anything goes amiss, please consider a book such as 
Newly Expanded! The World's Greatest Treasury of Health Secrets
. While the reviews on this book are mixed, and one doctor finds the information of questionable sources, it does include articles by two Nobel winners and the book itself is well-presented. I've found wonderful, easy and tasty methods to keep healthy -- blueberries over oatmeal is one of those treats.
It is best used as a reference book to search topics of interest to you and then to find the orignial sources of the information, which can be done generally via the internet. For me, the point of the book is that there may be an alternative to surgery for many ills. Again, two of those alternatives are exercise and diet; many doctors will tell you that there is no guarantee that surgery will cure what ails you, and it it is only a stop gap if you do not take care of yourself.
Good cholesterol: Top 5 foods from Mayo Clinic staff
Before you make other changes to your diet, think about cutting back on the types and amounts of fats you eat, which can raise your cholesterol. That way, you'll improve your cholesterol levels and health overall. When cutting fat from your diet, focus on saturated and trans fats. The 
American Heart Association Healthy Family Meals: 150 Recipes Everyone Will Love
will help in these important life changes. Saturated fats, like those in meat and some oils, raise your total cholesterol. Trans fats, which are sometimes used to make store-bought cookies, crackers and cakes, are particularly bad for your cholesterol levels because they raise low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the "bad" cholesterol and lower high-density lipoprotein (HDL), "good" cholesterol. Try to limit the number of calories you eat daily to less than 10 percent from saturated fat, and eliminate as many trans fats from your diet as possible.
If you'd like to improve your cholesterol level, first consider lifestyle changes: Lose excess pounds, eat heart-healthy foods, and include physical activity in your daily routine. If you smoke, ask your doctor to help you quit.
Oatmeal and oatbran
Oatmeal contains soluble fiber, which reduces your low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the "bad" cholesterol. Soluble fiber is also found in such foods as kidney beans, apples, pears, psyllium, barley and prunes. Soluble fiber appears to reduce the absorption of cholesterol in your intestines. Ten grams or more of soluble fiber a day decreases your total and LDL cholesterol. Eating 1 1/2 cups of cooked oatmeal provides 6 grams of fiber. If you add fruit, such as bananas, you'll add about 4 more grams of fiber.
Walnuts, almonds and more
Studies have shown that walnuts can significantly reduce blood cholesterol. Rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, walnuts also help keep blood vessels healthy and elastic. Almonds and some other nuts appear to have a similar effect. According to the Food and Drug Administration, eating about a handful (1.5 ounces, or 42.5 grams) a day of most nuts, such as almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts, pecans, some pine nuts, pistachio nuts and walnuts, may reduce your risk of heart disease.
Alll nuts are high in calories, so a handful will do. To avoid gaining weight, replace foods high in saturated fat with nuts. For example, instead of using cheese, meat or croutons in your salad, add a handful of walnuts or almonds.
Fish and omega-3 fatty acids
Research has supported the cholesterol-lowering benefits of eating fatty fish because of its high levels of omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids also help the heart in other ways such as reducing blood pressure and the risk of blood clots. In people who have already had heart attacks, fish oil — or omega-3 fatty acids — significantly reduces the risk of sudden death.
Doctors recommend eating at least two servings of fish a week. The highest levels of omega-3 fatty acids are in mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines, albacore tuna and salmon. If you don't like fish, you can also get omega-3 fatty acids from foods like ground flaxseed or canola oil.
You can take an omega-3 or fish oil supplement to get some of the beneficial effects, but you won't get all the other nutrients in fish, like selenium. If you decide to take a supplement, just remember to watch your diet and eat lean meat or vegetables in place of fish.
Olive oil
Olive oil contains a potent mix of antioxidants that can lower your "bad" (LDL) cholesterol but leave your "good" (HDL) cholesterol untouched. The Food and Drug Administration recommends about 2 tablespoons (23 grams) of olive oil a day to get its heart-healthy benefits. To add olive oil to your diet, you can saute vegetables in it, add it to a marinade, or mix it with vinegar as a salad dressing. You can also use olive oil as a substitute for butter when basting meat.
Some research suggests that the cholesterol-lowering effects of olive oil are even greater if you choose extra-virgin olive oil, meaning the oil is less processed and contains more heart-healthy antioxidants. Avoid "light" olive oils. This label usually means the oil is more processed and lighter in color, not fat or calories.
Foods fortified with plant sterols or stanols
Foods are now available that have been fortified with sterols or stanols — substances found in plants that help block the absorption of cholesterol. Margarines, orange juice and yogurt drinks fortified with plant sterols can help reduce LDL cholesterol by more than 10 percent. The amount of daily plant sterols needed for results is at least 2 grams — which equals about two 8-ounce (237 milliliters) servings of plant sterol-fortified orange juice a day.
Plant sterols or stanols in fortified foods don't appear to affect levels of triglycerides or of "good" high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. Nor do they interfere with the absorption of the fat-soluble vitamins — vitamins A, D, E and K.
check with your doctor
And, of course, check with a medical practitioner if you think something is amiss . . . and while you converse with them, ask about natural cures for anything causing you aches and pains. You will find, sadly, that some doctors eschew anything other than what they have learned through their training and a few will actually become upset if you ask about natural cures.
As we come across items of interest that might benefit you, we will include them here.
Because the principals of this site are getting on in years, we are facing unexpected health challenges, ones that we never thought we would be dealing with, or that we unrealistically tried pushing off 'til "later."