One way to cut down on the stress in your life: Stop worrying so much. Easier said than done, right? Some things we simply must worry about -- the safety of our kids in this scary world, for example. But here are nine things we can strike from our worry lists, starting today.

Toilets
Yes, it's possible to contract an infection from potty seats -- see this previous post -- but it's not as likely as you might think. In fact, as long as you wash your hands after a trip to the bathroom, you'll likely never get one. You see, bacteria can't pass through intact skin so in order to catch something, you'd have to not wash your hands and then touch your mouth, nose, or eyes. As for STDs -- they are acquired only by having sex.

Doorknobs
Wash your hands in public restrooms, open doors with your elbows or use a paper towel to turn the knob and you'll fare just fine in the germ department.

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We have all heard that pets can help teach kids patience, responsibility, and empathy, but according to a recent study, having a dog in the home during childhood, especially during the first year of infancy, seriously decreased a child's likelihood of developing sensitivities to allergens like pollen. Our own Maggie first broke this story a few days ago but it's worth repeating for those thinking about investing in a canine commitment -- and for those who like photos of cute kids and cute dogs. See gallery that follows.

So the science behind this theory is that dogs bring germs inside on their coats and in their mouths, thus exposing kids to them and boosting the child's immune system. Older generations were often exposed to more dirt and germs as children (you know, because kids used to actually play outside instead of sitting indoors playing video games), and therefore developed a greater resistance to many allergens than kids today.

This study in particular has taken blood samples from 3,000 six-year-olds and will test the samples for hints that the child might become allergic to things like pet hair, dust mites, and pollen. The children will be retested at age 10, but the lead researcher has already stated with confidence that, "Our results show clearly that the presence of a dog in the home during infancy is associated with a significantly low level of sensitization to pollens and allergens."

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Antibiotics are "anti-"biotic, right? They destroy bacteria. Only when researchers were recently were fiddling around in a lab trying to find ways to create biofuel out of agricultural waste, they made a disturbing discovery. Several bacteria present in common soil not only resisted antibiotics, they gobbled them up and asked for more.

When placed in a petri dish with only antibiotics for sustenance, the bacteria grew slightly more slowly than they would in nature, but still thrived for a very long time. Not only that, they withstood massive amounts of antibiotics, 50 to 100 times the human dose.

Researchers are working to discover exactly how these bacteria fake out the antibiotics and say that, right now, bacteria found in soil is of little harm to humans. But because relatives of the dangerous E. coli virus live in the dirt, they'd like to have a plan of action in case one of those little bugs mutates and gets out of hand.

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I tell myself my diet is healthy. Really, much of it is. Since last May, I've ditched soda, sweets, and anything high in sugar. I've cut out chips and dips and fatty snacks. I've nixed pizza. I've removed all dressings from my salads. And just recently, I've begun watching my salt intake. Still, I make mistakes. Sometimes I eat too many crackers. Sometimes I go overboard on nuts. Take me out to eat and I just can't control how much bread I eat.

We've all got skeletons in our diet closets. Are these some of yours?

• We tend to underestimate calories in "healthy" fast food (like grilled chicken salads or turkey sandwiches) by up to 35 percent, which leads to unchecked overindulgence. To combat this practice, limit high-calorie add-ons like croutons, cheese, salad dressings, and mayonnaise.

• We sometimes blow it on extras by choosing beverages, desserts, and side dishes with up to 131 percent more calories when we think we've ordered a healthy main dish. Next time you get yourself a healthy meal, let it stand alone by forgoing the treats.

• We eat as much as 18g (3 tsp) of salt daily. That's way too much. Try instead to stick with less than 2,300 mg (1 tsp) a day. Avoiding soy sauce, lunch meats, and chicken noodle soup will help.

What are your diet pitfalls? Think about it, because recognizing your eating hazards can help you put a stop to them. Or at least control them.

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Why do people eat dirt? It may sound crazy, but according to this article, certain people on every continent (except Antarctica) consume chalk, loam or marl. There's been a study conducted to address this very issue. I've heard of quirky college professors eating their chalk, but this story also points to an island in Africa where eating 25 grams of earth indicates she is expecting a child.

It's called geophagy, and some researchers say it's like an addiction. Being choosy about the dirt they eat is actually a big part of it. People who partake in geophagy won't just scoop up their garden to take a bite. Some inhabitants in Africa will actually travel outside their village to get their fix!

But is there anything to it? Well some types of dirt actually contain magnesium, sodium, calcium, and potassium. But a British team unearthed the truth and discovered consuming loam actually led to iron deficiency. Either way they have been doing this for about 2 million years. At least we can say with confidence that a little dirt never hurt anyone!

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