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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Yesterday, I published a post citing the fact that 95 percent of those who successfully lose weight somehow go on to regain the unwanted pounds within a few years. Now I've happened upon this statistic: 50 percent of people who start an exercise program quit within the first three to six months.

Hey, it happens. I know. In my combined 37 years on this planet, I've cycled in and out of exercise programs more times than I care to count. And while I seem to be doing OK right now -- I do something fitness-related every day -- there's just no telling what might throw me off my course. That's why I always try to remember why I exercise.

I exercise for energy -- even when I'm tired, I force myself to do something. Inevitably, I feel recharged when I'm done. I exercise for strength -- I want strong bones, strong muscles, arms powerful enough to hoist my littlest growing boy into the air on occasion. I exercise for a lean body -- I've seen results, and I don't want to lose them. I exercise for a healthier heart -- my low resting heart rate always tips off my doctors that I'm challenging myself aerobically. I exercise for peace of mind -- I need to escape the madness of my family unit now and then, and I always feel invigorated when I return home. I exercise to boost my mood, ease my worries, diminish my stress, refocus my thoughts, recharge my spirit, and perhaps most important: To keep breast cancer from paying me a return visit. Recent research links five weekly hours of strenuous exercise to a pretty significant cut in breast cancer risk. That's reason enough for me to keep huffing and puffing.

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There are always new scary bits of news regarding our children and their health. We're constantly bombarded with studies and warnings about obesity, depression, drug addictions, and even relative "wild cards" to worry about like autism. So what worries you the most? Here are the Top 10 Concerns about kids today (ranked in order), according to The National Poll on Children's Health:

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