With Mayo Clinic oncologist Edward T. Creagan, M.D.

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." So began "A Tale of Two Cities," the novel by Charles Dickens. Appropriate words for these difficult times on Wall Street as well. News reports clearly demonstrate the tremendous pressures on members of the financial communities. Not only are their assets unraveling but their sense of self worth and identity is unraveling.

We now understand that there is no such thing as the mind/body separation. Spiritual thinkers over thousands of years have told us that as we think so we become. Now, do not get me wrong. I am not suggesting we sit in a dark corner, focus on a candle, and wish away our woes. However, we are better able to weather these financial difficulties and uncertainties by taking care of ourselves physically and acknowledging that the essence of stress is a sense of powerlessness and a sense of being out of control. So, what we can control are our thoughts and our beliefs.

To ruminate over events about which we have no control can certainly set us up for all sorts of physical problems. A figure commonly quoted in medical literature is that approximately 70 percent to 80 percent of patients seeking care from primary care physicians or from internists have conditions either caused by or worsened by stress.

I do not suggest that there are simple solutions, but we would like to hear from you about how you're dealing specifically with the financial uncertainties. What happens on Wall Street certainly affects those of us on Main Street.

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