Women are more social in the way they cope with stress. Men are more likely to deal with stress with a fight or flight reaction. Both reactions take a toll on physical wellbeing, while friendship brings a feeling of comfort that softens the effect of stress, a difference that contributes to the gender difference in longevity.

Once you get on a fixed income, and you get broadsided by one of these gargantuan bills, there's nothing you can do.

Optimism seems actually to change the nervous system and boost the immune response, just as being gloomy depresses it.