With today being Inauguration Day, I would like to take a few moments to reflect on the physical and psychological aging that goes on when you are in a high-stress job with tremendous responsibility. It isn’t just being President of the United States, though of course the health of our president is everyone’s concern. 

Back in 2004, I interviewed former President Clinton’s heart surgeon, Dr. Craig Smith, for the Washington Post, and I was amazed at how clogged Clinton’s arteries were prior to his extensive heart bypass operation. Of course, Clinton was a famous fast-food junkie, and he also admitted later that he wasn’t completely compliant with his cholesterol-lowering medication. Clinton exercised, played golf, and kept his weight down, but his photographs show him visibly aging over his 8 years in office.

George W. Bush is a runner, and exercised vigorously throughout his 8 years in the White House. During most of his first term, Bush reportedly ran an average of three miles, four times a week, also swimming, lifting weights, and working on an elliptical trainer. But reportedly damaging the meniscus of both knees, Bush switched to mountain biking for his regular exercise during his second term. Bush’s regular exercise throughout his presidency, and more careful diet than Clinton’s, will make it far less likely that he will suffer from heart problems in the future. Another factor is genetics — the good health of Bush 41 (who once again plans to jump out of a plan for his 85th birthday), as well as that of Barbara Bush, is a good indication that Bush 43 will also remain in good health. Still, looking at photographs of President Bush over the past 3 years reveals a man aging visibly under the stress of the job.

Barack Obama is 47 years old, thin, and also exercises regularly and vigorously. He is a lover of basketball, and reportedly plans to play in the White House gym. The greatest concern for his health, if he manages to avoid the cream sauces and desserts of State dinners, will be smoking. We don’t know how much Obama has smoked over the years, and he has promised not to smoke in the White House, but stress and cigarettes are a dangerous combination. Here’s hoping that our 44th president can kick the habit for good. If he does, then his long-term risk of heart disease, lung disease, and cancer will decrease dramatically.

Dr. Marc Siegel is an internist and associate professor of medicine at the NYU School of Medicine. He is a FOX News medical contributor and writes a health column for LA Times, where he examines TV and movies for medical accuracy. Dr. Siegel is the author of “False Alarm: The Truth about the Epidemic of Fear“ and “Bird Flu: Everything You Need to Know About the Next Pandemic.”  Read more at www.doctorsiegel.com

With Hillary Clinton set to concede the Democratic nomination to Barack Obama, supporters of the former First Lady have a difficult transition to make. 

Their aspirations to elect their candidate to the corner office took an increasingly divisive tone over the past weeks. Sen. Clinton unconsciously connected her rival to a presidential candidate assassinated while campaigning in the month of June (Robert Kennedy), and her campaign charged that the Obama campaign had a gun to her head to force her to quit the race.

Talk about politics as a blood sport. How does a Hillary Clinton loyalist line up behind her nemesis?

From a psychological perspective, the answer to that question is:  Not right away and not necessarily shoulder-to-shoulder.

Clinton supporters will need a little time to let the final chapters of their candidate’s campaign echo in their minds. They’ll need to grieve the loss of what looked like a sure thing and which has the language of death so closely associated with it.

They’ll need to date the political process for a little while before falling in love again — with the real potential to advance their ideas, if not their candidate.

To rush this process would be to short-circuit it. The wounds inflicted by each candidate on the other are too deep. They can’t be magically healed with a photo op or a raised hand. 

Pretending Clinton support translates in a wholesale way to Obama needlessly inserts falsehood into a movement that all of us, regardless of our politics, would have to admit is fueled by passion.

Hatred of John McCain will not immediately galvanize Democrats into a united force. McCain is, simply put, hard to hate. The most unsympathetic of biographers would not question his patriotism or bravery or character or commitment. 

Not even Obama choosing Clinton for his running mate would bridge the psychological divide here. That would create the immediate specter of a dysfunctional marriage in need of emergent counseling. It would look and feel like a shotgun wedding. And there’s that image of a gun again. Best to steer clear.

No. This will take a little time. And giving voice to that fact, actually verbalizing the idea that Clinton supporters can gravitate into Obama’s orbit, not rocket there, is the best way that Democrats can make it happen, in due time.

Dr. Ablow is a psychiatry correspondent for FOX News Channel. He is the author of Living the Truth: Transform Your Life Through the Power of Insight and Honesty. Visit his Web site at www.livingthetruth.com.