In the ongoing war against stress, Americans may find themselves turning to a rather unlikely source for relief, their imaginary friend "Fred".

Author David L. Mocknick has tapped into what he describes as the "magical and comical" powers of the name "Fred" to create a comprehensive system for relieving stress. "Human beings are like time bombs," Mocknick said. "When we get stressed out, all types of physical ailments can result. But we found that by 'Fredding,' you can actually relieve stress."

The system was born by accident, when Mocknick was out with friends. Whenever a person would say a word that rhymed with "Fred," someone would shout out "Who's Fred, Ha!" The little exercise produced plenty of laughs, but Mocknick was intrigued by how completely this phenomenon changed the moods of the participants, so he dug deeper.

He found that according to Teutonic Mythology, Frederick means Peace Ruler, and that the name has been used in various societies usually producing a kind of comical, magical effect. From that point, Mocknick created an entire stress relief system using the name Fred.

For example, whenever you're feeling stressed, Mocknick encourages you to close your eyes and repeat the name. "Visualize people you know named Fred, say it aloud, then yell 'Who's Fred, Ha!'" he says. "Almost immediately, you'll feel the tension slip away."