Proper posture while standing usually means keeping yourself as upright as possible. But when it comes to sitting down, some researchers believe that leaning back a bit is better for your spine.

Using magnetic resonance imagine (MRI), Scottish and Canadian researchers found that sitting up straight may actually be bad for your back.

Scanning the spines of over 20 volunteers, researchers from Aberdeen, Scotland found that leaning back 45 degrees off vertical is ideal for back comfort and safety. I suppose this is good news for my old elementary school principal, who used to lean back in his chair and stare down his nose at troublesome students -- not that I know that from experience, of course ;)

Source

Curious to know how celebrities squeeze fitness into their daily lives? Want to know the secrets of the stars? Bi-weekly our That's Fit fitness expert Fitz sits down with the celebs we want to know more about, and digs out their great and not-so-great methods to staying healthy.

My guest this week became famous as one of the hot, yet capable babes of Charlie's Angels. This role that burned Cheryl Ladd's name and face into our minds forever, in my opinion, will not in the end, be what we remember her for. We spoke recently both over the phone and in person, and she definitely showed a side of her I hadn't expected to see.

Although stunningly beautiful, and more capable of turning heads at age 57 than most women are at 25 ... Cheryl's most impressive quality in my book is her willingness to take care of other women. She's investing a lot of time in guiding and educating other Baby Boomer women about menopause. Menopause is often a taboo, hush hush topic. But Cheryl has embraced her age and stepped up to the plate to help make her personal experience with menopause an educational experience for others. She shared a bunch of private experiences with me and offered advice for growing more beautiful each year. Read on to learn how to age as gracefully and gorgeously as she has.

Fitz: You're an iconic figure in beauty. You've aged flawlessly, and to me ... you're prettier today than you were 30 years ago starring in Charlie's Angels. What can we do, to be more like you?

Cheryl: First of all, I think it's most important for women to have a close relationship with their doctor. It's important to trust your doctor, so when things go weird you are comfortable addressing the situation and taking care of things. Be proactive with your health! You also have to love yourself! Beauty comes from the inside first.

Fitz: Well your outside is pretty fantastic too. Let's start with your fitness routine. What do you do to stay in such great shape?

Click here for a sneak peek at Fitz's live interview with Cheryl!

Source

Do you dread Mondays? I mean really dread Mondays? You're far from being alone in that sentiment, if you do. But there exists a vast difference between dreading Mondays and dying on a Monday!

Confusing, I know. Allow me to explain ...

According to researchers from the University of Glasgow in Scotland, more men and women die on Monday in their country than on any other day of the week. It is believed that an increase in alcohol consumption on weekends, coupled with the onset of work-related stress, may be part of the reason for this noticeable spike in deaths on this day of the week. This comes from information collected by the National Health Service.

I suppose all I have to say is Thank God it's Friday.

Recent research suggests that men and women in Scotland are twice as likely to suffer an alcohol-related death than their UK counterparts. Between 2002 and 2004, nearly 4 out of every 10,000 Scots died of alcohol-related causes, compared with only 1.7 Brits.

But that's not to say the UK is a pillar of moderate consumption. In 2004, the country saw 8,221 alcohol-related deaths, which is nearly double the 1991 figure.

In response, Scotland is implementing a new action plan to tackle the problem of alcohol abuse, which includes substance-abuse programming in schools, and an extension of a pilot initiative in which teenagers try and purchase alcohol to "string" shopkeepers that sell to minors.

Source