• Considering the havoc that sitting for long periods of time can wreck on our life span, we’ve been brainstorming ways to stay active at our desks. One solution: the balance ball desk chair, which claims to whittle your middle as you sit. This blogger put the contraption to a weeklong test. [Vitamin G]

• Who says you have to stick to yoga, biking, and jogging to burn those extra calories? A recent survey found you may burn up to 48,000 calories a year shopping. [That’s Fit]

• Sure, it’s pretty handy to blame that red face on genetics rather than that third martini, but new research shows the flushing response, most commonly seen in people of Asian descent, may have actually evolved as a genetic advantage and may be associated with lower rates of alcoholism. [Time]

• Think going on a diet means no more bread, pasta, or chocolate? Not so fast. Here’s why these and other common forbidden foods might actually help you lose weight. [MSN]

• Improvements in recognizing the symptoms of depression have led to more effective treatment in people who need it most. But they have also led to an increase in the amount of children diagnosed with mental health problems. In the past decade, bipolar diagnoses in children ages 2 to 5 have doubled. [ParentDish]

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