To some extent, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but the things we consider beautiful usually share certain characteristics, with symmetry and vitality being chief among them, says CEO Bill Schultz.

"The human body is an excellent example," says Schultz, president of posture innovator AlignMed, www.alignmed.com, and recent recipient of a special Congressional Recognition certificate for his contributions. "The people we view as physically attractive are usually healthy and symmetrical in appearance. That's not a coincidence; postural symmetry and good health go hand in hand."

Good posture - holding the head, shoulders and trunk in perfect alignment - creates balance, which allows our many physiological systems to function optimally, Schultz says. When we habitually sit, stand or walk in a less than a fully aligned position, muscles stretch or contract to accommodate. This can result in chronic imbalances that can lead to pain. Studies dating back to the 19th century also suggest our posture affects mood, energy and self-confidence, all of which affect how attractive we appear to others.

"You don't see supermodels, A-list actors or the rest of the 'beautiful people' slouched over as they strut down the runway or red carpet," Schultz notes.

"Think about the importance of posture among the most challenging sports; for track runners, ballerinas and gymnasts, optimal posture is essential," says Schultz, who explores four ways in which posture is part of the beauty-health connection.

• It's not just sitting for hours on end that's bad for you; it's how one sits. The dangers of sitting have garnered plenty of attention in recent years, especially since we have become a society of sitters. Sitting for long periods comes with many health risks, including obesity and cardiovascular disease. But sitting with less than perfect posture - most frequently, sitting with the head and should in a forward position over a desk -- can cause significant neck pain, which involves muscles and nerves from the neck down. Proper posture can prevent neck and spinal damage.

• More than 116 million Americans, or a third of the population, suffer from chronic pain at some point in their lives. That's according to a recent report from the Institute of Medicine. Chronic pain means that a sufferer has anywhere from 30 to 60 days of lasting pain, and this massive problem is estimated to cost Americans $635 billion dollars. For many, treatment and/or prevention is out of reach, however, a reliable and easy way to prevent chronic pain is to maintain good posture.

• A strong, well-functioning core is crucial for training and optimal health. The bulk of a body's mass is located at and around one's core, including the trunk and pelvis region. Today's fitness fanatics firmly grasp the importance of a healthy core. Surprisingly, however, much of the health-conscious population today is muscle-centric and does not fully appreciate the importance of posture, even though proper posture facilitates core strengthening, especially while exercising.

• Using passive therapy to continuously improve posture. To feel and look your best, it's important to maintain good posture throughout the day, but that's difficult, especially for sedentary people. Neurologists at Rush University Medical Center say passive therapy can be even more effective than active therapy. Posture-enhancing apparel such as MyLign by AlignMed, worn by professional athletes including NBA player Dwight Howard, offer neurologic biofeedback that constantly remind the skeleton and muscles to self-correct. AlignMed founder Shultz says the shirts are not compression shirts, which squeeze the body and are primarily worn for aesthetics. "The shirts map muscles in the same way kinesio tape - used to reduce inflammation, relax muscles and enhance performance - assists world-class athletes," he says.

About Bill Schultz

Bill Schultz is the president and founder of AlignMed, the evidence-based apparel company that offers the Align Posture range of products (Postureshirt, MyLign and S3) used by many of today's top professional athletes, including Houston Rockets center Dwight Howard. Schultz recently received a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition for "outstanding and invaluable service" through AlignMed. The company is home of the breakthrough alignment/posture shirt that is designed to map the muscle of the wearer's torso and posterior region, which gently yet continually aligns the body. The shirts can be worn 24/7 and are appropriate for all manner of physical activity - or inactivity, including sleeping.

Coincides with one-year anniversary of IASourceLink.com

(DES MOINES, IA) - Governor Terry Branstad kicked off Global Entrepreneurship Week in Iowa today during his weekly press conference.  Global Entrepreneurship Week, an initiative founded by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation in 2008, is the world's largest celebration of entrepreneurs and their efforts to bring ideas to life, drive economic growth and development and improve human well-being.

During one week each November, Global Entrepreneurship Week inspires people all over the world through local, national and global activities designed to assist entrepreneurs in exploring their full potential and spur creativity.  Global Entrepreneurship Week is actively celebrated in 125 countries, with 24,008 partner organizations planning 33,846 activities that directly engage millions of participants every year.

"This is a great opportunity to spotlight the contribution of small business to the state's economy," said Governor Branstad.  "Small businesses are the backbone of the state's economy, accounting for 51.3 percent of private sector jobs.  Focusing on entrepreneurial development not only advances our goals in terms of job creation, but helps to improve our overall business climate and vitality."

During the press conference, the Governor invited entrepreneurs and innovators to get involved by participating in events scheduled around the state.  Just a few of the events taking place across the state include :

• Dream Big Grow Here Contest - Quad Cities
• Smart Start workshop - Burlington - Tuesday, November 19
• One Million Cups - West Des Moines - Wednesday, November 20

A full listing of events can be found at www.iasourcelink.com/gew.

Global Entrepreneurship Week in Iowa is being spearheaded by IASourceLink.com, Iowa's online resource tool for entrepreneurs and small businesses.   IASourceLink.com, celebrating it's one year anniversary this month, is a website that is comprised of over 320 resource organizations located across Iowa that provide technical and financial assistance to entrepreneurs at all stages of growth.   The website is provided by the Iowa Economic Development Authority in partnership with the University of Northern Iowa's MyEntre.Net.

The Governor took today's launch of Global Entrepreneurship Week as an opportunity to commend IASourceLink.com on its first year of activities and for providing the foundation of assistance and guidance to Iowa's entrepreneurial community.   After just one year of activity, in terms of web traffic, IASourceLink.com ranks fourth out of 20 affiliates who utilize this same web-based, Kauffman Foundation sponsored tool for their respective communities nationwide.

Mallards Edge Denver in Shootout

DENVER, Colo. (November 16, 2013) - Mike Hellyer and Gabriel Levesque- who provided the game winner- both converted penalty shots and Ty Rimmer stopped five of six Denver Cutthroat penalty shots after making 23 saves in regulation and overtime as the Quad City Mallards defeated the host Cutthroats 3-2 in a shootout Saturday night.

Only Garett Bembridge buried a penalty shot for the Cutthroats, who did earn one point for the shootout loss.

The game reached the shootout even though Denver outshot the Mallards 13-2 in the third period and overtime. The Cutthroats produced the only goal of the third period while on the power play just 50 seconds into the final frame of regulation. Daniel Maggio deadlocked the contest at two with a drive from the blue line THAT sailed over the net, off the back glass, off a Mallard skate and just over the goal line.

Maggio provided that fluke response after the Mallards scored twice in 27 seconds late in the second period to turn a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 lead. Nicholas Rioux's power play blast from the top of the right wing circle evened the score at 18:18 of the second. At 18:45 Matt Boyd pounced on a rebound to break the tie.

A.J. Gale scored the first goal of the night by wristing home Bembridge's centering pass at 10:07 of the first period.

The Mallards and Cutthroats meet again tomorrow night in Denver. The Mallards next play at home on Friday, November 29 at 7:05 p.m. against the St. Charles Chill. November 29 is also a $1 Dog/$1 Beer Friday presented by 97X.  Fans can purchase hot dogs and beer for $1 at iWireless Center concession stands during all Friday night home games.

The Mallards and Cutthroats meet again tomorrow night in Denver. The Mallards next play at home on Friday, November 29 at 7:05 p.m. against the St. Charles Chill. November 29 is also a $1 Dog/$1 Beer Friday presented by 97X.  Fans can purchase hot dogs and beer for $1 at iWireless Center concession stands during all Friday night home games.

Tickets for the November 29 game and all other Mallards regular season home games can be purchased at the iWireless Center ticket office, Ticketmaster outlets, through ticketmaster.com or through Ticketmaster charge-by-phone toll free at 1-800-745-3000.  The ticket office is open weekdays from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and on game days from 10:00 a.m. until the start of the second period.

About the Quad City Mallards
A proud affiliate of the National Hockey League's Minnesota Wild and the American Hockey League's Iowa Wild, the Quad City Mallards are approaching their seventeenth season and their fourth in the Central Hockey League.  One of the winningest teams in all of minor league hockey, the Mallards competed in the United Hockey League from 1995 through 2007 and in the International Hockey League in 2009-10.  The Mallards' proud history has seen them capture the UHL's Colonial Cup Championship three times (1997, 1998, 2001) and secure that league's Tarry Cup four times (1998, 2000, 2001, 2002) for the best overall regular season record.  In 2001, the Mallards made professional hockey history, recording their sixth consecutive season with 50 or more wins, a feat that has yet to be matched.  The i wireless Center provides a unique environment for hockey and features one-of-a-kind seating areas such as the Nest for groups and functions and the exclusive Drake Club.  For more information on the Quad City Mallards or for Mallards tickets go to www.myqcmallards.com.  Fans can also follow the Mallards via Twitter at twitter.com/myqcmallards and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/quadcitymallards.