Weekly Health Quiz: Fasting, Diabetes and Wheatgrass

1 Which of the following mimics the effects of bilirubin, which has been linked to improved weight control and a lower risk of diabetes?

• Spirulina

  Bilirubin might aid weight control by preventing the development of leptin resistance. Phycocyanobilin found in spirulina is rapidly reduced to phycocyanorubin, a close homolog of bilirubin, in mammalian cells, and may therefore be an effective way to combat leptin resistance. Learn more.

• Cyanobacteria
• Resveratrol
• Coenzyme Q10

2 Civil liberties protected under the U.S. Constitution include:

• Freedom of speech and freedom of religious belief only
• Freedom of thought, speech, conscience, religious belief and the right to dissent and petition the government, as well as the right to assembly

  The U.S. Constitution protects the civil liberties of all Americans, including freedom of thought, speech, conscience, religious belief and the right to dissent and petition the government, as well as the right to assembly. Yet these constitutional rights are being infringed upon in remarkably blatant ways these days. Learn more.

• The right to dissent and petition the government only
• No civil liberties are protected under the Constitution

3 Three of the following are signs of possible opioid addiction; which one is not?

• You've been taking an opioid for more than two months
• You find yourself needing a higher dosage than before
• Improved mood and productivity

  If you've been on an opioid for more than two months, or if you find yourself taking a higher dosage, or taking the drug more often, you may be addicted and should seek help. Learn more.

• You're taking the drug more often than before

4 When intermittently fasting, the following is a crucial component:

• Avoiding high-fat foods, especially saturated fats
• Eating high amounts of protein, approximately 50 to 80 percent of your total calories
• Avoiding food for a minimum of 24 hours at a stretch
• Avoiding processed foods, especially refined carbs and oils, sugar/fructose and grains

  When intermittently fasting, it's critical to avoid processed foods, particularly refined carbohydrates, sugar/fructose and grains. Focus on vegetable carbohydrates, healthy protein in moderate amounts, and healthy fats such as butter, eggs, avocado, coconut oil, olive oil and raw nuts. Learn more.

5 The green pigment found in wheatgrass that is responsible for some of its health benefits, such as helping improve red blood cell function and fight pathogenic yeast, is:

• Chlorophyll

  Chlorophyll is the green pigment in plants that plays a central role in photosynthesis and may have positive effects on your health. One study found that consuming foods rich in chlorophyll may help you manage inflammation better. Learn more.

• Spirulina
• Copper
• Selenium

6 Psilocybin (magic mushrooms) have been scientifically shown to:

• Kill you in as little as one dose
• Ease or even eliminate depression in patients dying of cancer

  Driving the renaissance of psychedelics in the current day are well-respected institutions such as Johns Hopkins University, where researchers have investigated the benefits of magic mushrooms on depression in patients dying of cancer. Learn more.

• Result in long-term or even permanent psychosis
• Prevent adult-onset of psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia

7 The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) controls autophagy and plays an important role in aging and cancer. Which of the following activate mTOR — thereby speeding up the aging process and raising your risk of chronic disease — to the greatest degree?

• Protein
• Fat
• Refined carbohydrates

  While protein activates mTOR, and therefore needs to be restricted to just what your body needs, sugar and refined carbohydrates activate mTOR to a far greater degree than protein. Learn more.

• Fiber