Weekly Health Quiz: Depression, Sunscreen and Showers

1 Which of the following has been shown to protect against heart attack and stroke, even when traditional risk factors for atherosclerosis are present?

• 3 to 5 eggs per week
• Probiotic-rich fermented foods

  Metabolites produced by certain gut microbes have been linked to an increased risk of atherosclerosis, heart attack, stroke and early death. Among patients with traditional risk factors, having low amounts of these metabolites appear to protect against clot-related events. Learn more.

• Wheat germ
• Biodynamic fruit

2 Which of the following is NOT a recommended way to prevent sexually transmitted diseases?

• Abstinence
• Condom use
• Being in a monogamous relationship with an uninfected partner
• Showering after sex

  Three of the more commonly transmitted diseases have reached record levels in the U.S. Nationwide, there were 1.6 million cases of chlamydia in 2016, 470,000 cases of gonorrhea and 28,000 new cases of syphilis. What's worse, STD infections are becoming increasingly resistant to the antibiotics used to treat them. Learn more.

3 The sun protection factor (SPF) on sunscreen describes the product's ability to protect against:

• UVA rays only
• UVB rays only

  SPF applies to UVB rays only, not UVA. But buyer beware. Tests show many sunscreens are far less effective than claimed on the label; 24 of the 73 products evaluated offered less than half of the protection promised by their stated SPF. Learn more.

• Both UVA and UVB rays

4 Which of the following lifestyle factors has been identified as a probable carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC)?

• Shift-work, due to sleep cycle disruption

  The IARC lists shift work as a probable carcinogen, due to its disruptive effects on your circadian rhythm. Lack of sleep is also associated with a wide range of other side effects, ranging from diminished productivity and poor problem-solving skills to increased stress and inflammation. Learn more.

• Wearing shoes, which prevents free electron uptake from the Earth
• Unprotected sun exposure
• Pumping gas, due to exposure to gasoline fumes

5 What form of lifestyle has been shown to improve depression symptoms?

• Intermittent fasting
• Strength training

  A meta-analysis of 33 trials involving nearly 2,000 people showed that strength training led to a significant reduction in depressive symptoms. Learn more.

• Cognitive therapy
• Cyclical ketosis

6 With the merger of Bayer and Monsanto, how many companies now control the bulk of the global seed and pesticide market?

• 1
• 3

  With the recent mergers of Bayer-Monsanto, Dow-DuPont and ChemChina's acquisition of Syngenta, three megacompanies will now dominate the global seed and pesticide market. Learn more.

• 6
• 12

7 Why do natural, whole foods have flavor?

• Ward off predators
• Communicate with other plants
• Signal nutrient content and density

  Flavor is a marker for the nutritional density of the food. Artificial flavor technology has allowed for the radical deterioration of food quality, as you can easily mask the flavor of inferior quality ingredients with chemicals. Learn more.

• Artifact of reproductive strategy