Weekly Health Quiz: Red Tide, Dehydration and Bitter Herbs

1 Bitter herbs and foods can help optimize health as a result of their ability to:

• Reduce risk of diarrhea
• Prevent fever
• Improve blood flow and trigger release of nitric oxide
• Improve digestion, gastrointestinal health and nutrient absorption

  Bitter herbs, spices and foods offer valuable benefits and can go a long way toward improving your overall health by improving digestion, gastrointestinal health and absorption of nutrients. Learn more.

2 Toxic algae blooms such as red tide, which have decimated wildlife in southern Florida, are primarily caused by:

• Runoff from agricultural fields where synthetic fertilizer or sewage sludge has been applied

  Synthetic fertilizers, manure, glyphosate and sewage sludge are all sources of nutrients that feed algae blooms, and most extreme cases are caused or worsened by runoff from agricultural land. Learn more.

• Illegal dumping of manufacturing byproducts by probiotics companies
• Overflowing sewage due to storms
• Algae blooms are an entirely natural process that is unaffected by man's presence in the environment

3 How many U.S. states are now affected by Lyme disease?

• 6 (New England states only)
• 25 (half of the U.S.)
• 50 (all of the U.S.)

  Lyme disease used to be confined to the area of New England. Now, a Quest Diagnostics health trend report warns the tick-borne disease has spread and is being diagnosed in every U.S. state, including Florida and California. Learn more.

• 39 (New England, Pacific Northwest, Colorado, Florida, Texas and most of Midwest)

4 Typically, the respiratory rate of humans is about 10 to 20 breaths per minute, but the optimal range of respiration may actually be:

• 30 to 40 breaths per minute
• Six to 10 breaths per minute

  Further, according to research in Breathe, optimized respiration in humans may be in the range of six to 10 breaths per minute, done in a way that activates your diaphragm. Learn more.

• Three to five breaths per minute
• 15 to 20 breaths per minute

5 Alzheimer's is now the third leading cause of death in the U.S., right behind heart disease and cancer. Which of the following lifestyle strategies has been shown to cut your risk of Alzheimer's by as much as 66 percent?

• Taking a sauna at least four times a week

  Compared to once-a-week saunas, taking a sauna four or more times a week has been shown to reduce your risk of dementia by 66 percent. Learn more.

• Walking barefoot daily
• Taking an ice bath at least once a week
• Deep breathing exercises performed daily

6 Which of these is not one of the GMO crops grown in Argentina?

• Soy
• Tobacco
• Potatoes

  "Genetically Modified Children" exposes how Philip Morris and Monsanto have exploited impoverished farmers since 1966, when the Argentinian government authorized the use of GMO crops such as soy, tobacco and cotton. Learn more.

• Cotton

7 Which of the following are two of the first signs of dehydration?

• Thirst and/or hunger
• Light-colored urine and frequent urination
• Dry skin and headache
• Brain fog and afternoon fatigue

  Your hydration status can be loosely ascertained by looking at the color of your urine, your frequency of urination and the amount. Two of the first signs of dehydration, however, are brain fog and afternoon fatigue. Learn more.