Weekly Health Quiz: Pollution, Exercise and Emotions

1 Which of the following is an important component of chronic disease prevention, including cancer?

• Increasing water intake and decreasing dairy (including organic)
• Restricting your bowel movements to four times a week or less
• Increasing intake of omega-3 and decreasing omega-6 (found in vegetable oils)

  Vegetable oils are a concentrated source of omega-6 linoleic acid, which has led to a severe imbalance between the omega-6 to omega-3 ratio in most people's diets. This imbalance appears to be why vegetable oils promote chronic diseases and cancer. Learn more.

• Avoiding standing for more than three hours a day

2 Which of the following is a valid contraindication for vaccination that would make you eligible for a medical vaccine exemption?

• Any seizure condition
• Any autoimmune disease
• Autism
• None of the above

  According to the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, there are only two types of vaccine reactions that are absolute contraindications to getting revaccinated and thus warrant a medical exemption: 1) a life-threatening allergic anaphylactic reaction that occurs within minutes of vaccination and 2) development of encephalopathy (prolonged seizures, coma and other brain dysfunction) within seven days of receiving pertussis-containing vaccines — but only if the doctor believes the encephalopathy is "not attributable to another cause." Learn more.

3 Which of the following companies recently acquired Fitbit and has access to the health data of all Fitbit users?

• Google

  In November 2019, Google acquired Fitbit for $2.1 billion, giving it access to the health data of its 28 million users. While Google says it won't sell or use Fitbit data for Google ads, some users have already ditched their devices for fear of privacy breaches. Learn more.

• Amazon
• Microsoft
• Apple

4 Which of the following emotional states has been scientifically validated as a way to boost health, happiness and life satisfaction?

• Amusement
• Gratitude

  Practicing gratitude has been scientifically verified as a way to boost happiness and life satisfaction. It also benefits your mental and physical health. Learn more.

• Pride
• Excitement

5 Why are rivers key to cleaning up plastic pollution?

• it is impossible to install antipollution equipment in oceans
• rivers are an important source of drinking water
• 80% of ocean plastic pollution comes from the world's rivers

  Eighty percent of the plastic pollution in our oceans comes from the rivers and 1,000 of the world's rivers are responsible for most of the plastic pollution. Learn more.

• rivers contain more marine life than oceans

6 Which of the following types of exercise helps prevent osteoporosis, by improving osteoblast formation?

• Marathon running
• Swimming
• Bodyweight exercises
• Blood flow restriction training

  Blood flow restriction training improves osteoblast formation, or the formation of bone, and helps prevent further degradation of bone density, thus lowering your risk of osteoporosis. Learn more.