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Weekly Health Quiz: The 'Farm Effect' and What Household Items Increase Lung Cancer Risk?

1 Which condition is characterized by inflammation or irritation of the stomach lining?

  • Acid reflux
  • Peptic ulcer
  • Indigestion
  • Gastritis

    Gastritis occurs when the stomach lining becomes inflamed or irritated, leaving the tissue underneath more vulnerable to stomach acid. Learn more.

2 A seal from a reputable organization like USP or NSF International usually indicates what?

  • Third-party testing

    Third-party testing helps verify that a product contains what its label claims and that it has been tested for harmful contaminants. Learn more.

  • Prescription approval
  • Government manufacturing
  • Guaranteed health benefits

3 Which microbes were most strongly linked to the farm effect?

  • Several types of fungi found in soil
  • Viruses that infect bacteria in barns
  • Common yeast species found on plants
  • Nine genera of gram-positive bacteria

    Nine genera of gram-positive bacteria accounted for about two-thirds of the link between farm exposure and lower asthma risk. Learn more.

4 Which food can help nourish beneficial gut bacteria such as Akkermansia?

  • Blueberries

    Blueberries provide polyphenols that can help support beneficial gut bacteria and a healthier gut environment. Learn more.

  • Certified organic meat
  • Grass fed margarine
  • Canned tuna

5 Compared with typical high-intensity interval training (HIIT), how is sprint-interval training usually performed?

  • With longer efforts and very short recovery periods
  • With steady exercise at a moderate pace
  • With light activity and frequent short breaks
  • With short all-out bursts and longer recovery periods

    Sprint-interval training uses brief, near-maximal efforts followed by longer recovery before the next sprint. Learn more.

6 What surprising household item can add pollutants to the air you breathe?

  • Cotton curtains
  • Ceramic dishes
  • Scented candles

    Scented candles can release pollutants into indoor air, along with sources such as incense, aerosol products, cleaning chemicals, and secondhand smoke. Learn more.

  • Wooden furniture

7 How does glycine help calm certain immune cells?

  • It activates chloride channels that make the cells harder to stimulate

    Glycine can reduce calcium spikes inside immune cells, which lowers their activation and decreases inflammatory signals such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha. Learn more.

  • It increases calcium levels and attenuates inflammatory signaling to slow down activity
  • It raises the production of damaging free radicals in the cells
  • It speeds up immune cell growth during inflammatory stress