Reader Review

Better Nutrition, March, 2000 by Deanna Efird

Reader Review

These questions [answers] are taken directly from articles in this issue. See what caught your mental eye as you read this issue, or flip back through the pages to find the answers.

1. Of the two - rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis - rheumatoid arthritis is the more common.

a) True; b) False.

2. Which of the following is known to cause food allergies in some people?:

a) pesticides;

b) monosodium glutamate (MSG);

c) olestra;

d) FD&C Yellow No. 5;

e) all of the above.

3. Surprising as this is, our brain and visual system account for only about 2% of our body weight, yet use up what percentage of our nutritional intake?:

a) half;

b) 10 percent;

c) 15 percent;

d) 25 percent.

4. Which herb, supportive to both liver and gallbladder function, is also a powerful diuretic?:

a) milk thistle;

b) ginseng;

c) dandelion;

d) turmeric.

5. Enzymes do which of the following?:

a) decrease swelling; and inflammation;

b) improve blood circulation;

c) improve the body's removal of waste products;

d) none of the above;

e) all of the above.

6. Healthy gums do not bleed when brushed.

a) True; b) False.

7. Alpha-lipoic acid, a very powerful antioxidant, is unusual in that it works in both the lipid (fat) and water layers of our cells. For which of the following has alpha-lipoic acid been shown to be effective?:

a) diabetic neuropathy;

b) ulcerative colitis;

c) diabetes;

d) none of the above.

8. All cataracts interfere with vision and, therefore, a person who can see cannot have cataracts.

a) True; b) False.

9. Maltic acid, an alpha-hydroxy acid, comes from which of the following?:

a) milk thistle;

b) milk;

c) apples;

d) grapes.

10. Which of the following two forms of vitamin E is the natural form (as opposed to synthetic)?:

a) dl-alpha-tocopherol;

b) d-alpha-tocopherol.

ANSWERS

1. b) False; Rheumatoid arthritis, an auto-immune disorder, bears little similarity to osteoarthritis and is much less common. It affects approximately 2.5 million people in the US vs the more than 35 million people estimated to be affected by osteoarthritis (Arthritis, p. 52).

2. e) All of those listed have been associated with food allergies (Food Allergies, p. 36).

3. d) Though small (compared to other organs and systems), our brain and visual system use up approximately 25 percent of our nutritional intake, (Eye Smarts, p. 44).

4. c) Rich in vitamins and minerals, dandelion is a diuretic, and is sometimes helpful in cases of mild to moderate hypertension (Spring Cleansing, p. 68).

5. e) Enzymes do all this, and more! (Enzymes, p. 76).

6. a) True; healthy gums do not bleed when brushed. In fact, blood on the toothbrush or dental floss is one of the earliest and most common signs of gingivitis (Longevity, p. 24).

7. a) For sufferers of diabetic neuropathy, a nerve degeneration condition, 100 mg of alpha-lipoic acid, 3 times a day has been found to be therapeutic (Nutrition Hotline, p. 16).

8. b) False; not all cataracts interfere with vision (Eye Smarts, p. 44).

9. c) Maltic acid is derived from apples (Wrinkles, p. 62).

10. b) The natural form of vitamin E is d-alphatocopherol.