By Natasha Turner, ND

Over the past few weeks we have had questionnaires to test your daily health habits, and today is the final part of our lifestyle assessment! How have you been doing—are you a health guru, naturally health savvy or do you need to make some lifestyle changes?

If you missed out on Part 1 and Part 2, take them now. I hope in completing these fun questionnaires you have identified which of your habits are health promoting and which you should think about changing. My goal in creating these quizzes was to make you health conscious and to encourage you to make choices daily to ensure optimal health for you and your family.

Click on each question to see the best answer.

1. Do you take fish oils daily or other types of essential fatty acid supplements?

a. Often
b. Sometimes
c. Occasionally
d. Never

2. Do you microwave foods in plastic containers or covered with plastic wrap?

a. Often
b. Sometimes
c. Occasionally
d. Never

3. Do you eat organic foods?

a. I try to most of the time
b. Never
c. Occasionally—when it is available or affordable

4. Do you consume artificial sweeteners (aspartame or saccharin) in diet products or add them to your foods or drinks?

a. Often
b. Sometimes
c. Occasionally
d. Never

5. How many times per day do you eat sugar in the form of pastries, muffins, sweets, candies, pop, juices, etc.?

a. None
b. 1 to 2
c. 3 to 4
d. 5 to 7

6. Do you consume protein with each meal and snack?

a. Often
b. Sometimes
c. Occasionally
d. Never

7. Do you skip meals or go longer than four hours without eating?

a. Often
b. Sometimes
c. Occasionally
d. Never

8. Do you use butter or margarine?

a. Butter
b. Margarine
c. Neither

9. Do you have a bowel movement each day?

a. Yes—one
b. No
c. Yes—two or more
d. No—but at least every other day

10. Do you cook with coated cookware, such as Teflon, or with aluminum pans?

a. Often
b. Sometimes
c. Occasionally
d. Never

Scoring:
1. a. 3 b. 2 c. 1 d. 0
2. a. 0 b. 1 c. 2 d. 3
3. a. 2 b. 0 c. 1
4. a. 0 b. 1 c. 2 d. 3
5. a. 3 b. 2 c. 1 d. 0
6. a. 3 b. 2 c. 1 d. 0
7. a. 0 b. 1 c. 2 d. 3
8. a. 1 b. 0 c. 1
9. a. 2 b. 0 c. 3 d. 1
10. a. 0 b. 1 c. 2 d. 3

Interpretation:

23–27: Health Guru!
Your habits are health promoting this week! How did you make out on Part 1 and Part 2?

16–22: Health Savvy
Your habits are good, but they could be better. Complete the Truestar Profile to start improving your health today.

Less than 15: Your habits need some tweaking!
Total your scores for the past three weeks and keep in mind which questions you lost out on. Use the information in all three parts of this quiz to help you to make some needed changes before you develop conditions which will later require you to do so! Become proactive in your health care and age the best you can.

I hope in completing this exercise you have discovered little ways to improve your lifestyle and wellness each day.

References