Watchman News

1 What is glyphosate’s primary role in conventional agriculture?

Killing weeds by disrupting plant growth pathways
Glyphosate is a broad-spectrum herbicide designed to kill plants by blocking a metabolic process essential for their growth. Learn more.
Preventing insect infestations in crops
Increasing the vitamin content of grains
Speeding up seed germination in organic farms

2 What is a risk of excess high-intensity exercise?

Sleep quality may suffer because of extra energy
Metabolism may slow down, depending on genetics
Social anxiety may worsen especially for younger people
Mitochondria and glucose control get disrupted
Extreme training can shut down mitochondria and disrupt blood sugar control. Learn more.

3 What mainly changes in your brain after lots of short-form video exposure?

Language skills and creativity
Sense of humor and optimism
Impulse control and stress regulation
Short-form video habits can also affect your attention aside from your self-control, and how your brain regulates stress. Learn more.
Hand-eye coordination and reflexes

4 How long does it take to see improvements in liver health from regular exercise?

Within one to two weeks of starting activity
After several years of consistent training
Only once major weight loss occurs
Within eight to 12 weeks of consistent exercise
Studies show liver fat reduction usually appears within eight to 12 weeks, while programs lasting six months or longer deliver stronger, longer-lasting metabolic benefits. Learn more.

5 Which factor receives little research funding despite being a major driver of heart disease risk?

Genetic cholesterol disorders
Environmental and endothelial damage
Pollution, lead exposure, chronic stress, and vessel damage drive heart disease risk but attract little funding because they cannot be patented or monetized like drugs. Learn more.
Dietary cholesterol intake and monitoring
Optimal statin dosing strategies

6 Why did Europe release its first clinical guide for photobiomodulation (PBM) in cancer care?

To standardize supportive light-based care in oncology
A clinical guide provides consistent treatment standards, making it easier for cancer centers to use PBM safely and effectively across Europe. Learn more.
To replace chemotherapy with light-based treatments
To limit PBM use to experimental research only
To regulate cosmetic light therapy clinics

7 Where does Big Food concentrate much of its marketing?

Whole food co-ops and local markets
Concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs)
Ultraprocessed foods aimed at children
Big Food targets children by marketing ultraprocessed snacks as fun, normalizing poor nutrition early. Learn more.
Public health clinics and nutritionists

Test Your Knowledge with
The Master Level Quiz

1 Why should regulatory claims about glyphosate safety be questioned?

Key studies with secret industry backing were retracted
Confidence in glyphosate safety is weakened when key studies are retracted for ethical reasons and hidden industry ties. Learn more.
Regulators have banned all research on glyphosate for profit motives
Organic farmers control most of the published studies
Safety claims are based only on animal testing and not human consumption

2 Why is it hard to get much thymoquinone from black cumin seed oil?

The oil is hard to find
Thymoquinone is destroyed by cooking
There’s very little thymoquinone in the oil
Thymoquinone is the main beneficial compound in black cumin seed oil, but only tiny amounts are present in the oil. Learn more.
Most brands add sugar, which disrupts the chemical makeup

3 What is one effective way to reduce glyphosate exposure?

Choosing organic or regeneratively farmed foods
Eating organic or regeneratively farmed foods helps lower glyphosate exposure by avoiding crops treated with herbicides. Learn more.
Rinsing all produce with hot water to remove residue
Avoiding all fresh fruits and vegetables sold in grocery stores
Taking daily vitamin supplements to increase antioxidant effectiveness

4 Which activity is most reliable for long-term brain health?

Heavy weightlifting
Daily sprint intervals
Marathon training
Regular moderate walking
Moderate, consistent walking is linked to slower brain decline and fewer metabolic problems. Learn more.

5 Which is a recommended way to avoid per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in cosmetics?

Check labels for “perfluoro-” or “polyfluoro-”
Checking for “perfluoro-” or “polyfluoro-” on labels is the most direct way to avoid per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in cosmetics. Learn more.
Choose only fragrance-free beauty products
Wash your face more often with cold water
Buy products labeled “hypoallergenic”

6 What opportunistic pathogen often rises in the gut after a colonoscopy?

Bacteroides
Lactobacillus
Firmicutes
Proteobacteria
Proteobacteria thrive when the gut is disrupted, quickly taking advantage of higher oxygen and stress after procedures like colonoscopies. Learn more.

7 Which approach is most effective for rebuilding focus?

Relying on willpower alone
Ignoring phone use and multitasking
Creating focus blocks
Changing your environment and setting daily focus periods helps restore attention better than relying on willpower. Learn more.
Taking daily memory supplements

8 Why do vision problems often appear before heart symptoms?

Large arteries handle stress longer than small vessels in the body
Eyesight conditions need more time to develop than chest pain
Heart and eye symptoms always appear together
Small eye vessels show damage from poor blood flow sooner
Tiny blood vessels in the eyes are affected by poor circulation before larger heart arteries show problems. Learn more.

9 How many Americans are affected by Type 2 diabetes?

Fewer than 5 million
About 8 million
Nearly 18 million
Over 38 million
More than 38 million Americans have Type 2 diabetes, and the number keeps rising. Learn more.

10 Which combination of exercise produces the strongest improvements for fatty liver disease?

Stretching, flexibility exercises, and some calisthenics
Aerobic exercise combined with resistance training
Combining aerobic and resistance exercise improves fat burning, insulin signaling, and blood sugar regulation more effectively than either exercise type alone. Learn more.
Resistance training without cardiovascular activity
Light walking performed a few times per week

11 Which kind of fat is most strongly linked to low vitamin D levels?

Visceral fat
Visceral fat, stored deep around organs, has the strongest association with low vitamin D levels. Learn more.
Subcutaneous fat
Fatty acids
Neck fat

12 Which neurotransmitter helps with memory, attention, learning, and emotional regulation?

Dopamine
Acetylcholine
Acetylcholine supports memory, attention, learning, and mood by helping nerve cells communicate. Learn more.
Serotonin
GABA

13 Which substance found in plaques explains why clots resist breaking down?

Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or bad cholesterol
Red blood cells
Lipoprotein A
Lipoprotein A helps patch artery damage but makes clots harder to dissolve, promoting plaque buildup and raising heart attack risk. Learn more.
Dietary fats

14 Which of these isn’t released by microbes from fermented foods?

Acids
Enzymes
Metabolites
Hormones
Fermented food microbes release acids, enzymes, and metabolites — but not hormones — when passing through your gut. Learn more.

15 What role does brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) play in mental health?

It slows down brain development in childhood
It raises stress hormones during anxiety
It blocks new connections between brain cells
It supports learning, mood stability, and stress resilience
BDNF helps brain cells grow and connect, promoting learning, stable mood, and the ability to handle stress. Learn more.

16 Which cancer-related complications have the strongest clinical support for photobiomodulation (PBM)?

Fatigue and nausea from chemotherapy
Oral mucositis and radiation-related skin damage
Clinical research shows PBM is especially helpful for easing pain and healing mouth sores and skin reactions caused by cancer treatment. Learn more.
Hair loss and immune suppression
Infection risk and blood cell loss

17 What hormone is commonly known as the “bonding hormone”?

Oxytocin
Oxytocin is called the “bonding hormone” because it promotes connection and lowers stress. Learn more.
Cortisol
Insulin
Adrenaline

18 What happens to the brain when someone has long-term high blood pressure?

Attention and learning get a measurable boost
More oxygen reaches all brain regions over time
Blood flow drops and memory-related areas shrink
Long-term high blood pressure reduces brain blood flow and shrinks areas critical for memory, focus, and decision-making. Learn more.
Nerves controlling relaxation become more active

19 Which of the following is not considered a real food alternative to Big Food?

EatWild.com and Local Harvest
Digital farmers market platforms
Pasture-based meat and raw dairy
National frozen meal distribution centers
Industrial frozen meal brands reflect Big Food’s model, unlike small-scale, regenerative, or farm-direct options. Learn more.

20 Overconsumption of which type of oil poses a major threat to mitochondrial and skin health?

Seed oils high in omega-6 fatty acids
Omega-6-rich seed oils impair mitochondrial energy production and increase vulnerability to sun-related skin damage when consumed in excess. Learn more.
Olive oil high in monounsaturated fats
Fish oil rich in omega-3 fatty acids
Coconut oil high in saturated fats

21 How many daily grams (g) of carbohydrates helps maintain metabolic health?

50 g
100 g
250 g
Around 250 g of carbohydrates daily supports thyroid function and lowers stress hormones, while overly low-carb intake raises cortisol and strains metabolism. Learn more.
400 g