Last week's column was about improving memory and concentration. This week, readers can check out whether they still require a little extra brain food.

Just by taking part in the following quiz:

1 What is Nigella Sativa?

a) a new Bollywood dance craze;

b) a celebrity cook's delicious peanut sauce;

c) the botanical name for black cumin seed.

2 Which vitamins are fat soluble?

a) vitamins X, Y and Z;

b) vitamins C and B;

c) vitamins A, D, E, K and betacarotene.

3 Where can you find methanol, an alcohol made from wood?

a) inside a lot of people late on a Friday night;

b) somewhere in the cupboard beneath the stairs;

c) it's an ingredient in the artificial sweetener aspartame.

4 What is thongweed?

a) the latest in a range of men's undergarments;

b) watch out, it's is a nasty new computer virus;

c) a nutrient-rich species of seaweed, known in Brittany as "spaghetti de mer".

5 What is homocysteine?

a) homo sapiens' female sibling;

b) a gay bar near the Palace Pier;

c) a toxic substance made by the body linked to heart disease and Alzheimer's.

6 How can you get rid of hay fever symptoms?

a) emigrate to Iceland;

b) apply Vaseline into each nostril;

c) take vitamin C and odour-controlled garlic capsules.

7 What exactly is cellulite?

a) a new mobile phone provider;

b) guaranteed spreadable butter;

c) enlarged fat cells in the skin creating a dimpled effect.

8 How do you decrease violent crime in prisoners?

a) Let them eat cake;

b) Let them watch Teletubbies;

c) Provide them with a decent diet, vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids.

9 Is there a way to improve your memory?

a) can you repeat the question please?;

b) no, memory is determined by your genes;

c) yes, avoid junk food and take anti-oxidants, particularly vitamin E.

10 How can you lower sodium levels in your body?

a) Emigrate to a hot country;

b) eat more sugar;

c) increase your potassium levels with plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables.

11 What does biodynamic mean?

a) washing powder is even more effective;

b) flatulent;

c) food grown in enriched soil without pesticides.

As you are such a brainy lot, it is hardly necessary to provide the correct answers. If you would like to know more about the any of the topics mentioned, please refer to my previous columns in this section.

MARTINA is a qualified
nutritionist at the Crescent Clinic of Complementary Medicine, 37 Vernon Terrace, Brighton. Tel: 01273 202221 or email: martina_watts @compuserve.com