DR. WALLACE: What happens if I sometimes eat organic eggs and chicken and other times I eat "regular" eggs and chicken? Does the organic benefit get canceled out?

And what about everything else I eat? Sometimes I eat organic items and sometimes I don't. This makes me wonder if there is much of a difference or not. I actually don't feel any different than I did a year ago before I ate any organic food at all. — I Actually Eat Both, via email

I ACTUALLY EAT BOTH: This is a very interesting topic that you can easily read up on, but my short answer is that it's not likely to make much of a difference at all.

Non-organic food will not "cancel out" organic food, but they can at times limit intake levels of additives that may not be beneficial. Organic food is determined by the sourcing, certifications and other conditions applied and monitored by regulatory organizations.

Many studies taken in aggregate indicate that there is no conclusive proof that organic foods are always healthier than conventionally grown foods. Of course, it depends on the food, but most nutrients still are absorbed well by the human body in either case.

However, evidence does exist that some health benefits do exist, such as higher nutritional contents for some foods. In others, lower pesticide levels and residue may be a benefit to some organic foods.

Beyond these considerations, the integrity of organic foods sometimes comes into question. Organic foods almost always have significantly higher prices, and this can lead to the temptation of intentional mislabeling for financial gain. Every individual interested in organic foods should take the time to really research this topic thoroughly and be sure to source organic foods from reliable and reputable sources and retailers.

I'M INCLINED TO HELP BUT MY BROTHER WARNS ME TO BE CAREFUL

DR. WALLACE: I often see people out on the street in my town begging for money. I feel sorry for them and wonder if I should give them money.

But my brother tells me he saw a television show that revealed many panhandlers are frauds who have nice homes, cars and plenty of food to eat. This makes me feel confused. I'd like to help some people, but I don't want to give my hard-earned money to a fraudulent person who is trying to trick me.

What can I do about this? — I'm Inclined to Help, via email

I'M INCLINED TO HELP: Instead of trying to figure out who to give money to and who not to give money to, why not do some volunteer work in your community?

Many cities have local food banks, and they can always use more volunteers to help them. And beyond food banks, there are many other outstanding organizations you can contact to see how you can help those in your community who truly need help.

Beyond that suggestion, some individuals prefer to give those who appear to be homeless used clothes, blankets or even food instead of money. Some, but certainly not all, of those on the streets turn money into drug or alcohol purchases. This is one of the reasons many people prefer to do volunteer work or give non-cash items to those they wish to assist.

Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. Email him at rwallace@thegreatestgift.com. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

Photo credit: Sri Lanka at Unsplash