Vocabulary - Health and Health Care

Health is the general condition of a person's mind, body and spirit, usually
meaning to be free from illness, injury or pain. The World Health
Organization (WHO) defined health in its broader sense in 1946 as "a state of
complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of
disease or infirmity."

Generally, the context in which an individual lives is of great importance on

health status and quality of life. It is increasingly recognized that health is
maintained and improved not only through the advancement and application of
health science, but also through the efforts and intelligent lifestyle choices of
the individual and society. According to the World Health Organization, the
main determinants of health include the social and economic environment, the
physical environment, and the person's individual characteristics and behaviors.
In fact, an increasing number of studies and reports from different organizations
and contexts examine the linkages between health and different factors,
including lifestyles, environments, health care organization, and health policy.

Focusing more on lifestyle issues and their relationships with functional health,
data from different studies suggested that people can improve their health via:

 exercise,
 enough sleep,
 maintaining a healthy body weight,
 limiting alcohol use,
 and avoiding smoking.

In addition to that, the ability to adapt and to self manage have been suggested
as core components of human health.

Personal health also depends partially on the social structure of a person's life.
The maintenance of strong social relationships, volunteering, and other social
activities have been linked to positive mental health and even increased
longevity. In contrast, prolonged psychological stress may negatively impact
health, and has been cited as a factor in cognitive impairment with aging,
depressive illness, and expression of disease.
 Six health tips
The context in which an individual lives is of great importance on health status
and quality of life. Health is maintained and improved not only through the
advancement and application of health science, but also through the efforts
and intelligent lifestyle choices of the individual and society. Here are some
basic tips for maintaining a good health.

1. Exercise
You don't have to belong to a gym club. Thirty minutes walk every day will to
prevent weight gain and encourage moderate weight loss.
2. Eat healthy
Reduce fat intake, cut down on sugar and opt for fruits and vegetables. This
helps reduce cholesterol and blood pressure. Healthy food will also lead to
better blood sugar control.
3. Reduce stress
Not everything we want we get. We have to accept that there are things that
we cannot control. Managing time is also of great importance too. We must
allow ourselves enough time to get things done. Set a time during the day for
relaxation.
4. Improve sleep
Avoid caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, and other chemicals that interfere with sleep.
Equip your bedroom with a comfortable mattress and pillows. Sleep in a dark
clean and quiet environment.
5. Meditation
Meditation has been linked to a variety of health benefits. It has been linked to
changes in metabolism, blood pressure, brain activation, and other bodily
processes.
6. Positive thinking
People who think positively have an optimistic view of life that affects their
health and well-being. Optimism has been shown to explain between 5–10%
of the variation in the likelihood of developing some health conditions,
notably including cardiovascular disease,stroke, depression, and cancer.
The most common ways to ask about someone's health are:

 How do you feel (today)?

 How are you feeling?
 Is everything okay?

They will most likely respond:

 I'm fine. / I feel sick. / Not so good. / Not very well. / I don't feel well. / I'm sick.

How to say you are ill

 I'm ill.
 I feel really rough.
 I'm shattered (meaning tired out or exhausted)
 I'm on my last legs (to be very tired, especially after a lot of physical activity or
work. It also means to be going to die soon - 'the old man is on his last leg').
 I feel / look poorly / peaky / rough / bloody awful.
 I feel / look like death warmed up (very ill or appearing very sickly - Poor thing!
She looks like death warmed up)

How to say you are feeling OK

 I am alive and kicking (to continue to be well, healthy or successful - Don't

worry about your grandfather; he is alive and kicking)
 I feel good (used to talk about emotional state)
 I feel great / well
 He is a picture of (good) health (to be in a very healthy condition - The doctor
told him that he is a picture of good health)
 She is hale and hearty (to be in a good health - In spite of her old age, she looks
hale and hearty)

Health problems

 I have a headache / toothache / backache / stomachache / earache...

 I have a pain in my back / tooth / head...
 I have a broken / sprained / twist an ankle / wrist.
 I have a flu / cold / runny nose / fever / high temperature / sore throat
 I feel sick. I'm feeling nauseous.
 I have a bruise / cut / graze / wound.

Health advice: Exercise regularly. Eat healthy food. Brush your teeth regularly. Sleep
early (= don't stay up late!) Have regular medical check up. Relax. Go
on a diet.

Medicines: eye drops, cream, syringe, syrup, bandage, dose (of medicine), drugs, shot
/ injection (give some an injection), medicine (take medicine), pain-killer,
pill, plaster, tablet, tranquilizer

Treatment: check-up diagnosis operation / surgery prescription

People: ophthalmologist, dentist, doctor / physician, general practitioner (GP),

midwife, nurse, patient, specialist, surgeon

Places: doctor's, pharmacy / drugstore /chemist's, hospital, operating theater, surgery

(medical operation), waiting room, ward (a geriatric/maternity/psychiatric ward)

When you see (or hear) that a person is not well, then you can ask:

 What's the matter?

 What's wrong?

If the person wants to say what is wrong, they may give the reason they feel that way:

 I have ... (+ health condition)

 I've got ... (+ health condition)
 I have a headache
 I've got a sore throat.

The difference between sick and ill

To most people, both sick and ill more or less mean the same thing, that you are not in a healthy
condition.
Sick is less formal than ill and usually describes short-term ailments or diseases (like a cold or
cough). Sick can also refer to feeling nauseous. In British English, to be sick can mean to vomit.
Ill is often for more serious health problems (like cancer or pneumonia) but can also be used for
short-term ones.
Illness (noun) refers to a medical condition. Sickness (noun) refers to how you feel.
The difference between ache and pain
ACHE is a continuous or prolonged dull pain in a part of the body. It can often be a throbbing
sensation that covers more than one point. You can sometimes try and ignore an ache.
PAIN is physical suffering or discomfort caused by illness or injury. It is usually a sharp sensation
in a specific part of the body and hurts more than an ache.

ESL List of Health Problems

The following is a list of common health problems (ailments and illnesses) with the definition of
each word or expression:

an allergy: a medical condition that causes you to react badly or feel sick when you eat or touch
a particular substance.

asthma: a respiratory condition where spasms in the lungs cause difficulty in breathing. An
asthmatic uses an inhaler to calm the spasms.

a backache: a prolonged pain in the back.

a broken leg: when a bone in the leg is broken. A broken leg is put in a cast to help immobilize
the leg so that it heals quicker. Other parts of the body with bones can also be broken, for
example a broken arm, a broken wrist etc.
cancer: a serious disease caused by an uncontrolled division of abnormal cells that kill normal
body cells in a part of the body.

a cold: a common viral infection which causes mucus to run from the nose, gives a sore throat
and often includes sneezing.

a cough: the act of expelling air from the lungs with a sudden sharp sound.

diarrhoea: (America English: diarrhea) an illness in which faeces are discharged from the
bowels frequently and in a liquid form.
an earache: pain inside the ear.
a fever: an abnormally high body temperature, usually accompanied by shivering and a
headache.
the flu: flu is the common name given for influenza. It is a contagious viral infection of the
respiratory passages that causes fever and sever aching.

a headache: a continuous pain in the head.

heartburn: a form of indigestion felt as a burning sensation in the chest. It is caused by acid
regurgitation into the esophagus.

(the) measles: an infectious viral disease causing fever and a red rash on the skin. It typically
occurs in childhood.

a rash: a lot of small red spots on the skin that are usually itchy.
a sore throat: a condition of pain in the throat, typically caused by inflammation of it.
a sprain: an injury to a joint in your body, especially your wrist or ankle, caused by suddenly
twisting it.

a stomachache (US) - stomach ache (Brit): The pain in a person's belly. Notice how the word
can be spelled together or as two words, depending on the country.

sunburn: when the skin becomes red with inflammation as a result of overexposure to the
ultraviolet rays of the sun.

a toothache: the pain in a tooth or teeth.

Illness expressions

 feel ill, sick

 have a temperature
 have a pain in your back, chest, waist, arm, shoulder
 have a headache
 feel weak
 feel dizzy
 suffer from stomach cramps
 have a black eye
 have a swollen, sprained ankle, wrist, foot
 have a lump
 have a broken leg
 have a fracture
 burn, cut a finger
 sprain an ankle
 be allergic to antibiotics
 produce an allergic reaction
 come down with a cold
 be in bed with a cold
 have a heart attack, stroke
 suffer from asthma, malnutrition, diabetes
 fight cancer, depression, addiction, alcoholism
 (go to) see a doctor
 examine a patient
 take, feel your pulse
 take, measure your temperature
  diagnose an illness, disease
 diagnose a condition, disorder
 prescribe medicine
 make up a prescription
 take someone to hospital
 undergo an examination, operation
 dress a wound
 a bandaged arm, leg
 put on a plaster
 give an injection
 have a blood test
 prevent the spread of disease
 enhance, build immunity to a disease

Reading - A generation of couch potatoes

Read the text and answer the questions:

 How does your lifestyle compare to British teenagers?

 Are they more active than you?

Lots of teenagers have posters of their sports hero on their bedroom wall. But do they

follow the healthy examples set by these athletes? British parents are worried that young

people are not as fit and healthy as in the past. Why is this?

According to the British Heart Foundation, 13 to 15 year olds are spending too much time

doing sedentary activities such as watching TV or playing computer games. A special

report describes a generation of couch potatoes, young people sitting around at home,

growing up in their bedrooms, travelling by car and in serious danger of heart disease as

they get older. Is this their fault? Are young people lazy?

Many parents don’t allow their children to play outside or walk to school by themselves. “I

ring my Dad on my mobile and he picks me up from the station. It’s 10 minutes’ walk from

home but he thinks it is dangerous,” says 14 year old Carrie. Some teenagers blame their
over protective parents for making them unfit. It is certainly becoming more difficult to

encourage young people to have an active life and protect their hearts. In recent years

schools have spent less time on sports. “My Mum did lots of hockey and netball at school

but we didn’t have time for that this year because we had so many exams to prepare,”

says Ben, 16.

Talk about lifestyles in your country

How does your lifestyle compare to your grandparents’ lives? Has anything changed? Discuss
these topics:

Transport

Diet

Home

Spare time activities

Physical activities

WHAT DO YOU THINK? DO YOU AGREE OR DISAGREE?

When it comes to keeping fit, there is no pain without gain.

Medicine should be free for all people.

Within the next fifty years, most diseases will be curable and people will carry on living indefinitely.
IELTS Health Vocabulary

Part 1-style questions

Examiner: Have you got a relation you’re particularly fond of?

Sinita: Yes … my granddad … he’s 94 years old but generally he’s as fit as a fiddle … we’re
very close and see each other a lot … whenever he goes down with a cold or is under the
weather I make a point of visiting him …

Examiner: Do you do any sport?

Jon: Yes … I’m keen on skateboarding … but I haven’t done it for a while … I had a bad fall
recently and pulled a muscle and had a few cuts and bruises … but I’m on the mend and
hope to be doing it again soon …

Examiner: Is there anything you’re particularly afraid of?

Davide: The dentist … I hate going to the dentist … I only ever go if I have a toothache so it
usually means I have to have a filling or even have a tooth out … I really don’t like it …

Part 2-style task

Describe a time when you were ill. You should say:

 when this was

 what your symptoms were
 how long the illness lasted

and say how it affected your life at the time.

Pierre: This is a tricky one really as I’m usually quite healthy … I’ve never been seriously ill
… like everyone else I sometimes get a few aches and pains or catch a cold … I can
remember a few months ago I had to have time off work with a heavy cold … I had the usual
symptoms … a blocked nose … sore throat … it lasted quite a while … about 2 weeks I
think though I didn’t have that much time off work … for a few days I remember feeling
poorly but I was over the worst of itafter a few days and went back to work … I always find
it’s better to be active when you feel ill as it keeps your mind off your symptoms … I think
my family get a little fed up with me when I’m ill though … I tend to feel sorry for myself
and lie on the sofa all day as if I’m at death’s door … but as I said earlier … on this occasion
it was nothing serious and didn’t really cause me any problems …
Part 3-style questions

Examiner: What costs are involved when you are ill in your country?
Anya: Well … people have to pay prescription charges which can be quite expensive … but
fortunately general healthcare is free … unless you want to go private of course and then you
can pay a fortune for your treatment …

Examiner: In your experience are people too quick to take time off work when they’re ill?
Alicia: Yes .. I’ve got friends who have a day off work if they wake up with a runny nose …
and in most cases they seem to make a speedy recovery after they’ve phoned in sick …

Examiner: Do women pay more attention to their health than men?

Julie: I think so yes … women are more likely to see their GP for a check-up if they’re
concerned about something … men tend to avoid facing up to any health problems they have
… my dad always seems to have a very chesty cough but refuses to go to make an
appointment to see the doctor …

Definitions

 aches and pains: minor pains that continue over a period of time
 to be a bit off colour: to feel a little ill
 to be at death’s door: (informal) to be very ill indeed
 to be on the mend: to be recovering after an illness
 to be over the worst: to have got through the most serious or uncomfortable stage of
an illness
 to be under the weather: (informal) to not feel well
 a blocked nose: when the nose has excess fluid due to a cold
 to catch a cold: to get a cold
 a check-up: a physical examination by a doctor
 a chesty cough: a cough caused by congestion around the lungs
 cuts and bruises: minor injuries
 to feel poorly: to feel ill
 as fit as a fiddle: to be very healthy
 to go down with a cold: to become ill
 to go private: to choose to be treated by commercial healthcare rather than by services
offered by the state
 GP: General Practitioner (family doctor)
 to have a filling: to have a tooth repaired
 to have a tooth out: to have a tooth removed
 a heavy cold: a bad cold
 to make an appointment: to arrange a time to see the doctor
 to make a speedy recovery: to recover quickly from an illness
 to phone in sick: to call work to explain you won’t be attending work due to illness
 prescription charges: money the patient pays for medicine authorised by a doctor
 to pull a muscle: to strain a muscle
 a runny nose: a nose that has liquid coming out of it
 a sore throat: inflammation that causes pain when swallowing