If you ask me, it is easier to prevent diseases than treat them. So, first, I will talk about health, diet and exercise, then I will say a couple of words about natural remedies and alternative medicine.
Health is something that we take for granted while it is there but miss it terribly when it’s gone.
We usually talk about physical health (how our body functions) and mental health (how we feel emotionally, how we cope with problems etc.) There is a connection between physical and mental health. There is an old proverb: a sound mind in a sound body.
If you feel tired after activity or you are out of breath after climbing the stairs you are probably out of shape (unfit, your health is poor, you are unhealthy). Maybe you spend too much time watching TV or you work long hours in an office.
The food you eat is also very important. Many of us eat too much food containing fat and sugar. If you eat too much junk food, you will gain weight and become obese.
Your blood pressure will also rise and you will have heart problems. You also run the risk of suffering from diabetes or you might have a heart attack or a stroke.
I think it is very important to listen to people who stay healthy and energetic in their seventies or eighties, or sometimes even longer. I saw some videos about old people who look much younger than their actual age. There is a woman, who is in her early seventies (first I thought she was in her mid-thirties), who has been a vegetarian (and vegan) for decades.
She starts her day with a vegetable cocktail every day and eats only fresh fruit and veggies. Another woman grows her own vegetables and eats only raw vegetables and fruit. The most interesting video shows a 110-year-old man who shares his secret with us: garlic, cinnamon, chocolate, honey and olive oil.
He also thinks that we should eat a lot of organic vegetables and fruit, walk every morning and avoid red meat and junk food.
If you want to improve your health you should get regular exercise.
Cardio-vascular exercises will make your heart beat fast and help burn calories. You can work out in a gym, lift weights to build muscles. There are different types of exercise: you can start with light exercises such as walking or stretching, moderate exercise, for example jogging or walking fast, then there is vigorous exercise like running, playing squash, tennis or badminton.
If you want to stay healthy, you shouldn’t drink alcohol or smoke cigarettes because they damage your liver and lungs. Smoking and drinking can cause cancer and many other serious health problems. But, a habit can be broken and with a little willpower you can get rid of these bad habits.
You should also get enough rest and sleep at least six hours every night. Sleep recharges you physically and unwinds you mentally.
Believe it or not, it is possible to exercise too much. If you work out too often, you run the risk of causing damage to your muscles. Just one hour’s exercise per day should be enough to keep you feeling fit.
Overall, if you eat properly and exercise regularly, you will be as fit as a fiddle.
Although I eat a lot of vegetables and fruit and exercise regularly, sometimes I catch a cold or have a headache. I do not run to my GP for a prescription drug, I turn to alternative medicine. I like herbology for example. I believe that some simple herbs, such as chamomile, thyme, rosemary or lavender can cure simple problems like a sore throat, coughing or a headache.
My favorite herbologist is an old man called György Szabó. He is in his mid-eighties and thinks that he can cure even cancer with herbs.
Sometimes I need specialists. I am short sighted, so I have to see my Ophthalmologist regularly.
I think people should have regular check-ups if they want to make sure that they are in perfect health.
I have a good dentist and an excellent gynecologist, but I hope I will never need an oncologist, a cardiologist or a surgeon.
In Hungary people do not have to pay for medical services if they have ‘medical insurance’ (it is called ‘social security fee or tax’. But the quality of this service is not too high; so many people choose private doctors and hospitals if they can afford them.
Word list: https://quizlet.com/615584778/health-illnesses-ecl-b2-topic-11-flash-cards/
Topic summary on flashcards: https://quizlet.com/_a6i7h6?x=1qqt&i=isxfb
A quiz: https://www.playbuzz.com/marisad10/how-healthy-are-you
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7v4Vbhtx6TM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EGuJIHRIt0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfAvTTGDSUQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6qi3gfIJRA#t=202
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziyPmiuwtIQ
http://iteslj.org/questions/mindbodyhealth.html
