Tag: health and medicine

Sleeping Late

B1 –  Intermediate

Do you always sleep late? If staying in bed till late morning interests you, better watch out for yourself. This is not a recommended practice by health experts. Even doctors all over the world suggest to strictly avoid sleeping late. Sleeping late not only makes your body subject to various health problems, but also disturbs your daily routine and increases stress. Your physical and mental health both will be greatly affected.

Read the article about a new study that found that going to bed late may be bad for our health.

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1804/180416-sleeping-late.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. What time do you usually go to bed? Why? Do you wish you slept earlier/later? Explain.
  2. What does sleep mean to you?
  3. Do you always get enough sleep? Why is that?
  4. What are you like when you don’t get enough sleep? Describe.
  5. How have your sleeping patterns changed over the years? Describe.

Headaches

B1 – Intermediate

Almost everyone suffers from a headache at least once a year. In most cases, they are not dangerous and the person suffering it can still function normally. 

Headache is usually described as pain anywhere in the region of the head or neck. Headaches are very common and their effect can range from mild to worst.

Read on to know about the types of headaches, their causes, and ways to treat them.

https://www.english-online.at/health_medicine/headache/headache-disorder-of-nervous-system.htm

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you often suffer from headaches? What type of headache do you often suffer from? What usually cause them?
  2. What do you do when you have a headache?
  3. Do you think people should see a doctor immediately when they have a headache? Why/why not?
  4. Some say that physical activities such as exercise can help with relieving headaches. Do you agree or disagree with this? Explain.

Showering Everyday Is Bad

B2 – Upper Intermediate

It’s common sense that we take a bath to wash away germs that can make us sick, to keep clean and to smell fresh. However, a research shows that we do not actually have to shower every day for it may cause more harm than good.

Click the link to find out.

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/is-shower-everyday-good-or-bad-cleaning-hygiene-university-utah-amazon-village-microbes-skin-a7546216.html

Discussion Questions:

1. Do you take a shower every single day? How do you feel when you skip a shower?

2. After reading the text, would you change your routine?
What is your daily self-care routine?

3. How do you take care of your skin? What are the advantages of having beautiful skin?

The Doctor Who Saved 100,000 Eyes

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Our eyesight is very important to us. Yet, just like the other senses, we tend to take it for granted until we realize how much we rely on it.

Watch the video below to know of a doctor who restores hope in people through better eyesight.

Discussion Questions:

  1. Discuss what the doctor and his team does for people in Nepal.
  2. How important is this medical project to small cities and developing countries?
  3. Talk about medical projects or missions in your country that you know of.
  4. Have you ever volunteered to help those in need? How was that experience?

Chemicals in Fast Food Packaging

B2 – Upper Intermediate

“Health is wealth.” is a common English expression. But how can we maintain good health in the midst of  our busy lives? Apparently, we can. All we need to do is to be aware of what we are eating. Find out from this link about a new study of packaging in fast food restaurants.

http://edition.cnn.com/2017/02/01/health/fast-food-packaging-chemicals-pfas-study/index.html

Discussion Questions:

  1. Summarize what was written in the article.
  2. What are the side effects of fluorine in our body?
  3. What is your reaction to this news?
  4. Take a look at the pictures and share your thoughts about them.
  5. What should we do to avoid exposure from fluorine in fast food restaurants?
  6. What are other food safety policies do you think should be implemented?

Reasons to Shower Less

B2 – Upper Intermediate

We all take a bath or a shower to feel fresh before going to work, after a rigorous work-out or simply to feel clean before going to bed. Do you enjoy your bath time? How often do you take a shower? They say that taking a shower might not be so good for you, so let’s find out.

Read the article below and be ready to answer the questions that follow.

http://www.rd.com/health/wellness/shower-less-often/

Discussion Questions:
1. Name the reasons mentioned in the article about showering less. Do you agree or disagree with them?
2. Do you prefer taking a shower or having a bath?
3. Do you prefer a quick shower in the morning or a warm bath in the evening?

Express your thoughts:
• A few germs are good for you. People wash and clean too much.
• Expensive shampoos and shower gels are a waste of money. A bar of soap is just as effective.
• The advertising industry is to blame for all the money we waste on cleaning products that we don’t need.

Stress – Signs and Symptoms

B1 – Intermediate

Stress is inevitable. We feel stress whenever we are in situations that are difficult to handle. We become overwhelmed and it becomes a challenge to cope.

Read the article below to know how we can better handle stressful situations.

http://www.english-online.at/health_medicine/stress/coping-with-stress.htm

Discussion Questions:

  1. Do you think stress is ever good or necessary? Why or why not?
  2. Do you have a stressful lifestyle? What are some situations that make you feel stressed?
  3. How do you reduce stress in your life? Do you think they would be considered good or bad ways of dealing with stress?
  4. Some people like to have a drink when they are stressed. What do you think about this?
  5. Which would you choose: A stressful job with very high pay or a relaxed job with considerably low pay? Why?

What Would Happen If You Didn’t Drink Water?

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Water is an essential part of life. Whether for our own consumption or for the environment. As with any substance, there is a danger of having too much and too little.

Watch the video below and be ready to answer the questions that follow about the effects of not drinking water.

Discussion Questions:

1. Discuss the facts about water presented in the video. How important is it to our bodies?
2. What are the dangers of dehydration? How about overhydration?
3. Who are usually the victims of over-hydration? Why are they prone to overhydration?
4. Do you think you’re getting enough water on a daily basis?
5. What are the other kinds beverages you enjoy drinking? What are some fruits and vegetables that you like?

Drinking to Excess

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Alcoholism is when you drink so much that your body eventually becomes dependent on or addicted to alcohol. When this happens, alcohol becomes the most important thing in your life.

Read the article below to know more about drinking too much.

https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/issue/Sep2014/Feature1

Discussion Questions:

1. Do you drink alcohol? What kind of alcoholic drink do you usually have and how often do you drink?
2. What do you think causes alcoholism? How can a person prevent it?
3. What are the symptoms of alcoholism? How can you tell if the person is alcoholic?
4. What are the risk factors of alcoholism?

The Link Between Sleep and Job Performance

B2 – Upper Intermediate

What difference could an extra hour of sleep make in your life? Quite a lot, experts say. Studies show that the gap between getting just enough sleep and getting too little sleep may affect your health, your mood, and even your work performance.

https://sleepfoundation.org/sleep-news/good-nights-sleep-helps-job-performance

Discussion Questions:

  1. Have you ever sacrificed sleep for work? Talk about this instance.
  2. What happens when you are sleep-deprived? How does it affect your performance at work?
  3. Do you manage to sleep as much as you need? Why or why not?
  4. Do you try to sleep in on weekends or during your days off? Why or why not?
  5. What can be done to avoid employees from being too exhausted?