SEMINAR 6 PREVENTING ILLNESS AND DISEASE Figure 1 ABCs of Preventing Heart Disease, Stroke and Heart Attack PREVENTING ILLNESS Exercise Without question, the most important positive action you can take to prevent illness and disease is exercise. Exercise prevents a long list of diseases including cancer, heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and osteoporosis. Exercise also prevents mental health illness including depression, anxiety, and stress. Not Smoking The most negative lifestyle behavior is smoking. Smoking contributes to the development of almost all diseases, notably[1] cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and asthma. It lowers immunity, making you more likely[2] to get bronchitis, colds, and other infections; interferes with breathing. Athletes who smoke have decreased endurance and are more likely to suffer from exercise-induced[3] asthma. See Your Doctor Because doctors and health professionals are trained[4] to recognize, treat, and prevent illness, following their advice is recommended. Each person has different risks of diseases based on genetics and other health history. Following the basic recommendations outlined below will reduce your risk of severe[5] diseases. Recommended Medical Testing and Check-Ups[6] * Yearly check-up (every other year if no health risks) * Yearly dental exam * Monthly breast self-exams * Mammogram initially by age 40; high risk by age 35 * Colonoscopy initially by age 40; high risk by age 35 * EKG as recommended by your primary physician Nutrition Although it might seem that dietary recommendations change frequently, the consistent findings[7] are that getting adequate sources of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants through foods are the best way to stay healthy. Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, and moderate in everything else, has been found to be most beneficial[8]. A general rule is that the darker the color of the fruit or vegetable, the more nutritional value[9] it has. Cancer-fighting chemical groups include phytochemicals and antioxidants. Some of the most beneficial foods, according to recent research include the following: * Tomatoes—contain vitamin C and lycopenes[10]: antioxidant cancer-fighting chemicals that reduce digestive tract[11] and prostate cancer. * Broccoli—contains phytochemicals that are thought[12] to make cancer cells less toxic. Also contains beta-carotene, vitamin C, calcium, and fiber. * Spinach—Spinach is rich in folate, fiber, and iron—nutrients needed especially in women. * Tea—Tea contains phytochemicals, which are cancer-cell fighters. Green tea has been associated with[13] a lower risk of stomach and liver cancers. * Nuts—Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats in nuts improve levels of cholesterol by lowering triglycerides and LDL[14] along with raising HDL[15], preventing heart disease and stroke[16]. Nuts also contain fiber and Vitamin E, both of which prevent heart disease and cancer. Adapted from http://life.familyeducation.com/illness/preventive-medicine/35896.html Task 1 Answer the questions below. After you read the text, look at your answers to see if you are at risk for heart disease. Are you at risk? 1. Are you male? 2. Do you smoke? 3. Are you overweight? 4. Are you a competitive person? Do you always want to win or be the best at everything? 5. Do you often feel that you never have enough time to do all the things you want or have to? 6. Do you hide what you are feeling? 7. Add other factors: genetics, age, exercise etc. If your answer to these questions is mostly yes, your chances of suffering from heart disease are considerably higher. PREVENTING CARDIOVASCULAR PROBLEMS Skimming for main ideas Skimming means reading only small parts of a text, such as the beginnings and ends of paragraphs, in order to get an overview of the organization of the text and its main ideas. Task 2 Skim through the text and find the paragraph that deals with each of the following topics. Write the number of the paragraph in the blank. ___ Health Benefits of Aerobic Exercise ___ Factors That Increase Risk of Cardiovascular Disease ___ Statistics about the death rate from heart disease ___ How to reduce the risk of heart disease? ___ Differences in heart disease rate for men and women 1………………………………..………………………………….. Heart disease is Western society’s number-one killer. It accounts for[17] one-third of all deaths in America and for well over half the deaths among middle-age men. Heart disease was relatively rare in America at the turn of the century, but it has risen dramatically since then, with a slight downturn[18] since 1960. Heart disease is often viewed as a disease of modern living, spurred on[19] by the habits and the stress of industrialized society. Evidence for this idea comes from the fact that non-Western societies have relatively low rates of heart disease. And there is a higher rate of heart disease among immigrants to America, such as Japanese-Americans and Chinese-Americans, than among those who remain in their native country, suggesting that something about the Western environment promotes the development of the disease (Shapiro, 1983) 2………………………………..………………………………….. High blood pressure is a precursor[20] to heart and blood vessel disease. Blood pressure is necessary to promote[21] exchange of nutrients from the blood into the capillaries and into the body. If there are problems such as hardened arteries, slow heart functioning, or increased body demands due to poorly trained muscles[22], blood pressure rises. The blood pressure of regular exercisers remains low. This reduces the occurrence[23] of heart attack and stroke. Studies have recently shown that regular exercise of moderate intensity for one hour five days a week is as effective as medication in managing high blood pressure. The unmodifiable[24] factors that can also increase your risk of cardiovascular disease are family history of stroke or heart attack, especially in family members under the age of 50; high cholesterol or triglycerides; and diabetes. Modifiable factors include smoking, obesity, and inactivity. Other risky lifestyle behaviors are high stress and poor diet (high sugar and saturated fat/high cholesterol/low fiber). Prevention methods in addition to exercise may include an aspirin a day, a low-cholesterol, unsaturated fat, high-fiber diet, and medications. 3. …………………………………..………………………………….. Most of the research on psychological factors in heart disease has focused on men rather than women. Even among women who face highly stressful situations, the risk of heart disease remains considerably[25] lower than for men. Many biological and psychological factors may contribute[26] to this difference. Among them is the finding that although women tend to express their emotions more openly than men do, their physiological reactions to stress tend to be less intense. In terms of the risk of heart disease, then, it may be better to let one’s emotions show outwardly[27] than to bury them inside, where they may eventually cause damage to one’s body. 4. …………………………………..………………………………….. * High LDL cholesterol * Obesity * High triglycerides * Inactivity * Diabetes * Stress * Family history * Poor diet * Smoking * Older age Because women who have been through menopause are at an increased risk of heart disease and stroke, and women taking oral contraceptives[28] or hormone replacement can be at an increased risk of stroke and blood clots. Other heart-protective dietary behaviors can include a high-fiber, low glycemic index diet[29], increasing amount of omega-3 fatty acids, adding soy products, and having (only) one alcoholic drink per day. 5. …………………………………..………………………………….. * Prevents heart disease * Decreases osteoporosis risk * Lowers blood pressure * Reduces depression * Reduces strokes * Reduces cancer * Prevents obesity * Reduces stress * Prevents diabetes * Improves sleep * Reduces cholesterol http://life.familyeducation.com/preventive-medicine/health/35895.html?detoured=1 Task 3 After you read. Scanning. Decide if the following statements are true or false, according to the information in this text. 1__ More than fifty percent of all deaths in the USA are from heart disease. 2__ When people emigrate to the USA from non-Western countries, they are more likely to suffer from heart disease than if they had stayed in their original homelands. 3__ If one’s close relatives have had heart disease, this is a possible indication that you may eventually suffer from heart disease. 4__ When a man and a woman do the same job and receive the same amount of stress, they have an equal chance of developing heart disease. 5__ Undisclosed[30] emotions may raise your chances of heart damage only if you suffer from obesity. 6__Because the risk of osteoporosis and heart disease increases during menopause, a healthful diet is more important than ever. ________________________________ [1] notably – zejména [2] likely – pravděpodobný, náchylný [3] exercise-induced asthma – astma způsobená cvičením [4] trained – vyučený [5] severe – vážný, kritický [6] check-up – celkové lékařské vyšetření [7] findings – závěry, výsledky zkoumání [8] beneficial – prospěšný [9] nutritional value – výživná hodnota [10] lycopene – lykopen, karotenový pigment [11] digestive tract – zažívací trakt [12] are thought – jsou povážovány [13] associated with – jsou spojovány [14] ldl (bad) cholesterol, should be less than 100mg/dl [15] hdl (good) cholesterol: should be 40 mg/dl or higher for men or 50 mg/dl or higher for women [16] stroke – mozková mrtvice/ příhoda [17] account for – podílet se [18] downturn – pokles [19] spurred on – uspíšený [20] precursor – předchůdce [21] promote exchange – podporovat výměnu [22] poorly trained muscles – chabě vytrénované svaly [23] occurrence – výskyt [24] unmodifiable – neupravitelný [25] considerably – značně [26] contribute – přispívat k [27] outwardly – navenek [28] oral contraceptives – antikoncepční pilulky [29] low glycemic index diet – dieta s nízkým glykemickým indexem [30] undisclosed – utajený