I. Read the text consulting the dictionary. Make your topical vocabulary and learn it. Prepare for a discussion.

Health is a state of physical, mental, and social well-being. It involves more than just the absence of disease. A truly healthy person not only feels good physically but also has a realistic outlook on life and gets along well with other people. Good health enables people to enjoy life and have the opportunity to achieve the goals they have set for them. To achieve and maintain good health, people must have basic knowledge about the human body and how it functions. Only then can they determine what will or what will not help or damage their health. Therefore, learning about health should be a part of every person's education. Current knowledge about health, together with good living habits can help almost everyone maintain good health and improve the quality of life. Society as a whole benefits from people's good health just as individuals do. For that reason many governments and voluntary agencies strive to preserve and improve the health of all people. The World Health Organi­zation (WHO), an agency of the United Nations, works to promote better health throughout the world.

Elements of physical health.

All parts of the body must work together properly to maintain physical health. A person .who is in good physical condition has the strength and energy to enjoy an active life and withstand the stresses of daily life. Proper nutrition, exercise, rest and sleep, cleanliness and medical and dental care are all the essential parts of healthy living.

Nutrition.

A balanced diet provides all the food substances needed by the body for healthy growth and development. Nutritionists use the term nutrients for these substances and classify them into five main groups:

1. carbohydrates

2. fats

3. proteins

4. vitamins

5. minerals.

Water is also essential for life, but it is often considered separately from nutrients. A balanced diet consists of a wide variety of foods. Fruits and vegetables provide important vitamins and minerals. Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy products, and nuts are rich sources of protein. Bread, cereals, and potatoes furnish carbohydrates in addition to vitamins and minerals.

Good nutrition also includes eating the proper amount of food each day. Overeating can lead to obesity (fatness). Excess weight puts extra strain on the heart and increases a person's chance of getting such diseases as diabetes and heart disease.

Exercise

Exercise helps keep the body healthy and fit. Vigorous exercise strengthens muscles and improves the function of the circulatory and respiratory systems. Physical fitness benefits both physical and mental health. It enables the body to withstand stresses that otherwise could cause physical and emotional problems.

To achieve fitness, a person should start an exercise program slowly and build it up gradually to a level that maintains a healthy heart and strong muscles. Daily exercise provides the greatest benefits, and so it is important to choose exercises that can be performed every day. Such popular activi­ties as bicycling, jogging, and swimming, and even taking long, brisk walks, furnish the vigorous exercise necessary for fitness.

Participating in golf, tennis, or some other sport only once or twice a week cannot develop and maintain fitness. Rest and sleep help overcome fatigue and restore energy to the body. Everyone needs rest and sleep, but the amount required differs for each individual. Most Adults sleep from 7 to 8 hours a night, though some need less sleep and others need more. Young children may need more sleep at night plus a daytime nap.

Rest and relaxation are as important as sleep. After strenuous work or exercise, a person may need a period of total rest. At other times, only relaxation or a change of pace is necessary. Any activity that differs from the normal routine of work or study can be relaxing. Pleasurable and relaxing activities help the body shed tension and remain robust. If rest and relaxation do not relieve fatigue and tension, the individual may have a physical or emotional problem.

Medical and dental care.

Regular checkups by a doctor and dentist play an important role in safeguarding health. Doctors recommend that people have medical care at the first sign of any illness. Early care can result in quicker cure.

Health Insurance, National, is a government program that finance extensive health services for the majority of the people in a country. This type of program is sometimes called socialized medicine. Every industrial nation except the United States has some form of national health insurance, also called NHI. In the United States, a private health insurance system is operated. The first NHI plan was established in Germany in l883. The British National Health Service is a system of state-funded medical care that covers virtually all the people of Britain. It also covers overseas visitors who become ill while in Britain. Employed people in Britain pay weekly health insurance contributions to help finance the service. But most of the funds for the service come from taxes.

II. Questions for discussion:

1. What are the main ways to improve or save one's health?

2. Why do people go dieting?

3. Why do the developed countries encourage their people to live healthy lives?