IELTS vocabulary topic: Health Flashcards

1. Do you have any unhealthy habits?

Unfortunately yes. I do have a hectic schedule every day so I keep skipping meals. I know this habit is harmful to my body and always makes me feel under the weather. I’m trying to break this habit by creating a clear timetable.

2. In what ways do you try to stay healthy?

For me, the easiest way is to exercise on a daily basis. It not only helps me keep fit but also reduces my stress level. Other than that, I also have regular check-ups every year to avoid major health problems.

3. Do you do any sports?

Swimming is my favourite sport and I do it every day without fail. However, I’m planning to take up a new sport such as kickboxing or karate as a way to protect myself.

4. What are the health benefits of playing a sport?

Well, I have to say that sports do wonders for our health. Firstly, it helps us stay in shape and build muscles. People also do sports for entertainment and relaxation after a stressful working day. I guess that’s the reason why we can get better sleep after every workout.

5. What do you think is more important, eating healthy or doing exercise?

To me, eating healthy is more essential. You know there is a saying: You are what you eat. For example, if you eat too much fast food, you are likely to get obesity. In contrast, having a healthy diet and providing vital nutrients is a way to build a strong immune system and fight against any health problems. These benefits can not be achieved by only exercising.

6. Do you think more about your health now than when you were younger?

Certainly! Now that I’m older, I can feel that my body isn’t as fresh as a daisy as it was before. Therefore, I pay more attention to my health now. For instance, I try to get rid of the sedentary lifestyle by doing sports more often and going on a diet. I even visit the doctor once in a while to have check-ups.

Well, in reality, there are many ways to stay healthy and keep fit. The one lifestyle that I find easiest to follow is to eat clean. I found out about this way of life through social media platforms in 2018 because people were crazy about it back then.

First, let me explain the term - “eat clean”. When you eat something clean, the food is organic and less processed. In other words, this lifestyle keeps you away from added sugar, preservatives, artificial colours and flavours. The interesting thing about "eat clean" is that it does not require you to reduce your food intake BUT your calorie intake.

There are many kinds of food that meet this criterion such as eggs, broccoli and berries with high amounts of nutrients but no excess calories. Therefore, if I eat clean, I will not feel under the weather compared to having a very strict diet.

Now, I need to make it clear that this is not a diet but a way of life. Leading a “clean” lifestyle like this also means maintaining a positive mindset and loving yourself. It does not create a feeling of pressure to starve yourself but is more about how you pay attention and give your body what it really needs.

There are hundreds of fitness articles and magazines talking about how it is beneficial for your body and even your mental health. Basically because when you eat clean, you cut down on all the unfavourable ingredients and elements, for example, sweeteners which create a greater risk of health issues like obesity.

In addition to a healthier body and diet, eating nutrient-dense food as I mentioned is an effective method to lose weight and get into shape but still stay energized.

I used to eat clean daily by buying local ingredients and cooking at home. But now, I have a heavy workload so I just do it from time to time. I hope that this lifestyle can be adopted by everybody so that we can all have better health.

1. What are the most popular ways of keeping healthy in your country?

It depends much on age and personal preferences. For youngsters like me, we often go to the gym and play team sports such as football that require more energy and physical strength. Meanwhile, older people are into doing relaxing sports like yoga or pilates.

2. Why do you think some people continue bad habits when they know that they are damaging to their health?

I think the obvious reason is that quitting these habits requires a lot of time and effort. Some people just lack consistency and determination. However, there are objective reasons as well. For example, when it comes to fast food and unhealthy snacks, the temptation created by adverts can drive people to eat them over and over again.

And lastly, people can actually be addicted to the sugar in this unhealthy food.

3. How can people be encouraged to stay healthy?

From my point of view, the unhealthy lifestyles that people have are the result of inadequate health awareness. Therefore, the first step could be creating educational campaigns to widen people’s knowledge about this area. The government and local authorities can also motivate people to exercise by providing public sports facilities and sponsoring sports events.

4. Do you think people have become more health-conscious in recent years?

Yes, especially after the long period of Covid-19. Although people now have longer average lifespans compared to the past, there is still a number of health problems that put them at risk. Firstly, the booming economy around the world is an underlying reason for poor environmental conditions that lead to serious diseases such as cancer.

Secondly, I haven’t even mentioned other mental illnesses, for example, depression which is becoming more and more common. These mental issues are way harder to deal with in comparison with physical ones. As a consequence, you can find many articles and magazines that are specialized in this subject.

1. How do you keep healthy?

I try to keep healthy by eating a balanced diet, exercising regularly, and getting enough sleep. I make sure to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, and I try to limit my intake of processed foods. I also make sure to get at least 30 minutes of exercise each day, whether it's going for a walk or running. Finally, I make sure to get at least 8 hours of sleep each night, so my body can rest and recharge. All of these things help me stay healthy and energized.

2. Do you often do exercises?

Yes, I do. I used to maintain a sedentary lifestyle, but now I am trying to exercise on a daily basis. I can’t do some strength training as I always feel tired after doing it, so I usually go for a walk or do yoga to help me relax and stay flexible. Exercise helps me stay healthy and energized, so I make sure to make it a priority.

3. What is your favorite sport?

I am keen on walking, as I can't do vigorous workouts. I go for a walk every morning around the park near my home. At first, I struggled with waking up early, but I get used to it now. I prefer walking with my friends so that we can exercise and chat with each other, and it's like killing two birds with one stone.

4. Are there health classes in your school?

Yes, there are health classes in my school. We have a variety of health classes that cover topics such as nutrition, physical fitness or mental health. Each class is designed to help students be aware of the importance of taking care of their bodies and minds. We also have a health center on campus that provides resources and support for students who need help with their health. The health classes are a great way to learn about how to stay healthy and make sure we're taking care of ourselves.

1. How do you keep yourself healthy?

Honestly, to maintain good health, I focus on 2 things including a proper diet and doing exercises on a regular basis. To be more specific, I avoid eating junk food and increase the consumption of vegetables, and I hit the gym 3 days a week.

2. Do you think you have a balanced diet?

Well, to be honest, to some extent, I would say yes. To keep myself in shape, I try not to eat junk foods at all costs and consume an adequate amount of macronutrients. The reason behind this is that the balance between protein, fat, and carbohydrates allows my body to function properly, while junk foods just lead to cardiovascular diseases.

3. How do you manage stress in life?

From my perspective, stress is one kind of mental health problem which poses a threat to us. Therefore, managing and avoiding it is necessary if we want to lead a healthy lifestyle. To do so, I have to maintain positive thinking, exercise more to refresh my mind and consult doctors whenever I feel stressed.

4. Do you have any unhealthy habits?

Well, I bet everyone is guilty of excessively indulging themselves to some extent and I’m not an exception. Being a gamer and a night owl prevent me from going to bed early. So yea, pulling an all nighter seems normal to me.

5. In what ways do you try to stay healthy?

My favorite quote when it comes to my health is “You are what you eat”. This means your diet directly leads to your health prospect. Thus, I try my best to eat right by investing time and effort in researching what to eat for the entire week and devising a personal healthy diet plan. So far, it’s worked for me regarding staying healthy.

6. Is it easy to keep fit where you live?

Gladly, the answer is a solid yes. Within the vicinity of my neighborhood, you can easily find many gyms or health centers, not to mention healthy food stores. However, whether it is easy for you or not to keep fit does not entirely depend on the available amenities but on your perseverance and consistency.

7. What do you think is more important, eating healthy or doing exercise?

From my standpoint, it is best to balance these 2 activities to achieve long-lasting results. However, I’m sided with doing exercise as a more vital option. This is because when you are working out, you will have the tendency to eat more healthily as you don’t want your efforts to be fruitless.

8. What are the health benefits of playing a sport?

Playing sports has numerous health benefits. Physical activity can help you gain muscle and boost metabolism more effectively. Sports can provide both mental and physical well-being. Participation in sports and other physical activities has a considerable impact on the human body.

Over the last 2 years, Covid-19 has been rampaging people’s lives all over the world, and the most cost-efficient and effective way to deal with this contagious disease that experts usually tell people during this pandemic is “Wash your hands!”

This motto has been broadcasted on various social media platforms including TV, radio, Facebook, and newspapers. To be precise, it is not only a concise phrase so as to make people memorize it easily but it is also the most practical advice during this time. As the virus spreads through contact with human respiratory droplets, our hands are the most exposing part of the body to take in the virus. Indeed, people tend to touch surfaces on which the virus is, and then put their hands to their mouths, noses, or eyes, which allows the spreading of the disease.

Therefore, doctors recommend that we wash our hands frequently with sanitizer or with soaps and water in order to get rid of the existence of the virus in our body parts. However, at first, very few people complied with it, so the proliferation of the infected was too high and rapid to control. Fortunately, thanks to the supreme efforts of governments and experts in the field, people eventually understood how serious and fatal Covid-19 was and started washing their hands.

After all, the pandemic has been brought under control, and washing hands has played a vital role in this marvelous result.

Do people in your country exercise frequently?

As far as I’m concerned, in the past, citizens didn’t have the habit of working out, but now their living pattern has changed as their concern about personal health has been increasing lately. Indeed, it is easy for us to encounter many people taking a stroll in the park or on the pavement early in the morning.

Besides, the young these days are hitting the gym twice or more times a week in order to be in shape. I reckon that Vietnamese people are paying more attention to their personal well-being.

Do you think that diets can affect our health?

Well, I truly believe so, since there is a saying “We are what we eat”. This means that all kinds of food that we consume would result in our prospective health conditions. To be more specific, if anyone has an unhealthy diet by consuming too much sugar or fat, he will never be able to stay in shape, instead, he will be obese and be likely to develop heart disease.

By contrast, those who are eating healthy food will have their lives well taken care of, so their quality of life will be enhanced.

Which one do you support, treating diseases or preventing them?

As far as I know, people usually say that “prevention is better than cure”, and well, I believe so as well. To be frank, no disease is far better than curing one, since no one ever wants to be engaged in a health condition that deteriorates their standards of living. Indeed, although with the advent of technology, advancements in medicine have allowed us to heal any wound or get rid of various types of ailments, the treatment process is still costly and complicated.

For example, today cancer patients can live much longer if their tumors are detected early, but the treatment plan would cost them a fortune to purchase equipment or to pay for hospital fees.