Healthcare

1 Match the sentence in the left-hand column with a sentence in the right-
hand column. Use the words and phrases in bold to help you.
PROBLEMS
1. Mrs Brady has suffered from (A) Illnesses which affect the circulation of blood are
terrible rheumatism for years. particularly common with people who are overweight.
2. More women than men are affected (B) This is deposited on the walls of the arteries and can
by arthritis. block them.
3. Air conditioning units are often (C) They can easily be spread from one person to another.
responsible for spreading infections
around an office.
4. Cardiovascular disease is (D) Pains or stiffness in the joints or muscles can be very
becoming more common in Britain. difficult to live with.
5. Too much exposure to the sun can (E) They don’t get enough exercise.
cause skin cancer. (F) This is because their immune system is not properly
developed.
6. It is important not to eat too much (G) Anyone who has caught the virus is reminded that it
food with a high cholesterol content. cannot be treated with antibiotics, and they should stay
7. Too many people these days live a inside until the symptoms have passed.
sedentary lifestyle.
8. People in positions of responsibility (H) The painful inflammation of a joint may require
often have stress-related illnesses. surgery.
9. Premature babies are vulnerable to (I) However, the government denies it has made cutbacks
illnesses. to the National Health Service.
10. Healthcare professionals say that (J) However there are drugs which can slow down its cell-
hospitals around the country are destroying properties.
suffering from serious underfunding.
11. The AIDS virus is incurable. (K) Once the body’s cells start growing abnormally, a cure
can be difficult to find.
12. The country is currently experiencing (L) The pressures of a high-powered job can cause
its worst flu epidemic for over 30 nervous strain, which may require drugs.
years.

2 Replace the words or phrases in bold in these sentences with a word or

active a diet consultant conventional medicine

1. If you suffer from a bad back, a massage may be able to cure or relieve
the disorder.
2. One of the secrets of remaining in good health is to choose food to eat that
is high in fibre and low in fat.
3. Most people, when they are ill, rely on modern pills and tablets to cure
them.
4. Some old-fashioned cures for illnesses, such as herbal tablets and
remedies, are becoming increasingly popular.
5. Many people are turning to treatments which involve the whole person,
including their mental health, rather than just dealing with the
symptoms of the illness.
 Healthcare
6. Doctors sometimes refer their patients to a medical specialist attached to
a hospital.
7. It takes many years of training to become a doctor specialising in surgery.
8. Meat, eggs and nuts are rich sources of a compound which is an essential
part of living cells, and which is essential to keep the human body
working properly.
9. On his holiday, he had to take essential substances which are not
synthesised by the body but are found in food and are needed for
growth and health, because the food he ate lacked the B and C groups.
10. Calcium and zinc are two of the most important substances found in food.
11. Most doctors recommend an energetic lifestyle, with plenty of exercise.
12. British people enjoy free healthcare thanks to the large amount of money
which is spent to make sure they have adequate health services.

3 Now look at this extract from a magazine article and complete the gaps
with one of the words or phrases from Exercises 1 and 2. In some cases,
more than one answer may be possible.
A cure for the future in the past?
For over 50 years, the people of Britain have relied on the
1.................................. to make sure they have adequate health services. But
now the National Health Service is sick. Government 2............................... and
3................. are forcing hospitals to close, and waiting lists for treatment are
getting longer. Under such circumstances, it is no surprise that more people are
turning to private (but expensive) healthcare.
For some, however, there are alternatives. They are turning their backs on
modern pills, tablets and other 4................................... It seems paradoxical,
but in an age of microchips and high technology, 5.................................. (the
old-fashioned cures that our grandparents relied on) is making a comeback.
Consider these case studies:
Maude is 76 and has been suffering from 6.................................. for almost 10
years. “The inflammation in my joints was almost unbearable, and my doctor
referred me to a 7.................................. at the London Hospital. I was told that
I needed 8.................................., but would need to wait for at least two years
before I could have the operation. In desperation, I started having massage
sessions. To my surprise, these were very 9.................................., and while
they didn’t cure the disorder, they did relieve it to some extent.”
Ron is 46. His high-powered city job was responsible for a series of
10.................................. illnesses, and the drugs he took did little to relieve the
nervous strain. “I read about treatments which involve the whole person rather
than the individual 11.................................., but I had always been sceptical
about 12................................... However, my friend recommended a dietician
who advised me that part of my problem was 13..................................-related.
Basically, the foods I was eating were contributing to my disorder. She gave
me a list of foods that would provide the right 14.................................. and
15.................................. to keep me in good health. At the same time, she
recommended a more 16.................................. lifestyle – running, swimming,
that kind of thing. I’m a bit of a couch potato, and the 17..................................
lifestyle I had lived was compounding the problem. Now I feel great!”
So is there still a place in our lives for modern medicine? While it is true that
some infections and viruses may be prevented by resorting to alternative
medicine, more serious illnesses such as 18.................................. need more
drastic measures. We do need our health service at these times, and we
shouldn’t stop investing in its future. But we mustn’t forget that for some
common illnesses, the cure may lie in the past.