A guide to living a healthy lifestyle

What does it mean to live a healthy lifestyle? It is a way of living that allows you to enjoy more aspects of your life (1) ______________________. It is not just about trying to avoid one illness after another. It is about feeling and being well physically, mentally and socially. It is about making specific choices that give you the opportunity to feel your best for as long as you can. Living a healthy lifestyle is about saying YES to life.

Three Essential Ways to Live Healthy

Do you want to have a body that can support you well into your old age? Do you wish to have mental clarity and an overall feeling of wellbeing? Well, living a healthy lifestyle is what can get you there, or at least improve your condition. There are three specific things that you should do:

1. Exercise. Physical activity is essential to healthy living. The body was meant to move, and when it does not, it can (2) ______________________. Physical activity stimulates the body’s natural maintenance and repair systems that keep it going. It improves circulation to our heart and lungs. It gives us strength to stave off injuries, and it increases the mobility in our muscles and joints. Physical activity also releases endorphins; the feel good hormones that (3) _________________. Physical activity is good for the body and the mind. Exercises include brisk walking, cycling, dancing, swimming, rowing, elliptical workouts and jogging. Yoga and pilates are also good exercise workouts.

2. Eating healthy. Have you ever heard of the saying “you are what you eat”? Well, it is true. What you put into your body (4) _____________________, your mood, your mental clarity, your internal workings, and even your skin. Eating healthy does not mean eating expensive foods with little taste. As a matter of fact, there are some fantastic health recipes that are very healthy. Basically, you want to aim for a diet that is low in salt, fat and unprocessed foods and is high in fruit, vegetables, whole grains and omega-3 fatty acids. It is also good to take a multivitamin to ensure you are meeting your nutrient requirements.

3. Reduce stress. We have got to get rid of all of this stress. Stress happens when your life (5) ____________________ physically, mentally or emotionally. This imbalance can be caused by internal stress like worrying too much, environmental stress like pressure from work, family or friends, or by stress from being fatigued or overworked. Being stressed out has the potential to affect your health in a variety of ways. You can become tired, sick, tense, irritable, and unable to think clearly. If you want (6) _____________________, you will need to manage the stress in your life so that it does not overtake you. This means taking charge of your thoughts, emotions, tasks, and environment to get your body back in balance.

Find the places in the text where the following phrases should go.

a) to live a healthy lifestyle

b) become unhappy and ill

c) directly affects how you feel physically

d) becomes out of balance

e) in a more fulfilling way

f) create a sense of general wellbeing

Answer the following questions.

 

1. What is a healthy lifestyle?
2. Why is it important?
3. How can you maintain a healthy living style?
4. What are the benefits of exercise?
5. What makes a healthy diet?
6. What are the benefits of healthy eating habits and healthy food choices?
7. How can stress affect your health?
8. What can you do to lower your stress levels?

VOCABULARY

age (n) live / reach an age people of all ages	- возраст - дожить до определённого возраста - люди всех возрастов
alert (a)	- живой, проворный
allow (v)	- позволять, давать возможность
circumstance (n)	- обстоятельство, условие
change (v)	- менять(ся), изменять(ся)
deal with (v)	- разг. справляться с (ситуацией)
eat (v)	- есть; поглощать, поедать
exercise (n) exercise (v)	- упражнение, тренировка; физическая нагрузка - упражняться, тренироваться
fit (a) feel / keep fit fitness (n)	- находящийся в хорошей форме; разг. здоровый - быть бодрым и здоровым - хорошая физическая форма
give up (v)	- отказаться; бросить (что-л.)
habit (n) good / bad habit be in the habit of doing smth acquire / develop / form a habit break (off) a habit get into a habit get out of a habit fall into a habit make a habit of smth	- привычка; склад характера; склонности - полезная / вредная привычка - иметь привычку что-л. делать - приобретать привычку - бросать привычку; избавляться от привычки - привыкать - отвыкать - усвоить привычку - делать привычку из чего-л.
health (n) mental health physical health enjoy good health be in bad / poor / ill health promote (good) health recover / regain one’s health ruin smb’s health She swims for her health. healthy (a) healthful (a)	- здоровье - душевное здоровье - физическое здоровье - быть в добром здравии - иметь слабое здоровье - способствовать улучшению здоровья - восстанавливать здоровье - подрывать чьё-л. здоровье - Она занимается плаванием ради здоровья. - здоровый; полезный - целебный; полезный; оздоровительный
heredity (n)	- наследственность; унаследованные особенности
improve (v) improve in health	- улучшать(ся), совершенствовать(ся) - поправляться
influence (n) positive influence negative influence influence (v)	- влияние, действие, воздействие - позитивное, положительное влияние - негативное влияние, пагубное воздействие - оказывать влияние, воздействовать
involve (v)	- включать в себя, вовлекать
ill (a) illness (n)	- больной, нездоровый - нездоровье; болезнь
keep (v) keep to	- поддерживать; сохранять - придерживаться; следовать (чему-л.)
mind (n) state of mind	- разум; умственные способности; ум; дух, душа - настроение, расположение духа
need (v)	- нуждаться; иметь надобность, потребность
necessary (a)	- необходимый, нужный, требуемый
nutrition (n)	- питание; пища
perform­ (v) performance (n)	- выполнять, исполнять, совершать - характеристика (работы); эффективность
quality (n)	- качество, свойство; особенность; характерная черта
shape be in good shape	- форма - быть в хорошей физической форме
vary (v) various (a) variety (n)	- изменяться; отличаться; варьировать - различный, разный, разнообразный - разнообразие; многообразие
withstand (v)	- устоять (перед чем-л.), выдержать (что-л.); противостоять, не поддаваться (чему-л.)
work out (v) work out in / at a gym twice a week	- заниматься спортом, тренироваться - тренироваться в спортзале два раза в неделю

Word building