Topic 13: Healthy lifestyle and longevity

Did you know that on average we forget about 80% of the medical information a doctor might give us? This fascinating information (1) ________ to light as a result of a study carried out by Utrecht University. What is even more interesting is that almost half of what we think we remember is wrong.

Why do you think this is? Well, it’s not as complicated as you may think. You see, going to the doctor fills most people (2) _________ anxiety and when we are really nervous and stressed we are more likely to focus on the diagnosis rather than the treatment. Therefore, we know what is wrong with us but have no idea what to do about it.

Here are some good tips to (3)______ in mind when seeing a doctor. Always write down any important information. What would be even better is if your doctor agreed, to record your (4)___________. This way, you can replay the advice at home, where you are more likely to absorb it. If you believe the situation is serious or you’re really worried, seek the help of a family member. Just ask them to (5)_________ you to listen in. This way you can be absolutely sure about what the doctor has told you and avoid falling into the same trap that most people do.

You get off your plane and make your way to the Baggage Reclaim area. After quite some time spent waiting, their is no sign of your bags and you begin to consider the possibility that they may have gone (1) _________. What should you do?

Firstly, don’t panic. The most likely (2) _________ is that your bags simply didn’t make it onto the flight, perhaps because they were mislaid at the departure airport, or perhaps because the aircraft had already (3) _________ its weight allowance. If they fail to appear on the carousel, report the loss before you leave the baggage hall and go through customs. Recovering your luggage should be no problems, (4) ______ you’ve kept hold of your baggage checks – those little barcodes stuck to the back of your tickets at check-in.

Go to the handling agent’s desk and complete a Property Irregularity Report (PIR) form, (5) _________ describes the checked bag and its contents. Then, ask the baggage-services manager for a contact telephone number and confirm that your bags will be forwarded to your final destination.

Traditional Thai cuisine falls into different categories: boiled dishes, salads, pounds foods and curries. Whether at home or in a restaurant. Thai meals are always (1)________ ‘family style’ – that is, from common serving platters, with the plates appearing in whatever order the kitchen can prepare them. When serving yourself from a common platter, put no more than one spoonful (2) _______ your plate at a time. Heaping your pate with all ‘your’ portions at once will look greedy to Thais unfamiliar with Western conventions. Another important factor in a Thai meal is (3) _______ a balance of flavours and textures. Traditionally the party orders a curry, a steamed or fried fish, a stir-fried vegetable dish and a soup, taking great care to (4) _____ cool and hot, sour and sweet, salty and plain.

Thai food was originally eaten with the fingers, and it still is in certain regions. These days, though, fork-and-spoon dining is the norm. To use these tools the Thai way, use a serving spoon, or alternatively your own, to take a (5) ________ mouthful of food from a central dish and ladle it over a portion of your rice. The fork is then used to push the now-food-soaked portion of rice back onto the spoon before entering the mouth.

Nuts could be the key to keeping slim, according to new research. Scientists from Harvard University and Harvard Medical School say that replacing and unhealthy snack with half a daily _____ (1) of nuts could slow weight gain in people as they get older. Walnuts ____________ (2) particular appeared to offer good results and were linked to a 15% lower risk of obesity.

Researchers conducted a long-term study which followed 51,529 male health professionals aged 40 to 5, 121,700 nurses aged 35 to 55 and 16,686 nurses aged 24 to 44. Participants had their weight ____________ (3) every four years and were asked how often they had eaten nuts. They also had to report their exercise every two years. The findings, ___________________ (4) in the online journal BMJ Nutrition, Prevention and Health, showed that increasing nut consumption was associated with less risk of putting on two or more kilos over a four-year period. However, the researchers say the study is ________ (5) and therefore cannot establish a definite cause.