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📚 Vocabulary
10 new words Learn new words with real examples and audio.
Podcast: Health & Body
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📝 Podcast Transcript
Hello everyone, and welcome back to Word Kitchen. I am Maya.
And I am Lena. Today we are talking about something we all deal with, staying healthy.
Yes, health and our body. We have ten useful words today, and we are going to use them again and again so they really stick.
So let us start with a story. Last week I woke up with a bad headache and a sore throat. My first thought was, is this just tiredness, or is it a real symptom of something?
That is exactly the right word to start with. A symptom is a sign that something is wrong in your body. A headache, a fever, a cough, these are all symptoms. Did you have a fever too?
A little one, yes. And that symptom worried me a bit, because I had a big week at work. So I went to the clinic, and the doctor asked me about every symptom I had.
That is what doctors do. They listen to each symptom, and then they try to find the cause. Did she give you medicine?
She did. She prescribed some medicine for me. To prescribe means the doctor officially tells you which medicine to take. She prescribed a small dose, just for five days.
Interesting. When I was in university, a doctor once prescribed vitamins for me because I felt tired all the time. To prescribe something is such a useful word, because it is what connects the doctor's idea to your recovery.
Exactly. And before she prescribed anything, she told me her diagnosis. A diagnosis is the doctor's answer to the question, what is wrong with me? Her diagnosis was a light throat infection.
An infection is our third word idea here. An infection happens when germs get into your body and make you sick. So the diagnosis was a throat infection, and then she prescribed medicine to fight that infection.
Right. And the diagnosis was a relief, honestly. I was afraid of something worse. Once you have a clear diagnosis, you know what to do next. Did she tell you how long the recovery would take?
She said the recovery would take about a week. Recovery is the time it takes to get healthy again after being sick. A slow recovery is frustrating, but my recovery went well because I rested a lot.
That is the key to a good recovery, rest and patience. My grandfather had a long recovery after his knee surgery. He told me the first week of recovery was the hardest, but every day got a little easier.
So we have symptom, prescribe, diagnosis, infection, recovery. Let us pause and say them together slowly.
Symptom. Prescribe. Diagnosis. Infection. Recovery.
Nice. Now let us talk about allergies, because this time of year is hard for many people. An allergy is when your body reacts badly to something harmless, like pollen or peanuts.
Oh, I know this one well. I have an allergy to cats. If I visit a friend who has a cat, my eyes get red and I start sneezing. That allergy makes spring visits very interesting.
My sister has the same allergy. Her allergy is to dust, so she cleans her room every week. An allergy can be small or serious, but you should always know what your allergy is.
Yes, and a doctor can help with an allergy too. Sometimes they prescribe a simple pill for an allergy, and sometimes they just tell you to avoid the thing that causes it.
Speaking of pills, let us talk about vitamins. A vitamin is a substance in food, or in a small pill, that keeps your body strong. Oranges have a lot of vitamin C.
I take a vitamin every morning in winter. My doctor said one vitamin a day is enough, and I should get the rest from food. A single vitamin cannot replace a good diet, right?
Right. A vitamin helps, but real food matters more. My grandmother always said a vitamin is fine, but soup and fruit are better. She believed food was the best vitamin of all.
She was wise. Now, another big word is immunity. Immunity is your body's ability to fight sickness. Strong immunity means you get sick less often.
Sleep is the best friend of immunity. When I sleep badly for a week, my immunity drops and I catch every cold. Good food also builds immunity.
Yes, exercise builds immunity too. A short walk every day helps your immunity more than people think. My doctor told me strong immunity starts with small daily habits.
And that connects to our next word, nutritious. Nutritious means food that is good and healthy for your body. A nutritious breakfast gives you energy for the whole morning.
My favorite nutritious meal is oatmeal with fruit and nuts. It is simple, cheap, and very nutritious. What is your most nutritious habit?
Probably my lunch. I eat a big salad with beans, and it is cheap and nutritious. A nutritious dinner helps me sleep better too. When food is nutritious, your whole body thanks you.
I agree. A nutritious meal does not have to be expensive. Rice, beans, and vegetables are nutritious, and almost everyone can afford them.
Now our last word, remedy. A remedy is something that makes you feel better when you are sick. Hot tea with honey is a simple remedy for a cold.
My favorite remedy for a headache is a dark quiet room and a glass of water. Sometimes the simplest remedy is the best one. What remedy did your grandmother use?
She made a warm lemon drink, and that remedy worked every time, at least in my memory. A good remedy does not always come from a pharmacy. Sometimes the best remedy is rest.
True. But if a symptom does not go away after a few days, you should see a doctor. A doctor can give a diagnosis, prescribe the right medicine, and that speeds up your recovery.
Perfect summary. Let us do a quick review of all ten words one more time, in sentences.
A symptom is a sign that you are sick, like a fever or a cough. Never ignore a symptom that lasts more than a few days.
To prescribe is when a doctor tells you which medicine to take. The doctor prescribed some pills for my cold.
A diagnosis is the doctor's answer to what is wrong. A clear diagnosis helps you feel calm and know the next step.
An infection is when germs make you sick. Wash your hands to avoid an infection.
Recovery is getting healthy again. A good recovery needs rest, water, and patience.
An allergy is a bad reaction to something like pollen. If you have an allergy, learn what causes it.
A vitamin keeps your body strong. One vitamin a day is enough if you eat well.
Immunity is your body's defense against sickness. Sleep, food, and exercise build your immunity.
Nutritious food is healthy food. A nutritious breakfast gives you energy.
A remedy makes you feel better. Hot tea is a simple remedy for a cold.
That was a great session, Maya.
It was. Take care of your body, eat something nutritious, and we will see you tomorrow on Word Kitchen.
Bye everyone, stay healthy.
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A Week of Getting Well
1. Last Monday I woke up with a strange symptom in my throat.
2. The symptom worried me because I had an important meeting that day.
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📝Grammar: Modals of deduction - might, can't, must
Sometimes we guess about the present. **might** shows a guess that is possible. Use **might** when you are not sure. Your nutritious soup might be cold now. Use **must** when you are almost sure something is true. Your immunity must be strong — you never get sick. Use **can't** when you are sure something is NOT true. That can't be an allergy — you never sneeze. Careful: the opposite of **must** (sure) is **can't**, NOT **mustn't**. **mustn't** means "don't do it" — a rule, not a guess. We often add **be + -ing** after these words. Your body must be fighting the infection.
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