Health and sickness – B2 English Vocabulary

Health and sickness – B2 English Vocabulary

In this Pre-advanced Vocabulary Lesson about Health and Sickness, you will learn various terms and verbs associated with health, medical conditions, and treatments. Explore the pictures below and read the definitions and sentence examples.

Health and sickness: nouns and noun phrases

1 Healthcare refers to the maintenance or improvement of health via diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases.

• Access to good healthcare is essential for maintaining public health.

2 Your diet is the kinds of food that a you regularly eat. You may have a healthy diet, an unhealthy diet, a balanced diet, etc.

• A balanced diet is key to a healthy lifestyle.

3 Your lifestyle refers to the way you live, including your activities, attitudes, and health behaviors. You may have a healthy or unhealthy lifestyle.

• Regular exercise is part of a healthy lifestyle.

4 Health issues are problems related to a person’s physical or mental condition.

• She went to the doctor to discuss her health issues.

5 A deficiency is a lack or shortage of something, especially a nutrient or other substance necessary for health.

• Vitamin D deficiency can lead to bone problems and other health issues.

6 A health risk is something that increases the chance of developing a health problem.

• Smoking is a major health risk.

7 To be in good shape means to be in good physical condition.

• He exercises daily to stay in good shape.

8 To be out of shape means to be in poor physical condition.

• After years of neglecting exercise, he felt out of shape.

9 A health scare is a situation where someone is very worried about their health because of symptoms or medical tests.

• Her recent health scare made her quit smoking.

10 Being health-conscious means being aware of and concerned about one’s health and wellness.

• As a health-conscious person, she always chooses nutritious foods.

11 Mental health refers to a person’s emotional, psychological, and social well-being.

• It’s important to take care of your mental health as well as your physical health.

12 A life-threatening condition is a health problem that could result in death.

• He was diagnosed with a life-threatening condition and required immediate surgery.

13 Someone who is terminally ill has a disease that cannot be cured and will likely lead to death.

• The patient is terminally ill and receiving palliative care.

14 A sick note/doctor’s note is a written statement from a doctor excusing a patient from work or school.

• She submitted a sick note to her employer after her hospital visit.

15 Conventional medicine refers to mainstream medical treatments used by healthcare professionals.

• He prefers conventional medicine over alternative therapies.

16 Alternative medicine includes various healing approaches not typically part of conventional medicine.

• Acupuncture is a form of alternative medicine that some people find helpful.

Health and sickness: verbs and verb phrases

1 To prevent an illness or condition means to stop it from happening.

• Vaccines can help prevent certain diseases.

2 If you look after your health, you to take care of your physical and mental well-being.

• Regular exercise is a great way to look after your health.

3 To catch a disease means to become infected with it.

• She caught the flu from her coworker.

4 To come down with an illness means to start experiencing its symptoms.

• He came down with a cold after getting soaked in the rain.

5 If you feel a bit under the weather, it means that you feel slightly ill.

• She’s feeling a bit under the weather today, so she’s resting at home.

6 If you contract a disease, usually a serious disease, you become ill with it. Contract is a formal word.

• He contracted the virus through a mosquito bite.

7 To develop a condition means to start having it.

• People who smoke are more likely to develop lung diseases.

8 If you suffer from a condition, you are affected by it, usually over a long period.

• Many elderly people suffer from arthritis.

9 To be diagnosed with a condition means a doctor has identified that you have it.

• He was recently diagnosed with diabetes.

10 If a doctor prescribes medication for you, they authorize you to use it for treatment.

• The doctor prescribed antibiotics for her infection.

11 If something relieves your pain or discomfort, it makes it less unpleasant or causes it to disappear.

• She took painkillers to relieve the pain in her back.

12 To get over/recover from an illness means to return to health after being sick.

• It took him a few weeks to recover from the pneumonia.

13 If you are on the mend after an illness or injury, you are recovering from it.

• After the surgery, she was on the mend quickly.

14 If you are back on your feet, you are healthy again after an illness.

• He was back on his feet just a week after the flu.

15 To die of/from a condition means to lose your life because of it.

• Unfortunately, many people die of heart disease each year.

16 To pass away/on means to die, often used as a gentler or more respectful term.

• Her grandfather passed away peacefully in his sleep.

After completing the exercises in this lesson on Health and Sickness, you can use the unit’s Vocabulary Flashcards to revise and help you memorize the terms.