164. People do many different things to stay healthy. What do you do for good health?
Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
The assertion that there are many things people can do to stay healthy, and that we should ‘do’ something for good health. This statement is true, but untrue. While it is true that people can do many things to maintain good health, it is also true that not all things people do are helpful. The examples alluded to by the statement are relatively benign; many unhealthy habits are more prevalent, and more dangerous, than those mentioned. The examples given of exercise, good sleep, and a healthy diet are all common and prudent habits, but a great many adverse conditions exist in the world that have nothing to do with what people do or do not do. For example, in some parts of the world, people eat food that is high in fat and low in nutrition, and those people are disproportionately susceptible to many of the chronic conditions and diseases that afflict humankind. Conversely, people in undeveloped countries may not have access to a wide variety of food, and this lack of variety can be responsible for malnutrition, a condition that can be fatal. Other examples include smoking, which is associated with everything from lung cancer to emphysema to stroke, and obesity, which has been linked to heart disease, diabetes, certain types of cancer, and other diseases. Clearly, eating and drinking well, and getting plenty of exercise are good things for human health, but one needs to be careful not to indulge every whim. There is a fine line between healthy indulgence and healthy neglect.
The speaker’s second assertion, that ‘we should do something for good health’, is also untrue. It is true that people can do many things to maintain their health, but they are able to do these things because they are healthy, not because they are ill. The true source of good health is an internal state, and when people experience illnesses, they resort to the actions that the statement mentions. A person with Parkinson’s Disease may exercise regularly to try to maintain his or her strength. However, a person with cancer may give up this regimen, knowing that exercise will only hasten the disease’s progress. A ‘something’ that is good for the body is not necessarily good for the individual, and in the case of a person with a chronic disease, it may even be harmful. For example, a person who lacks energy may drink a lot of energy drinks, which may contain large quantities of sugar, caffeine, and other ingredients that may do little to increase energy but may harm the person in the long run. While people can do many things to maintain their health, it is up to them to make the right choices and know when it is time to seek help.