Some Foods Can Help Promote Sleep

Unlocking Word Meanings(5 minutes)
Let your student read the items below. Confirm that he/she understood each word. Use additional info/definition/question only when necessary.

1. shuteye (n.) – informal word for sleep

Example: Doctors advise six to eight hours of shuteye to keep the body working properly. 

2. induce (v.) – to cause something to happen

Example: Inducing children to sleep early is a challenging task for parents.

3. nutritionist (n.) – an expert who advises people about the health effects of food

Example: The nutritionist made a meal plan to help the athlete have more energy during training.

4. digestion (n.) – the process wherein the body breaks down food to a form that can be used by the body

Example: Experts say eating vegetables aids proper digestion.

5. soothing (adj.) – relaxing or comforting

Example:  Drinking a cup of tea in the morning can be very soothing.

Article(10 minutes)
Let the student read the article aloud. For the Comprehension Questions, you may:
     (a) Ask the questions in between. Tell the student ahead of time when to pause from reading.
     (b) Ask the questions after he or she finishes reading everything. 

For words difficult to pronounce, pronunciation guides are provided beside the word.

Having much sleep is said to prolong life and re-energize the body. Yet a lot of people do not get enough shuteye, and health experts say the reason is due to the types of food people eat before sleeping.   People believe that besides taking sleeping pills, eating particular foods can help induce sleep. But author of “The Real You Diet” and certified nutritionist Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom reveals that good shuteye depends more on what a person avoids eating before bedtime. She advises people not to eat fatty or spicy food and not to eat too much right before sleeping, as digestion in the stomach causes uncomfortable sleep. Sugary, alcoholic and caffeinated foods should also not be consumed before sleep. For the best sleep, she suggests that people have no caffeine after 3 p.m. and eat their last full meal three hours before going to bed. However, she notes that some people can still have bedtime snacks to help them relax. Fernstrom recommends certain foods such as non-caffeinated tea, a sugar-free hot chocolate drink, dry cereal, a whole wheat bread slice, graham crackers or warm milk. Fernstrom says these foods are good because they are low in fat and sugar and are not more than 200 calories. They are best taken more than half an hour before getting some shuteye. According to her, these snacks help induce sleep not because they affect the biological processes of the body, but because these foods have soothing effects to one’s mind.

Viewpoint Discussion(7-8 minutes)
Lead the discussion using the questions below.

Discussion A 

·         Do you agree that eating or drinking certain foods can help you get a good sleep? Why or why not?

·         Aside from eating soothing food, what other things can people do to feel more relaxed before going to bed?

Discussion B

·         What are the benefits of getting a good sleep?

·         Besides food, what do you think are other reasons for many people’s lack of sleep?

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New Weight-Loss Drug Now Available in the US

Unlocking Word Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in today's article.

1. appetite (n.) [ap-i-tahyt] – the feeling of wanting to eat food

Example: A sick person often does not have a big appetite.

2. overeating (n.) [oh-ver-eet-ing] – the act of eating more than what is needed by the body

Example: Overeating will make you fat.

3. be taken off the market (expr.) [be][tey-kuh n][awf,of][thuh][mahr-kit] - to no longer be sold

Example: After receiving many complaints, the company decided the product should be taken off the market.

4. side effect (n.) [sahyd][ih-fekt] – a drug result that is different from the expected result of that drug

Example: Common side effects of cold medicines include sleepiness and dizziness.

5. obesity (n.) [oh-bee-si-tee] – condition where a person has too much fat in the body

Example: People who eat too much and don’t exercise usually suffer from obesity.

Article
Read the text below.

Qsymia, a new US Food and Drug Association (FDA) approved drug that promises to help people lose about 10% of their body weight, is now available on the US market. The new drug is a mix of two known weight-loss drugs that have been used by doctors for quite some time: phentermine and topiramate. Phentermine reduces appetite, while topiramate makes a person feel fuller after eating. Both of these drugs help control overeating, but target different areas of the brain, making Qsymia more effective. However, doctors are concerned about the fact that one ingredient of Qsymia, phentermine, is also found in a drug called Fen-Phen. In 1997, Fen-Phen was taken off the market due to its dangerous side effects. It has been 13 years since a weight-loss drug has been approved by the FDA. The last was Xenical, in 1999. Qsymia is reportedly safe for women of child-bearing age.  However, pregnant women must keep away from Qsymia. With Qsymia, doctors and their patients now have another way of fighting the growing obesity problem in the US. At present, one third of the US population is obese while many suffer from medical conditions such as diabetes or heart disease because of obesity. But, doctors say Qsymia users must also have a healthy diet and exercise regularly if they want to lose weight.

Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A 

·         Do you think taking diet pills like Qsymia is a good way of dealing with weight problems? Why or why not?

·         How can people who are overweight or obese lose weight effectively?

Discussion B

·         What does your government do to encourage people to stay at a healthy weight?

·         In your opinion, why do a lot of Americans struggle with obesity?

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Parents Use Drug to Make Their Kids Sleep on Time

Unlocking Word Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

1. synthetic (adj.) [sin-thet-ik] – produced artificially; not natural in origin

Example: The wallet is made of synthetic leather, but it looks like natural leather made from animal skin.

2. chemical (n.) [kem-i-kuh l] – a substance that has a specific and unique composition

Example: The human body produces different kinds of chemicals.

3. psychological (adj.) [sahy-kuh-loj-i-kuh l] – relating to mental and emotional processes and behavior

Example: She experiences psychological stress because of pressure from her friends at school.

4. alleviate (v.) [uh-lee-vee-eyt] – to lessen pain or difficulty

Example: As a boxer, he often takes medicine to alleviate body pain caused by hard training.

5. decline (n.) [dih-klahyn] – a loss of good qualities (such as strength, value or usefulness)

Example:  Older people should have regular exercise to prevent a fast decline in health. 

Article
Read the text below.

In the US, giving synthetic melatonin to children is becoming a trend to parents who want their kids to sleep on time. Melatonin is a body chemical or hormone produced by the pineal gland in the brain. Melatonin controls the body’s sleep-wake cycles. Studies say that giving synthetic melatonin to children seems to be safe, but there might still be risks in short-term and long-term use of the drug. Dr. Keith Ablow, an American psychiatrist, says that even if the drug is not proven as dangerous, giving melatonin to children discourages them from finding natural solutions to their sleep problems. He says children may become dependent on the drug to achieve mind relaxation and better sleep. Later on, they may rely on other drugs to solve other emotional and psychological issues. For example, many kids with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) are treated with drugs to help them focus, but these drugs are often not needed. Many teenagers, on the other hand, regularly use illegal marijuana to try to alleviate emotional stress. Dr. Ablow says that for sleeping problems, instead of giving drugs to children, parents can teach their children that it is sometimes okay to have difficulty going to sleep. According to Dr. Ablow, giving drugs to kids is a common solution nowadays because some parents may just be lazy and want their problems to be immediately solved. He believes society is experiencing a “psychological decline,” or the weakening of the will to face life problems, which is why many people want easy and fast solutions.

Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor. 

Discussion A

·         Do you agree with parents giving medicine or drugs to their children to make them sleep? Why or why not?

·         Can you think of other means to help people who find it hard to sleep at night?

Discussion B

·         Is there any evidence of “psychological decline” in your country? Can you give examples?

·         How do you think “psychological decline” among people or as a society can be solved?

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Study Says Organic Food Not Healthier than Regular Food

Unlocking Word Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

1. organic (adj.) [awr-gan-ik] – not making use of chemicals

Example: Organic fruits are expensive, but they are also very delicious.

2. conventional (adj.) [kuh n-ven-shuh-nl] – standard, ordinary or common

Example: Using chemicals is a conventional way to protect plants from pests.

3. contaminant (n.) [kuh n-tam-uh-nuh nt] – something that makes another thing unclean or unsafe

Example: I try to carefully wash vegetables to remove contaminants. 

4. residue (n.) [rez-i-doo, -dyoo] –something that stays or remains on something

Example: We could see oil residues from the used frying pan.

5. anecdote (n.) [an-ik-doht] – a short report of an interesting event

Example: He shared an anecdote about what happened during his dinner with friends.

Article
Read the text below.

A study by researchers from Stanford University and Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System suggests that organic food is not healthier or more nutritious than conventional food products. Lead author Dr. Crystal Smith-Spangler and her colleagues studied over 200 works that assessed the health of people who ate organic food. Researchers also looked at studies that compared the levels of nutrients and contaminants found in both organic and conventional poultry, eggs, milk, vegetables, fruits and grains. The results showed that the nutritional content of organic and conventional food was the same, although organic food had only a little more phosphorous, a nutrient that builds strong bones. A few studies also said organic chicken and milk might have more omega-3 fatty acids which are also beneficial to health. The research said that only 7% of the organic food in the studies had pesticide residue, while residue was found on more than 33% of the conventional food samples. According to the researchers, the level of chemical residue in both conventional and organic food is often within the limit set by the US Department of Agriculture. As such, it can be hard to tell how the difference in levels of chemical residue in both foods affects people’s health. Despite the study’s results, many people remain supporters of organic food. Chensheng Lu, a student at the Harvard School of Public Health, said Smith-Spangler’s study was based only on anecdotes. It did not prove that conventional food is safer. He believes that until more studies are done, choosing organic food is still the best way to protect one’s health.

Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor. 

Discussion A 

·         Do you believe that organic food is better than regular food? Why do you say so?

·         Would you still want to buy organic food if it would be proven to have just the same health benefits as regular food?

Discussion B

·         What is the most important factor to consider when buying food (e.g., price, taste, health benefits, etc.)? Please explain your answer.

·         How can we encourage people to buy and to eat healthier food?

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Technology May Cause Vision Problems in Children

Unlocking Word Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

1. vision (n.) [vizh-uhn] – ability of the eyes to see

Example: A child generally has better vision than  adults.

2. focus (n.) [foh-kuhs] – ability to see an object clearly or sharply

Example: Because elderly people have problems with focus, most cannot read the newspaper without eyeglasses.

3. glare (n.) [glair] – very bright light

Example: Sunglasses protect the eyes from the glare of the sun on a hot summer day.

4. coordination (n.) [koh-awr-dn-ey-shuhn] – ability of different parts (of the body) to move together at the same time

Example: Eye coordination is important when reading a book, because both eyes must move in the same direction at the same time across the page. 

5. optometric (adj.) [op-tom-i-treek] – relating to the eye

Example: The doctor prescribed eyeglasses after the optometric exam.

Article
Read the text below.

More and more children are at risk of suffering from a health problem called Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS) as technology is increasingly used in classrooms. Eye strain, blurred vision, loss of focus and attention, neck pain, double vision, and headaches are the known symptoms of CVS. This condition happens because computer screens make the eyes work harder.  Computer screens give off glare and require the eye to look closely at images that are not as clear as those on paper. In addition, reading on the computer makes eye coordination difficult because computer screens are usually positioned a little higher than the normal reading position.   Thirteen-year-old Casey Connelly who suffers from CVS says she often get “tired eyes” as most of her school work involves computers and electronic tablets. Some schools in the US are now using electronic devices not only for typical activities like typing but also for more advanced function such as storing text books. This set-up requires students like Casey to work longer with computers.  The American Optometric Association (AOA) says that people who spend more than two continuous hours on the computer every day are most likely to develop CVS. To avoid vision problems, Dr. Andrea Thau from AOA suggests taking a 20-second break every 20 minutes spent on the computer. Other tips include positioning the computer screen four to five inches below eye level and blinking often to keep the eyes from getting dry. An annual eye exam before the school year starts may also help students avoid CVS.

Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor. 

Discussion A 

·         Do you think that computers and tablet devices are necessary tools in classroom education? Why or why not?

·         Aside from health problems, what can be the disadvantages of using computers in teaching students?

Discussion B

·         What other eye-care tips can you offer to better protect the eyes?

·         Is it possible to have good eyesight these days, when almost everything people do involves computers? Please explain your answer.