Unit Four Healthy Aging Lesson One Nutrition

ESL Health UnitUnit FourUnit Four Healthy AgingHealthy Aging
Lesson OneLesson One NutritionNutrition
Goals for this lesson:
Below are some of the goals of this lesson. Which ones are your goals too? Check (√) them.
Know the warning signs of poor nutritional health and what you can do to improve your diet.
Understand the difference between count and non-count nouns
Before You Read!
In this lesson, you will read about Eleanor’s problem with her diet. The last
time Eleanor went to the doctor, the doctor gave her this food pyramid for
older adults and asked her to follow it carefully. Before you read Eleanor’s
story, read through the pyramid and answer the questions that follow with
your classmates and teacher.
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Activity One:
According to the food pyramid what food group should you try to have the
most of each day? What should you have the least of?
Before we go on: a quick review of count vs. non-count nouns
Knowing the difference between count and noncount nouns is important
when you are talking about food:
Use the noun plural ending -s correctly
Use words that express quantities, such as little, a few, some, much,
a couple…
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Count vs. Noncount
The main difference between count and noncount nouns is whether or not
the things they refer to can be counted.
Count nouns refer to things that can be divided up into smaller units which
are separate and distinct from one another. They usually refer to what can
individually be seen or heard:
Noncount nouns refer to things that cannot be counted because they are
regarded as wholes which cannot be divided into parts. They often refer to
abstractions and occasionally have a collective meaning:
ESL Health Unit/Intermediate, Unit Four: Healthy Aging
table
chair
jar
egg
apple
bottle
hamburger
carton
anger
happiness
water
milk
meat
bread
coffee
broccoli
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Illustration: Think of the batter from which a cake is made. Before putting
the batter into the oven, you cannot divide it into its parts because it is a
liquid mix. Once it has been baked, however, it becomes solid enough to be
cut into pieces. Think of noncount nouns as the liquid mix that cannot be cut
into pieces, and think of the pieces of cake as the count nouns which may be
numbered and counted.
The Rules
Count nouns can be pluralized by adding a final -s to the nouns.
Noncount nouns cannot be not pluralized at all.
This rule works for the nouns in the list of examples above.
Exception: Certain nouns in English belong to both classes: they have both
a noncount and a count meaning. Normally, the noncount meaning is
abstract and general, and the count meaning is concrete and specific.
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Quantifiers
Quantifiers are words that give us more information about nouns. They tell
us how many or how much. To selecting the correct quantifier you need to
know whether the word is a count or a non-count noun. For our purposes,
we will choose the count noun eggs and the non-count noun water:
The following quantifiers will work with count nouns:
many eggs
much/not much water
a little water
no water
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The following quantifiers will work with both count and non-count nouns:
all of the eggs/water
lots of eggs/water
plenty of eggs/water
Note: with foods, some non-count words such as water, coffee or meat can
be made countable by adding a counting phrase like:
A cup/two cups of milk
A glass/two glasses/a couple of glasses of water
A package/two packages of meat
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Activity Two:
What do you usually eat each day? In the space below, describe your
diet and then share it with your partner. As you list the foods you eat be
sure to use the correct plural form and the correct quantifiers.
1. What do you eat for breakfast?
2. What do you eat for lunch?
3. What do you eat for dinner?
4. Do you have snacks during the day? What are they?
5. How much water/liquid do you drink each day?
6. How does your diet compare with the diet suggested in the food
guide? Is it similar? Very different?
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Reading One - Eleanor’s Poor Diet
Next read Eleanor’s story and answer the questions that follow with your
classmates and teacher.
My name is Eleanor and I am 80 years old. I used to cook for myself.
I would walk to the store everyday with my friend Celia to buy the things I
needed. But last year my eyesight got real bad and I couldn’t walk to the
market anymore. I guess since then my diet has gone downhill. I often skip
meals and when I do eat, I eat a lot of junk-food…especially sweets.
The last time I went to the doctor she was angry with me. She said I
gained 20 pounds, my cholesterol level was too high and I was dehydrated.
She gave me a piece of paper and told me to follow the suggestions about
what to eat every day – I am supposed to eat more fruits and vegetables and
whole grains and calcium and less fat. She is worried because I am a
diabetic and I have a high blood pressure. I am worried too but I don’t know
what to do because I can’t walk to the market anymore and I can’t see to
cook for myself.
This story was generated by the course developer for instructional purposes.
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Eleanor’s doctor is afraid that her poor diet is placing her at-risk for
serious health problems…
1. Why is Eleanor’s diet so poor?
2. Why is Eleanor’s doctor worried about her weight gain, high
cholesterol and dehydration?
3. Do you think Eleanor is going to follow the diet that her doctor
gave her? Why or why not?
4. If you were Eleanor, what would you do to solve your diet
problem?
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Nutrition Risk Test
Could your diet be putting you at risk for serious health problems? Answer
the following questions with your classmates and teacher and then discuss
your nutritional health score.
Read the statements below and check "Yes" for those that apply to you.
1. I have an illness or condition that made me change the
kind and/or amount of food I eat.
Yes (2pts.)
2. I eat fewer than 2 meals per day. Yes (3pts.)
3. I eat few fruits or vegetables, or milk products. Yes (2pts.)
4. I have 3 or more drinks of beer, liquor or wine almost
every day.
Yes (2pts.)
5. I have tooth or mouth problems that make it hard for me
to eat.
Yes (2pts.)
6. I don't always have enough money to buy the food I need.
Yes (4pts.)
Yes (1pts.)
8. I take 3 or more different prescribed or over-the-counter
drugs a day.
Yes ( 1 pt.)
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9. Without wanting to, I have lost or gained 10 pounds in the
last 6 months.
Yes (2pts.)
10. I am not always physically able to shop, cook and/or feed
myself.
Now total your nutritional score
0.2 Good. You have no need to change your nutritional habits.
Take this quiz again in 6 months.
3.5 You are at moderate nutritional risk. See what you can do to
improve your eating habits and lifestyle. Your office on aging,
senior nutrition program, senior citizens center or health
department can help.
6 or more You are at high nutritional risk. Bring this quiz with you the
next time you visit a medical professional or social services
agency. Ask for help to improve your nutritional health.
Discuss your score with your classmates. Are you or any of your classmates
at moderate or high nutritional risk? Work together to make a list of
suggestions for what everyone can do to improve their nutrition. If you
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can’t think of any solutions to this problem, read through the Health Watch
box below for ideas.
Health Watch: Improving Your Nutritional Health
Remember it is important to pay attention to the warning signs of poor
nutritional health. If any of these problems apply to you, read what you can
do to improve your diet.
Problem: Can't chew
Do you have trouble chewing? If so, you may have trouble eating foods like
meat and fresh fruits and vegetables.
What to do: Try other foods.
Problem: Upset stomach
Stomach problems, like too much gas, may make you stay away from foods
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Instead of: Try: fresh fruit fruit juices and soft canned fruits, like applesauce,
peaches and pears raw vegetables vegetable juices and creamed and mashed cooked
vegetables Meat ground meat, eggs, milk, cheese, yogurt, and foods
made with milk, like pudding and cream soups sliced bread cooked cereals, rice, bread pudding, and soft cookies
you think cause the problem. This means you could be missing out on
important nutrients, like vitamins, calcium, fiber and protein.
What to do: Try other foods.
Problem: Can't shop
You may have problems shopping for food. Maybe you can't drive anymore.
You may have trouble walking or standing for a long time.
What to do:
• Ask the local food store to bring groceries to your home. Some
stores deliver free. Sometimes there is a charge.
• Ask your church or synagogue for volunteer help. Or sign up for
help with a local volunteer center.
• Ask a family member or neighbor to shop for you. Or pay someone
to do it. Some companies let you hire home health workers for a
few hours a week. These workers may shop for you, among other
things. Look for these companies in the Yellow Pages of the phone ESL Health Unit/Intermediate, Unit Four: Healthy Aging
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Instead of: Try: Milk milk foods that may not bother you, like cream
soups, pudding, yogurt and cheese vegetables like
cabbage and broccoli
green beans, carrots and potatoes
fresh fruit fruit juices and soft canned fruits
book under "Home Health Services."
Problem: Can't cook
You may have problems with cooking. It may be hard for you to hold
cooking utensils, and pots and pans. Or you may have trouble standing for a
long time.
What to do:
• Use a microwave oven to cook TV dinners, other frozen foods, and
foods made up ahead of time by the store.
• Take part in group meal programs offered through senior citizen
programs. Or, have meals brought to your home.
• Move to a place where someone else will cook, like a family
member's home or a home for senior citizens.
To find out about senior citizen group meals and home-delivered meals, call (1-800) 677-1116. These
meals cost little or no money.
Problem: No appetite
Older people who live alone sometimes feel lonely at mealtimes. Loneliness
can make you lose your appetite. Or you may not feel like making meals for
just yourself.
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Maybe your food has no flavor or tastes bad. This could be caused by
medicines you are taking.
• Take part in group meal programs, offered through senior citizen
programs.
• Ask your doctor if your medicines could be causing appetite or taste
problems. If so, ask about changing medicines.
• Increase the flavor of food by adding spices and herbs.
Problem: Short on money
Not having enough money to buy enough food can keep you from eating
well.
What to do:
• Buy low-cost foods, like dried beans and peas, rice and pasta. Or buy
foods that contain these items, like split pea soup and canned beans
and rice. ESL Health Unit/Intermediate, Unit Four: Healthy Aging
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• Use coupons for money off on foods you like.
• Buy foods on sale. Also buy store-brand foods. They often cost less.
• Find out if your local church or synagogue offers free or low-cost
meals.
• Take part in group meal programs offered through local senior citizen
programs. Or, have meals brought to your home.
• Get food stamps. Call the food stamp office listed under your county
government in the blue pages of the telephone book. Adapted from information from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration
ESL Health UnitESL Health Unit
Unit FourUnit Four Healthy AgingHealthy Aging
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Understand U.S. cooking measurements and cooling vocabulary.
Be able to use the phrases “used to”, “be used to” and “get used to” to compare the past to the present.
Lesson One: Nutrition
Before You Listen!
Answer the following questions and then review them together as a class.
1. Do you like to cook? If so, do you cook with recipes?
2. Sometimes following recipes from cookbooks in the U.S. is difficult
because the measuring system is different from your home country.
Do you know the U.S. system for measurement? Read through the
following list and discuss any questions you may have with your
classmates and teacher.
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240 ml = 1 cup
1 liter = 4.2 cups
1 liter = 2.1 pints
1 liter = 1.06 quarts
1 liter = .26 gallon
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1 gram = .035 ounce
100 grams = 3.5 ounces
500 grams = 1.10 pounds
1 kilogram = 2.205 pounds
1 kilogram = 35 oz.
3. What ways of cooking are healthy? What ways are unhealthy?
4. What does “ethnic cuisine” mean?
5. The following is a list of cooking verbs, discuss what each one means
with your classmates and teachers.
bake
blend
boil
braise
chill
chop
deep-fry
dice
drain
freeze
fry
grate
grill
grind
knead
mash
melt
mix
peel
pour
refrigerate
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roast
sauté
season
simmer
slice
spread
steam
stir
stir-fry
toast
toss
whip
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Listening One: Healthy Ethnic Cuisine
**Note to teacher: Do not pass out the written message in the box below. Record it onto a cassette (if possible with someone to play the second role in the dialogue) and have students listen to the recording. Play once or twice before they begin to listen for specific information.
Now you will listen to a radio program about cooking featuring an interview
with a Chef who has just published a cook book about healthy eating.
Host: We’re pleased to have Chef Joseph Wong with us today to talk
about his new cookbook, “Healthy Ethnic Cuisine.” Chef
Wong, welcome to the show.
Chef: Thank you for having me.
Host: Tell me why you wrote this book?
Chef: Well I wrote this shortly after having a heart attack about 5
years ago. You see, I was very worried about my heart
problem and wanted to do everything I could to live a long
and healthy life. But I was worried about following my
doctor’s suggestion to eat a healthy diet because I love to
cook and eat. So, I started searching for healthy recipes in
cookbooks. I found lots of books about healthy cooking
but I couldn’t find any good books on eating healthy ethnic
foods that I love, like Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai or
Mexican cuisine.
Host: So you decided to write one.
Chef: That’s right. I traveled to China and Thailand and Mexico and
tasted the foods there and then created my own recipes. I tried
to make low-salt, low-fat recipes and then I worked with a
fabulous nutritionist who helped me to make sure my recipes
were as healthy as possible.
Host: And your cookbook is beautiful and some of these dishes look
delicious. What is your secret for making ethnic food healthy?
Chef: I try to take out some of the unhealthy ingredients and increase
other healthy ingredients to improve the flavor. I try not to
cook with saturated fats and oils and avoid ingredients that have
lots of salt. I also use healthy methods for cooking such as
grilling or braising instead of frying. Honestly, it is possible to
create something very delicious and still healthy.
Host: Great. Would you mind sharing a recipe with our audience?
Chef: Not at all. I’ll just give folks a minute to grab a pen and a piece
of paper (pause)... This is a recipe for green tomato salsa that
works nicely with steamed or grilled fish or chicken.
You’ll need the following:
2 large green tomatoes
one green onion diced
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Chop the tomatoes and cantaloupe into small pieces. Mix all of
the ingredients. Allow to sit 15 minutes before serving. Serve
immediately or store in refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Activity One:
2. What steps did he take to write the cookbook?
3. How does he create healthy recipes?
Activity Two:
Listen again and try to fill in the missing information from the recipe as the
Chef reads it. When you’re finished compare answers with your neighbor.
This is a recipe for _______________ that works nicely with
_____________ fish or chicken. You’ll need the following:
__________large green __________
one green onion __________
of the __________. Allow to sit __________ minutes before serving. Serve
immediately or store in refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Talk About It!
Before we begin, let’s think about the difference between “be used to”, “get
used to” and “used to”.
Be used to
Be used to is used to show previous experience and familiarity with a certain
situation. For example:
I am used to eating alone. - I have been eating alone for many years,
so it's not difficult for me.
Juan isn't used to cooking for himself. - He doesn't have much
experience cooking, or if he does it is still difficult for him.
Paulo is used to a low-fat, low-salt diet. - Paulo has been eating this
kind of diet for year so he doesn’t find it difficult or strange.
Elise has never worked with a nutritionist before, so she's not used to
it. – Elise doesn't have previous experience working with a
nutritionist.
Get used to
Get used to is used for the process of acquiring experience and ability. In the
beginning we are less experienced, then we get used to something - we go
through a process of gaining experience. For example:
I wasn't used to cooking for myself, but I got used to it. - I didn't have
experience cooking for myself, but I grew in experience until I was
happy about it.
I didn't like drinking a lot of water, but I am getting used to it. - In the
beginning I didn't like drinking a lot of water, but now I am learning
to like it.
Used To
In the structure be / get used to, to is a preposition, not part of the to-
infinitive. For example:
- I'm used to cooking for myself. OK
- I'm used to cook for myself. Incorrect - "to cook" is a to-infinitive and
can't be used here.
Used to is a completely different structure from be / get used to. Used to is
for past habit. For example:
I used to do my own grocery shopping, but now my eyes are bad and I
can’t see well enough.
Juan used to think he could never cook for himself, but now he cooks
for himself every day and he enjoys it!
Activity One:
Read the following stories about Juan, Paulo and Elise and after each one
talk about what they are used to, what they are getting used to and what
they used to do but do differently now.
Juan’s Story
My wife died last year. After she died I stopped eating because I was
very depressed. Eating reminded me of my wife because she used to cook
for me everyday and we would always eat dinner right on time together at 5
o’clock. In the summer I got very sick, I felt dizzy and I couldn’t stand up.
I called my daughter and she was worried so she called 911. When I got to
the hospital they told me I was extremely dehydrated.
They were very nice and they introduced me to a nutritionist who
talked to me about my diet. She told me that I needed to eat more calories
and drink more water every day. My daughter promised to help me learn
how to cook some of my favorite food and she did. At first I was nervous
about cooking and became angry when I made a mistake but I wanted to get
healthy so I kept trying.
Pretty soon I got better at it, even better than my daughter! Now I
make dinner for myself every day. Sometimes I invite my daughter and her
family or my neighbors to eat with me. My favorite thing to make is
Spanish omelet. I try to make it with healthy ingredients like the nutritionist
suggested you would be surprised how I really enjoy cooking now. My wife
is laughing if she can see me!
Discuss Juan’s story using the phrases “used to”, “be used to” and “get
used to”:
Paulo’s Story
Before I had my stroke, I had my lunch at the coffee shop on Fourth
Street every day. Those guys know me well…as soon as I walk in the door
they have my regular on the table – two eggs, sausage, potatoes and a cup of
black coffee. I love those guys down there. I used to sit with them for hours
talking about politics.
After my stroke I couldn’t get around so well, and my doctor put me
on a low-fat, low-salt diet. I couldn’t walk to the coffee shop anymore so she
called and arranged for Meals on Wheels to come to my house every day. At
first I didn’t want this but now that I’ve met the people I know that they are
very good.
One of them, Luis, likes to talk about baseball and I do too. They
check on me every day and the food is okay too and pretty healthy I guess.
It’s really too much but I put the leftovers in the fridge and eat them for
dinner. I still like fried eggs and lots of butter on everything, but the food
they give me tastes okay too and I am starting to enjoy it.
Discuss Paulo’s story using the phrases “used to”, “be used to” and “get
used to”:
Elise’s Story
Six months ago I found out my sister has diabetes. She saw a nutritionist
who told her that eating too much fat or cholesterol could increase her
chances of heart disease. So, we needed to cut the fat from her diet. It
wasn’t easy because fat is in everything we like to eat - red meat, butter,
cream, cheese, ice cream! I am in charge of the cooking here so I needed to
think about making healthy dishes for her. I tried to take our favorite recipes
and do things like remove extra fat from the meat, use diet margarine instead
of butter and drink skim milk…of course we also had to cut back on the
sugar…this was hard because we both love to bake cakes and pies and we
love cookies. At first making these changes was really hard, but little by
little we are finding ways to make delicious dishes that are healthy too. The
great thing is we have so much extra energy from eating our new healthy
diet that we decided to take a water aerobics class. All in all, I think both of
our lives have really changed for the better!
Discuss Elise’s story using the phrases “used to”, “be used to” and “get
used to”:
Unit FourUnit Four Healthy AgingHealthy Aging
Real PracticeReal Practice Intermediate
Checklist for learning:
Understand U.S. cooking measurements and cooling vocabulary. Be able to use the phrases “used to”, “be used to” and “get used to” to
compare the past to the present.
Lesson One: Nutrition
Instructions
The information you record in your food diary will help you and your doctor
design an eating program to meet your special needs. These instructions will
help you get the most out of your food diary. Generally, food diaries are
meant to be used for a whole week, but studies have shown that even
keeping track of what you eat for 1 day can help you make changes in your
diet.
How much:
In this space indicate the amount of the particular food item you ate.
Estimate the size, the volume (1/2 cup), the weight (2 ounces) and/or the
number of items (12) of that type of food.
What kind:
In this column, write down the type of food you ate. Be as specific as you
can. Include sauces and gravies. Don't forget to write down "extras," such as
soda pop, salad dressing, mayonnaise, butter, sour cream, sugar and ketchup.
Time:
Where:
Write what room or part of the house you were in when you ate. If you ate in
a restaurant, fast-food chain or your car, write that location down.
Alone or with whom:
If you ate by yourself, write "alone." If you were with friends or family
members, list them.
Activity:
In this column, list any activities you were doing while you were eating (for
example, working, watching TV, ironing).
Mood:
How were you feeling while you were eating (for example, sad, happy,
depressed)?
Helpful Hints:
1. Don't change your eating habits while you're keeping your food
diary, unless your family doctor has given you specific
instructions to do so.
2. Tell the truth. There's nothing to be gained by trying to look
good on these forms. Your family doctor can help only if you
record what you really eat.
3. Record what you eat on all days your doctor recommends.
4. Be sure to bring the completed forms back with you to your
next doctor's appointment.
Write down everything
Keep your form with you all day, and write down everything you eat or
drink. A piece of candy, a handful of pretzels, a can of soda pop or a small
donut may not seem like much at the time, but over a week these calories
add up!
Do it now
Don't depend on your memory at the end of the day. Record what you eat as
you go.
Be specific
If you ate a cheeseburger, write it down. Make sure you include "extras,"
such as gravy on your meat or cheese on your vegetables. Record french
fries as french fries, not as potatoes.
Estimate amounts
If you had a piece of cake, estimate the size (2" x 1" x 2"). If you had a
vegetable, record how much you ate (1/4 cup or 2 cups?). When eating meat,
remember that a 3-ounce cooked portion is about the size of a deck of cards.
If you have any questions, call your family doctor.
Sample Food Diary
or
with
whom
Intermediate Level, Unit Three: Healthy Aging Lesson One: Nutrition
Checklist for Learning
Vocabulary Log:
In the space below, write down all of the new words you learned during this lesson that you want to remember. Try to separate your list of words into nouns (person, place or thing), adjectives (describing words) and verbs (action words). For extra practice use them in sentences of your own.
New words I learned during this lesson:
Nouns:
Adjectives:
Verbs:
What can you do?
Below are some of the language goals you worked on during this lesson. Check (√) what you learned from this lesson. Add more ideas if you wish.
I learned to…
Know the warning signs of poor nutritional health and what you can do to improve your diet.
Understand the difference between count and non-count nouns Be able to use the phrases “used to”, “be used to” and “get used to” to
compare the past to the present. ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________
Checklist for Learning
Instructions
The information you record in your food diary will help you and your doctor design an eating program to meet your special needs. These instructions will help you get the most out of your food diary. Generally, food diaries are meant to be used for a whole week, but studies have shown that even keeping track of what you eat for 1 day can help you make changes in your diet.
Helpful Hints:

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Unit Four Healthy Aging Lesson One Nutrition