topic 6: lifestyle and health matters / public health issues

Topic 6:Lifestyle and Health Matters/

Public Health Issues

Readings

Unit 3 Gas in the GI Tract p.29~42

Superbug: Neither Supper nor a bug/ How bacteria evolve into superbugs

keywords

Gastrointestinal (GI) disorders (n. phr.)：diseases relating to the tract in the stomach and intestine

Superbug

Discussion 1

Have you ever experienced abdominal discomfort or pain after you have your meal? If so, what actions did you take to ease your pain?

Vocabulary

Gastrointestinal(GI) tract (n. phr.): 腸胃道 Burp (n.)(v.)/ Belch (v.):打嗝 Bloating (n.): 鼓脹 Flatulence (n.): 放屁 Distention (n.): 膨脹 Rectum (n.): 直腸 Anus (n.): 肛門 Celiac (adj.): 腹腔的 Probiotics (n.): 益生菌

Vocabulary

Gas pains: 脹氣疼痛 Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS): 大腸激躁症 Crohn’s Disease:

Crohn’s disease is a chronic inflammatory condition of the digestive system, the intestines in particular. This disease can affect the digestive system anywhere from mouth to anus.

Colorectal cancer: 結直腸癌 Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD): 胃食道逆流疾病 Peptic ulcer disease: 消化性潰瘍 Malabsorption symptom: 吸收不良症狀 Gallstone: 膽結石 Appendicitis: 盲腸炎 Lactose intolerance: 乳糖不耐症

Vocabulary

Acupressure: 穴位按摩

Homeopathy: 順勢療法Homeopathy is an alternative approach to medicine based on the idea that if a large doses of a substance cause a symptom, when used in very small doses these can cure it.

Hydrotherapy: 水療法

Gas in GI tract

Comes from two ways:1.swallowing air while eating, drinking or talking2.during food digestion process

Can cause abdominal discomfort or painSymptoms:

1.burping/ belching2.flatulence/ farting3.bloating4.gas pain

Ways to eliminate gas in our bodies

GI disorders

Symptoms that just mentioned sometimes indicate the presence of severe GI disorders

For instance:Bloating IBS, Crohn’s disease or colorectal cancer

Other GI disorders: malabsorption symptoms, peptic ulcer disease, GERD or intestinal obstruction

Discussion 2

What kind of food that you eat will make you feel discomfortable afterwards?

Some gas prone foods -----high in carbonhydrates

Milk and other dairy productsBeansVegetablesWhole grain productsFruit

Suggestions to reduce symptoms

Avoid eating foods thought to cause excess gas

Having good eating habits

Taking a brisk stroll after you have your meal

Eating healthy food helps the movement of the small intestine

To avoid excessive salivation

Taking over-the-counter medicines

Seeking help from doctors

Discussion 3

What is superbug? Is it really a super bug?

Superbug refers to the multi drug-resistant bacteria which consist of the gene called NDM-1.

Discussion 4

What are reasons that you think causes the exist of superbug?

Vocabulary

Defy (v.): 對抗 Imminent (adj.): 即將發生的 Escalate (v.): 擴大 Plasmid (n.): 質體 Augment (v.): 擴大 Pathogen (n.): 流行病 Indiscriminately (adv.): 不區別地 Predecessor (n.): 先輩

Main idea

Because of an ongoing competition between bacteria that cause illness and drugs that are designed to kill them, bacteria have been developing resistance to a variety of antibiotics which eventually creates “superbug”.

Supporting details

Superbug was first found in India and Pakistan.

The drug resistance comes from a gene called NDM-1 which sit on plasmids that can be passed among bacteria rapidly.

Such gene can produce enzymes that cut antibiotic molecules into pieces, making the drugs powerless.

Some misunderstandings

There are still two kinds of antibiotics that can fight the superbug.

It is not spreading rapidly due to its high resistance to drugs.

It doesn’t make someone more sick.

Strategies

New kinds of antibiotics

Tighter controls on existing antibiotics

Better international cooperation on health prevention

More careful control on medical tourism

Main idea

High rates of immigration of bacteria into an environment containing antibiotic introduces sufficient genetic variation to cause the evolution of antibiotic resistance.

Supporting details

Researchers have applied ecological and evolutionary theory to see how bacteria become resistant to antibiotics in hospital.

Bacteria mutating fast will quickly adapt to harsh environments containing antibiotics.

Supporting details

Superbug are an exception in evolutionary theory. When they spread to and persist in many source environment, they become more infectious.

Conclusion

We need for greater understanding of how bacteria evolve in order to control the mutation of bacteria and to preserve the effectiveness of antibiotics.

Discussion 5

If you were the governor, what actions would you take to slow down or even stop the mutation of bacteria?

Discussion 6

Do you think the era of antibiotics is coming to a close? Why?

Thank you for your attention!

And try your best to protect as well as preserve the antibiotics!