Can we diet against Cancer?

What I want to do with this video is to introduce today’s lesson, which will follow the theme of this unit “Heath and diet”.

 

Before watching the video I would like to you to work on the following terms (please take advantage of the definition system to find the words that you may not know or would like to know a better definition of, also note that understanding those words is crucial for the good understanding of the video):

 

• Metastasis
• Angiogenesis
• Promoter
• Glioma
• Grow-factor
• Vessels
• Detoxify
• Myriad
• Remission
• Laced
• Sprout
• Starburst
• Prime
• Far-ranging

 

You could also use the following dictionary from National Cancer Institute (http://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms) to find the meaning of the words, not only in the language context but also within the scientific jargon.

For the better comprehension of the video, I would like you to, after watching, to identify the three main topics that the speaker covers.

We all watch the video.

The three main topics covered over the video are:

• Relation of angiogenesis and cancer
• Inhibition on angiogenesis as prevention treatment of cancer
• Healthy diet as a solution of avoiding angiogenesis.

 

After that we are going to discuss the flowchart of the talk. The lecturer had structured the talk in a way that all three topics are explained in a logical and understandable way. Which phrases did help him to do so? Do you think examples are useful for this purpose? And what about graphics and data; Does it give an advantage to understand what he is explaining? Would you have add something maybe more pictures or real images?

In group of 4-6 choose one of the topics in the web page below:

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/categories/nutrition-diet

Then try to find related subjects on other web pages and connect them: fizzy drinks – sugar content – Children obesity.

After, prepare in your groups a very short presentations explain the basis of the topic you have chosen and their connection. Please note that the purpose of this activity is not only to get deep into the subject but what is more important to logically connect the different matters.

  As we have talked over our lessons, BMI is the index which classifies the human in different categories depending on their weight and height:  underweight, overweight and obesity. Below we have a world map. According to the video the increase of fat levels in the body produces the increase of angiogenesis, hence the risk of cancer. Please discuss in your groups the following statement in relation with the map and the video, do you agree or disagree with them?

• The BMI index in Africa and Asia is lower therefore the population is healthier.
• The countries which higher BMI rates are the ones so called first world countries.
• The weather condition has a relation with the BMI rates.
• The diet has greater impact on the BMI than the life style.
• The Mediterranean Diet life style is not applicable anymore in the country that develop these eating standards.

Teacher comments:

The main objectives of the lesson was to make student think further than just about the scientific knowledge as such:

• To look for specific scientific vocabulary in webpages.
• To study the structure of oral discourse
• To learn how to link different ideas in a logical sense.
• To know how to explain in a reasonable way.