The Ultimate Treasure

Overview

Health means complete physical, mental, and social well-being, not just the absence of disease. This chapter explains balanced diet, hygiene, exercise, common diseases, and how to stay healthy.

Key concepts

• A balanced diet contains carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, water, and roughage.
• Diseases are of two types: communicable and non-communicable.
• Communicable diseases spread through air, water, food, or vectors.
• Vaccination protects the body by building immunity.
• Personal and public hygiene prevent many infections.

Important terms / formulae

• Communicable disease: spreads from one person to another.
• Vector: an organism like a mosquito that carries pathogens.
• Immunity: the body s ability to fight disease.
• Deficiency disease: caused by lack of a nutrient.

Solved example or key process

Malaria spreads when a female Anopheles mosquito bites an infected person and then a healthy person. To prevent it: avoid stagnant water, use mosquito nets, and keep surroundings clean. This breaks the chain of transmission.

Important questions

1. What is a balanced diet and why is it important?
2. Differentiate between communicable and non-communicable diseases.
3. How does vaccination help us?
4. Name one deficiency disease and its cause.

Quick revision

Health is the greatest treasure. A balanced diet, exercise, clean habits, safe water, and vaccination keep us healthy. Knowing how diseases spread helps us prevent them.