B1.1 Keeping Healthy Flashcards
What’s a pathogen?
Pathogens are micro-organisms - such as bacteria and viruses - that cause disease. Bacteria release toxins, and viruses damage our cells.
What can fight against pathogens?
White blood cells can ingest and destroy pathogens. They can produce antibodies to destroy pathogens, and antitoxins to neutralise toxins.
How do vaccinations work?
In vaccination pathogens are introduced into the body in a weakened form. The process causes the body to produce enough white blood cells to protect itself against the pathogens, while not getting diseased.
What’s included in a balanced diet?
There are seven building blocks for a healthy diet, including carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals and fibre. Add water to the mix and you’re shaping up nicely!
How does a person lose body mass?
f someone’s diet consists of food with a lower energy content than the amount of energy their body uses, the person will lose body mass.
What’s metabolic rate?
The metabolic rate is the speed at which such chemical reactions take place in the body.
What effects metabolic rate?
It varies because of several factors, including age, gender and inherited factors.
What’s respiration?
Respiration is a chemical reaction that allows cells to release energy from food.
What’s an antibiotic?
Antibiotics are substances that kill bacteria or stop their growth. They do not work against viruses because they live and reproduce inside cells.
What was the first antibiotic and how was it discovered?
Penicillin, the first antibiotic, was discovered in 1928 by Alexander Fleming. He noticed that some bacteria he had left in a Petri dish had been killed by naturally occurring penicillium mould.
What are the main steps in the development of resistance?
- Antibiotics kill individual pathogens of the non-resistant strain
- Resistant individual pathogens survive and reproduce
- The population of the resistant pathogens increases.
What s one way to reduce the risk of infection and who thought of it?
To maintain personal hygiene and to keep hospitals clean. In the 19th century, Ignaz Semmelweis realised the importance of cleanliness in hospitals. However, although his ideas were successful, they were ignored at the time because people did not know that diseases were caused by pathogens that could be killed.
What is aseptic technique?
Aseptic technique is a process which is most commonly used by scientists and doctors to stop contamination by microorganisms. An example of aseptic technique is sterilisation using alcohol or flames.
