By Max L. Knowles ReadOasis Step 1 A doctor was checking an older woman. When he finished, the doctor told her, "You're in good health. You'll live to be 80." "But doctor," the woman said, "I am 80 right now." With a smile, the doctor answered, "See, what did... Read more
A Definition of Health (Step 4)
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ReadOasis Step 4 A medical doctor was examining a patient. He summarized his diagnosis in the following way. "You're in superb health, and you'll live to be 80." The patient responded, "But, doctor, I am 80 right now. The doctor replied, "See, now what did I tell you? But... Read more
ReadOasis Step 2 A computer needs software, information that tells it how to operate. A computer cannot work without software. Our bodies work like this too. Imagine the body is a computer. It needs an information code to work. DNA is this code. The DNA code contains the instructions... Read more
ReadOasis Step 2 Isaac Newton People of all kinds have had emotional problems. For example, Beethoven, Abraham Lincoln, and Isaac Newton all experienced trouble with the blues. That is, at times they had trouble with some form of depression. Look at the case of Newton. He was born into... Read more
The Weight of a Nation (Step 2)
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ReadOasis Step 2 The sun had just set on Waikiki Beach. A soft wind from the sea ran through the trees. Friends came together to hear music, Hawaiian style. One woman, in particular, was caught up in the music. Tears ran down her face as she listened to the... Read more
ReadOasis Step 3 Swine flu is a kind of influenza common in pigs. And sometimes humans catch it too. Human cases of swine flu are not that common. But occasionally, many people are infected at the same time. This is called an "epidemic." When an epidemic spreads over a... Read more
Edward Jenner and the Smallpox Vaccine
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ReadOasis Step 3 Edward Jenner (1749-1823) was an English scientist who is known for using cowpox to perform one of the first vaccinations against smallpox. About six others tried this procedure as well. These included the farmer Benjamin Jesty, who in 1774 infected his wife and two of his... Read more
The Weight of a Nation (Step 3)
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ReadOasis Step 3 The sun had just set on Waikiki Beach. A cool breeze from the ocean ran through the palm trees. Friends had gathered together to hear music, Hawaiian style. One woman, in particular, was captured by the melody. Tears ran down her face as she listened to... Read more
ReadOasis Step 2 Al’s Marijuana Story This is Al’s marijuana story. Al was lazy a lot of the time. He didn't want to do his school work, and he lost his desire for physical activity and sports. He was often depressed, and he often felt bad about himself. He... Read more
Six Keys to a Healthy Life
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ReadOasis Step 3 Jeanne Calment was a French woman who lived 122 years. She was born in 1875 and died in 1997. Many records verify her age, and they show that she lived longer than any other human being. At age 85, she started to learn the sport of... Read more
Music: Good for Your Ears
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ReadOasis Step 2 (Part 1) Clive Wearing sits at the piano. He stretches out his hands and fingers. He takes a deep breath. Then he begins to play. His fingers strike the keys, and the piano hammers hit the strings. The strings vibrate in beautiful harmony and precise rhythm.... Read more
A Little Sleep is Better Than Coffee (Step 1)
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ReadOasis Step 1 It has been a long day. You are tired from work and study. What should you do? Many people drink coffee or a power drink. But a new study suggests this. A short sleep might be better than a cup of coffee. Researchers studied caffeine. Caffeine... Read more
ReadOasis Step 2 Why do people cry? Maybe tears are good for us. Maybe they calm our minds and cleanse our bodies. Yet researchers have shown that crying can make people feel worse. Psychologists from the US and the Netherlands recently studied crying. They checked detailed descriptions of crying... Read more
ReadOasis Step 3 (Part 1) George arrives at work every day at nine in the morning. All day long, he sits at his desk working with a computer. His job is pretty easy, and the pay is not bad. But little does he know that day by day George... Read more
Mind Your Sight: Keeping Healthy Eyes
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ReadOasis Step 3 The eye is the lamp of the body. Doctors can learn a lot about your health by looking at your eyes. And we all want to have good eyes. With our eyes, we communicate. We see green trees and colorful flowers. We read books, watch movies,... Read more
A Nap is Better than Coffee (Step 2)
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ReadOasis Step 2 When you are tired from work or study, what do you do? Many people drink coffee or an energy drink. But a new study suggests this. A short sleep might be better for you than a cup of coffee. Researchers studied caffeine. Caffeine is found in... Read more
ReadOasis Step 3 If you are cheerful, you feel good; if you are sad, you hurt all over. Ancient Jewish Saying. Doctors have thought about the connection between our mental and physical health for centuries. Until the 1800s, most believed that emotions were linked to disease. And doctors advised... Read more
ReadOasis Step 2 People have been drinking green tea for about 5,000 years. Green tea came from China. And today it is produced mainly in China and Japan. Green tea is different from other kinds of tea. The leaves are not processed much. So green tea has a fresh... Read more
ReadOasis Step 2 Joy is late for work. She runs out the door in a hurry to catch the bus. As she runs, she sees her neighbor. The neighbor looks at Joy and smiles. He says, "Good morning Joy! Have a great day!" Joy says, "Thanks, you too!" And... Read more
ReadOasis Step 2 (Part 1) “Go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go!” The crowd of college students screamed at Steve. He was quickly downing his sixth large glass of beer in less than an hour. When he finished, he slammed the glass down on a large glass table.... Read more