Chapter 3: Health — The Ultimate Treasure Study Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms, definitions, scientists, and concepts from NCERT Grade 8 Science Chapter 3: Health — The Ultimate Treasure.

Health (WHO Definition)

A state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease.

Dinacharya

Daily routine in Ayurveda that helps achieve a balance of body, mind, and surroundings.

Ritucharya

Seasonal routine in Ayurveda designed to maintain true health.

Prakriti

An individual's unique body constitution according to Ayurveda.

Air Quality Index (AQI)

An index that measures and tells how clean the air is.

Symptom

Something felt by an individual when unwell, such as pain, tiredness, or dizziness.

Sign

Something indicating illness that can be seen or measured by others, such as fever, rash, high blood pressure, or swelling.

Disease

A condition affecting the normal working of the body or mind, occurring when one or more organs or organ systems stop functioning properly.

Pathogens

Disease-causing organisms, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, worms, or protozoa.

Non-communicable Diseases

Diseases not caused by pathogens that do not spread between people, usually linked to lifestyle, diet, and environment.

Communicable Diseases

Diseases caused by pathogens that can spread from one person to another.

Vectors

Insects such as mosquitoes and houseflies that transport pathogens from an infected person or animal to a healthy one.

Parasite

An organism that lives in or on another living being.

Chronic Diseases

Diseases that persist for more than 3 months.

Deficiency Diseases

Non-communicable diseases caused by a lack of specific nutrients, such as scurvy, anaemia, and goitre.

Kamal Ranadive (1917–2001)

A pioneering biomedical researcher who studied links between hormones, viruses, and cancer, demonstrating how tobacco, diet, and pollution increase cancer risk.

Immunity

The natural ability of the body to fight disease, carried out by the immune system.

Acquired Immunity

Protection developed by the immune system after exposure to a pathogen or a vaccine.

Vaccines

Preventive preparations that train the immune system to recognise and attack harmful germs before illness occurs.

Edward Jenner

A scientist who observed in the late 1700s that cowpox infection conferred protection against smallpox, leading to the creation of the world's first vaccine.

Variolation

An ancient practice in India prior to modern vaccines involving the use of material from a smallpox sore to induce a mild infection and build immunity.

Teekedaars

Practitioners in traditional India who performed the process of variolation.

Maharaj Kishan Bhan

An Indian doctor and scientist who served as Secretary of the Department of Biotechnology and helped develop the Rotavirus vaccine to protect children against diarrhoea.

Antibiotics

Medicines that target bacterial cells differently from human cells to kill bacteria; ineffective against viruses or protozoal diseases.

Alexander Fleming

A London bacteriologist who discovered penicillin in 1928 after observing mould on a discarded petri dish that inhibited bacterial growth.

Penicillin

The first antibiotic discovered by Alexander Fleming in 1928.

Antibiotic Resistance

A phenomenon where bacteria previously killed by an antibiotic survive and multiply despite treatment due to indiscriminate or incomplete antibiotic use.

Ayurveda, Siddha, and Unani

Traditional systems of medicine that utilize natural herbs, oils, and minerals to manage common health issues and promote wellness.