There is a saying in Palestine: “We will stay on our land as long as there is thyme and olives.” These two plants — za’atar thyme and the ancient olive — have been at the heart of Palestinian health traditions for thousands of years. Today, as we explore English vocabulary for health and wellbeing, we will use the rich culture of Palestine as our context. By the end of this lesson you will be able to describe symptoms, talk to a doctor, and discuss healthy habits with confidence.
Core Health and Wellbeing Vocabulary
Let’s start with the essential words. At B1 level you need to be able to describe how you feel, explain a problem to a doctor, and talk about healthy routines.
Symptoms and Illnesses
pain in your head — “I have a headache.”
pain in your stomach — “She has a stomachache.”
pain when you swallow — “He has a sore throat.”
high body temperature — “She has a fever of 39°C.”
repeated noise from the throat — “He has a bad cough.”
red spots on the skin — “She has a rash on her arm.”
feeling like the room is spinning — “I feel dizzy.”
feeling like you want to vomit — “I feel nauseous.”
very, very tired — “I am completely exhausted.”
a cold is mild; the flu is more serious with fever and body aches.
At the Doctor’s
a planned time to see the doctor — “I have an appointment at 10.”
a sign of illness — “Fever is a symptom of the flu.”
a doctor’s written instruction to get medicine.
medicine in solid form — “Take one tablet three times a day.”
a general health examination — “I need a check-up.”
something that helps you get better.
Key Collocations: What Verb Goes With What?
In English, specific verbs go with health words. These combinations are called collocations — learning them together saves you from making mistakes.
| Collocation | Example |
|---|---|
| have a headache / cold / fever / cough | “I have a terrible headache today.” |
| feel well / unwell / dizzy / better / worse | “I feel much better after resting.” |
| take medicine / tablets / a painkiller | “She took some tablets for her fever.” |
| make an appointment | “I need to make an appointment with the doctor.” |
| recover from an illness | “He recovered from the flu in a week.” |
| come down with a cold / the flu | “She came down with a cold last Monday.” |
| be under the weather | “I’m a bit under the weather today.” (informal = feeling ill) |
| get better / worse / a good night’s sleep | “You need to rest to get better.” |
Palestine: A Land of Ancient Remedies
Palestine has one of the richest traditions of herbal medicine in the world. For thousands of years, Palestinian families have turned to plants growing on their land to treat illness, recover from injury, and maintain wellbeing. This is called Traditional Arabic Palestinian Herbal Medicine (TAPHM).
Health vocabulary in context — Palestinian remedies
Notice how these health words appear naturally in a Palestinian context:
olive oil reduces inflammation
rest and recover
traditional remedy
feel better after treatment
come down with a cold
take a herbal medicine
Common Mistakes for Spanish Speakers
1. “Constipado” ≠ constipated — the most dangerous false friend in health!
Why? In Spanish, estar constipado means to have a cold. In English, constipated means you cannot go to the toilet easily. Using this word with a doctor will cause enormous confusion! Always say “I have a cold.”
2. “My head makes me hurt” — wrong structure for describing pain
Why? Spanish speakers often translate “me duele la cabeza” word by word. In English, use hurts with a subject or have a [body part]ache. Never use “makes me hurt.”
3. “I feel myself bad” — no reflexive pronoun needed
Why? Spanish uses reflexive verbs for feelings (me siento mal), but English feel does not use a reflexive pronoun in these expressions. Just say “I feel” + adjective.
4. “I went to the medic” — wrong register
Why? Médico in Spanish = doctor. In English, medic is informal and usually refers to military or emergency medicine. In everyday contexts, always say doctor or GP (General Practitioner).
5. “I have a headache in my head” — redundant body part
Why? The words headache and stomachache already contain the body part. Adding “in my head” is redundant and sounds unnatural. Simply say “I have a headache.”
Example Bank: Health & Wellbeing in Palestine
- Nadia came down with a cold after the rainy night in Ramallah.
- Her grandmother immediately made za’atar tea — the family’s traditional remedy for a sore throat.
- “How do you feel?” asked her mother. “I feel a little better after the tea.”
- The doctor gave Omar a prescription for antibiotics after examining his symptoms.
- Maryam made an appointment with her doctor for a routine check-up.
- He has a fever of 38.5 degrees and needs to rest.
- Palestinian olive oil is known to reduce inflammation and support heart health.
- “I feel under the weather today,” she said, “so I’m not going to the market.”
- The doctor said he should take one tablet twice a day with food.
- Za’atar is used as a treatment for coughs and throat infections in Palestinian tradition.
- After a week of rest, Yusuf finally recovered from the flu.
- She has a rash on her arm and is feeling nauseous — she needs to see a doctor.
- Salim’s family grows sage in their garden in the West Bank and uses it as a remedy for stomach pain.
- The nurse took his temperature and confirmed he had a fever.
- Palestinian herbal medicine uses over 280 plant species to treat illness and promote wellbeing.
- “I have a headache,” said Amal. “Try resting with your eyes closed for twenty minutes.”
- The Mediterranean diet, central to Palestinian cooking, is linked to longer life and better mental wellbeing.
- He feels dizzy whenever he stands up too quickly — the doctor thinks it is low blood pressure.
- Laila is completely exhausted from working long days at the clinic in Bethlehem.
- “You need to rest and recover,” said the doctor. “Stay home for two days.”
Quick Practice Quiz
Test yourself. Choose the best answer for each question.
1. Your friend says “I feel like the room is spinning.” What symptom do they have?
A) a rash
B) a fever
C) they feel dizzy
D) a cough
2. Which sentence is correct?
A) I have a headache in my head.
B) My head makes me hurt.
C) I have a headache.
D) I feel myself bad in the head.
3. A Spanish speaker says: “I am constipated, so I can’t go to school today.” What do they probably mean?
A) They have a digestive problem.
B) They have a cold.
C) They have a rash.
D) They feel dizzy.
4. Complete the sentence: “She _______ the flu last week but she’s better now.”
A) came down with
B) made
C) took
D) went down
5. What does za’atar (thyme) traditionally treat in Palestinian herbal medicine?
A) broken bones
B) sore throats, coughs, and colds
C) headaches only
D) it is used only in cooking, not medicine
▶ Reveal answer key
- C) they feel dizzy — “the room is spinning” describes dizziness.
- C) “I have a headache.” — clean and correct. Avoid redundant body parts and wrong structures.
- B) They have a cold — a classic false friend: constipado in Spanish means “to have a cold.”
- A) came down with — the natural collocation for getting an illness.
- B) sore throats, coughs, and colds — za’atar has been used for these ailments for centuries in Palestinian tradition.
Traditional Arabic Palestinian Herbal Medicine (TAPHM) — ResearchGate ·
Za’atar — Palestinian plants and their meanings — Middle East Eye ·
Healing herbs of the Arab world — Middle East Eye ·
Palestinian za’atar and its benefits — Carolina Total Wellness ·
Palestinian olive oil and health — Middle East Morning ·
Mediterranean diet and longevity — NIH / PubMed