Isa: So, let’s take a look at your blood test results.
Kim: Oh, doctor, how bad is it?
Isa: Hmm, actually, it’s looking quite good, but your cholesterol is on the high side.
Kim: I knew it! I’m going to have a heart attack, aren’t I? Or diabetes?
Isa: Please, calm yourself! You just need to improve your diet.
Kim: Right, wholemeal everything and nothing nice, I guess.
Isa: Not at all. Just follow the Mediterranean diet. It’s low in saturated fats and very tasty, too.
Kim: Mediterranean diet? What’s that, sardines and olive oil?
Isa: Yes, but lots of other things, too. Basically, try to choose whole foods that aren’t processed, like fruit, vegetables, nuts, lean meat and fish.
Kim: What about alcohol?
Isa: There’s nothing wrong with a glass of wine with your dinner or the occasional beer at the weekend.
Kim: Alright then, that’s doesn’t sound too bad at all!
NOW LET’S REVIEW THE VOCABULARY!
Take a look is the same as ‘examine’. You can simply say ‘look’ without changing the meaning.
On the high side means a little bit high. You can use the construction with other adjectives, too: on the small side, on the heavy side, etc.
I knew it! is an exclamation you use to confirm something you had already guessed.
A heart attack is another phrase for coronary or cardiac arrest.
Food made from flour containing the whole grain is described as wholemeal or ‘wholegrain’.
Not at all means ‘definitely not’. The expression is also used as a polite response to someone saying thank you.
Lean meat refers to meat with a low fat content, such as chicken or turkey.
In this context, occasional means ‘infrequent’.
Not too bad or ‘not bad’ is a casual way of saying ‘quite good’.
