Book Description

It was a sunny California afternoon when Ali Javanbakht, MD first walked two doors down from his office to the Coastal View News to hand in an article on that years flu vaccine. The editor was kind enough to publish it and For the Health of It! was born - a humor/health column that took medicine off the shelf, dusted it off, put it in comfy clothes, and brought it out to play. From that point forward, Dr. Javanbakhts articles grew in frequency and popularity. The editor of the Coastal View News noted that it generated more reader feedback than any other column the newspaper had published. Readers started clipping columns and sending them across the country to friends and family. High school students began citing them in health classes. They were posted in various retirement homes across the country. And soon, it had a strong following that has continued to grow over time. His column won second place for best original writing at the 2010 Association of Free Community Newspapers awards. This book is a collection of some of his best work over the years. They have delighted and informed readers of all ages. Described as the Dave Barry of medicine, Dr. Javanbakhts column uses analogies, everyday metaphors, and made-up organizations to humanize medicine, covering a broad range of topics from illnesses, to medical politics, to anatomy and physiology. It also includes the previously unpublished article, The Decade in Review, and a foreword by Hippocrates. While his intention has always been to entertain, readers cant help but come away from reading his work better informed and with smiles on their faces.