A few weeks ago I was lost in the world of Barnes & Noble’s health section. A regular feast of diseases and health remedies punctuated with Idiot’s Guides & For Dummies books greeted me. But I found this section merged with Self Help, Diet, Autobiography and especially for my health problem, Cookery. Suddenly that small shelf to explore became the whole back section of the store.
Having done no prior research before arriving, except to confirm that the tea was in fact Gluten Free, I did the hovering thing on the floor – where you look perched but really your ankles are taking on all your weight – surrounded by books, my cup of tea and my iPhone. I was looking for a kicking off point to living a healthier life. As I googled titles, authors and topics my phone buzzed with a new email. It was a forward about the health benefits of honey. Sitting there surrounded by my main knowledge source – books – I became engrossed in the seemingly simple way to improve everything from arthritis to hair loss. In fifteen minutes I read blogs, tweets and holistic websites that gave honey recipes for several ailments. Then came the cinnamon suggestions; throw that in with the honey and suddenly you’re healing and losing weight too!
I realized as I turned back to the shelves of books in front of me that I would never find a perfect, made just for me, manual on how to improve my health on the bookshelves. I would need to put one together for myself. But what, I had to ask myself, were the best sources? I scanned the source lists in the back of several books and I noticed medical websites that I often searched. Thinking about it, wasn’t the candid advice of a blog similar to the advice offered in marked-off boxes in Idiot’s Guides? Weren’t tweets just shortened autobiographies that get straight to the point of what works and what doesn’t?
I wondered if it was possible to find all the information I needed with the right search engine instead of a library card.
Of course, there's something more trustworthy about a book, after all they've been vetted by agents, editors and publishers. To put information on the web is a simple type, point and click. The knowledge, though, is immediate. There is no waiting until chapter 20 to see what the recommended regime is for your body type. Worse yet, you don't suffer through 19 chapters for the irony of only being referred to the author's website for more information.
As I searched, I came upon another simple/natural remedy involving Apple Cider Vinegar. Yet despite my various keyword searches, I could not find anything that told me specific amounts. There were only vague references that said to take the vinegar three times a day. Giving up for the moment, I relaxed in the Bargain Section - looking for a cheap fiction read to help me figuratively escape what ailed me. There, above all the yoga kits and, once again, cookbooks, was a book about vinegar. A quick flip through and I found all sorts of helpful uses for this everyday kitchen staple. Of course this information was laced with the history of vinegar. Who, you might ask, because I certainly did, would be interested in the history of an acidic liquid best used on salads? Well, as it turned out, I was. Reading the book not only gave me clever tips, but some form of enrichment on the world around me. Like the time I actually read Jane Eyre after writing the paper only on the Cliffs notes (it wasn’t my fault – okay, it was, but at the time I had a great excuse that involved my first trip to Vegas), the plot/facts were still the same, but the full force of Jane’s self-respect and conviction were only brought to light within the pages of the book itself.
A web search, like Cliffs Notes, provides basic knowledge, but sometimes you need more than basic, especially when it comes to your health.
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