While the prospective graduates of my medical school class were in the midst of selecting a specialty to pursue, a professor gave us a piece of advice. She said, “Select the area of medicine where you see the greatest injustice, and focus your efforts there.” For some members of my class this was pediatrics because of the number of children without access to healthcare and to give a voice to those who can’t yet speak. Others selected psychiatry because of the often forgotten plight of the mentally ill. Still others chose plastic surgery because of the unfair disparity in breast size in America and because they yearned to own a yacht that is much larger than their father’s very large yacht.
I have my own ideas about what the greatest injustice in health care is. Mine is rooted in the belief that patients have the power to transform their own health and more control over their wellness than they think. The most important factors in overall health are what you choose to eat, sleep, think, and move. Most people don’t know that food, rest, exercise, and stress is this important, but it truly is. Also, most people (and this probably includes you) do not know how to optimize these things. So many Americans start jogging and eating low fat, high carb foods, and feel worse. This speaks to the injustice we see. Americans are fat, chronically ill, and dying because of wrong information and lies. Who is putting out this wrong information, and what are the right choices to make? I think you will be surprised by the answers. We will get there, just keep reading.
Thanks for taking the time to read this. I’m Jimmy Westbrook, a board certified family medicine physician. I attended medical school at Florida State University College of Medicine, but originally I am from Seattle. Before getting my medical degree, I spent 9 years as a pilot in the U.S. Navy. I have been writing recreationally all of my life to include serving as a film critic to a small newspaper in Key West, researching and writing an article on the Mediterranean Diet published in a semi-prestigious medical journal, among other things. Most notably, I am in the throws of writing a book about getting healthier, younger, and living your best life. Also, there are penis jokes. I give medical talks in the arena of health, nutrition, longevity, diabetes, physician leadership, and various other medical subjects. I also do personalized health consulting for a select group of patients. 
I have a comedic, down to earth, and snarky tone to my writing that is not often found in the world of medicine, nutrition, and health. I have a dirty sailor’s mouth and sometimes this spills into my writing on this webpage. If you are offended by this, I apologize…for nothing.
I wasn’t always in medicine. The time I spent playing beach volleyball as a Navy pilot gave me a better gauge of what an intelligent but non-medical audience needs or wants to know about these subjects. I try to explain things in a way that makes people laugh, is easily understandable, and believable. On a personal level, I enjoy wine, golf, watching football, cooking, and reading with my daughters. I secretly love pop music and am terrified of rats and clowns, also I overshare. This site does not have a political or ideological slant. And I promise that I won’t try to get you to go vegan, get a food scale, or buy any meal replacement shakes. I will try and get you to purchase my upcoming book for all of your friends, family, work related acquaintances, and Tinder hookups. Thanks again for visiting my site. Feel free to sign up for the email alerts.
The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Navy, Department of Defense, nor the U.S. Government.