Diary 15: A Social Scientist Writing Health Book

23 Jan 2010. I was promoting my health books at Taman Tasik Titiwangsa between 3pm to 4.30pm. A buyer inquired about my background. He was a little surprise that I am not a nutritionist but able to write health books.

Before 2002, it was not part of my health path to write health books. I have written a few books before, all related to my work as a social anthropologist.

After 2002, there was an obvious request from the audience attending my talks that I should consider writing a health book based on my good knowledge and interesting family experience.
That sets the goal and direction to write the health books. It was a challenging task. I had to plan my thoughts, my daily life and discipline myself to sit down to write. I talked to the so-called experts and sought their views. I argued with my wife on grey areas. More research on the literature and interviews with patients was conducted. Friends helped to edit and provided additional suggestions. Another friend assisted in designing the book cover.

The first edition of Eating for Good Health was successfully published in 2007. My Chinese friends suggested that the book should also be written in Chinese. I drafted it and later amended and edited by my wife, a Chinese language teacher in the secondary school, who has a good command of Chinese language. The book was entitled Xun Zhao Jian Kang, literally meaning Searching for Health.

My friends read Eating for Good Health and found that it should also be written in the Malay language to benefit the Malay readers. Consequently, I spent another year writing this special book. The book is entitled Makanan Sihat Sebagai Ubat, literally meaning Health Food As Medicine, first published in 2008.

Writing health books has enriched my life in helping others. If I were to confine writing books in my area of work, the impact may be limited. Health is everyone’s concern. Hopefully those reading my health books are able to gain something to improve their health.