Your Body: The Missing Manual

Introduction

You know it intimately. Every morning, you climb out of bed with it and give it a good, hard look in the mirror. You scrub it down with soap, fill it up with calories, and occasionally walk it around the block for some fresh air. Most of the time, it’s as comfortable as an old pair of jeans. But occasionally, particularly when something goes wrong, you realize just how much you depend on the nearly miraculous abilities of your human body.

Your body is a very odd place. It’s at once mind-bogglingly complex, supremely adaptable, and hopelessly quirky. Often, it amazes. (For example, in the time you’ve spent reading this introduction, your body has created several million new cells to replace those that have just popped off.) Other times, it’s somewhat less impressive. (Just try laughing while drinking a glass of milk.) But whether it’s dazzling or disappointing, the human body ranks as the most remarkable machine you’ll ever operate.

In this book, you’ll learn how your body works, and how you can keep it in tip-top shape. You’ll discover how to spot potential problems, and you’ll learn to love—or at least live with—its charming and not-so-charming oddities. Along the way, you’ll solve a few mysteries. You’ll see why we use the same hardware to talk, eat, and kiss. You’ll meet the millions of uninvited guests that share your body with you. You’ll also learn why at least one study suggests that you’d be better off preparing dinner on a toilet seat rather than on an average ...