Inspired By: Jay Parkinson, MD + MPH

This photo has almost nothing to do with this post, except that Jay Parkinson would totally approve of my farm-fresh tomatoes that I once upon a time (summer) bought at the Copley Square Farmers Market.  Yum!

There is so much more to the internet than sycophantic fashion blogs about Miu Miu booties, lipstick color-wheels, and hoarded images of immaculate homes that none of us will ever own.  You guys, there are actually people out there who are making a difference in our livelihoods, our life cycles, and our life span.  People like Jay Parkinson, MD + MPH.  Jay is a doctor living in NYC who is creatively rethinking the health care industry, educating millions of readers through his blog, and impacts people using modern tools like the internet (and most you of thought doctors didn't even know how to type, didn't you...). 

If you've heard of him, great!  If you haven't, do yourself a favor and check him out. When he's not debunking pharma-backed medical studies or designing new platforms that allow doctors to communicate with their patients in ways that actually matter, he's inspiring his readers to live a more healthy life, and he does it in a really relatable, exciting way.  Like, I constantly want to high-five him, and before reading his blog I couldn't have cared less about health care.

Wait, let me amend that last statement: I cared a lot about health care.  For a long time now, I've been of the opinion that the entire health care system many of us put up with (and pay a lot of money to put up with) is a disgusting, money-hungry, faceless industry that serves corporations, not people.  It wasn't until stumbling upon Jay Parkinson that I felt some kind of hope about my future health care- because, to be real, my perfect health record isn't going to last forever (why yes bartender, I'll have another Manhattan, please!)... 

I especially love Parkinson's tone.  Though he harps on certain unhealthful practices on his blog (being too sedentary, smoking, etc.) he is never preachy.  I especially love that he doesn't trap himself in the land of black and white/right and wrong.  For instance, this is his definition of health:
"Healthy, happy living is about eating well; being active; having close relationships; enjoying sex; taking pride in what you do for a living; optimizing your environment; and moderating sabotage.

That’s about the closest definition of health I can write." 

When I say that for the last three days I have done nothing internet-related besides read his writing, I am only partially lying.  This man is so genuine, imaginative, optimistic and captivating!  I want him to be my doctor, I want him to be my friend, and I want more doctors to be just like him.  In fact, I'd like to see more people in all industries be more like him!  I'm excited to see how young Jay Parkinson, MD will change our world.  Let's all agree to help change this world to be a more beautiful place along with him.  One, two, three, GO!