If you are thinking this book "Know Your Body" is a difficult medical tract, you are in for a very pleasant surprise. The most popular series ever written for Reader's Digest, was "I am Joe's Body" and "I am Joan's Body", and J D Ratcliffe's lucid and vivid explanations of the different organs of the body, and how they work, have enlightened millions of people around the world. Presented here are 30 classic pieces selected from the series. Apart from the articles on the heart, brain, lungs, eyes, stomach, kidneys, which not only inform you how they work but also how to take care of them, you will find the articles on thyroid, tongue, spine hand, just as interesting. By the end of the book you will truly know the human body in an unforgettable way -- and perhaps put down the book in a new sense of awe and respect for your own body.

"Your body is, undoubtedly, the grandest and most complex machine ever built. It is also the most familiar -- each one of us lives with his model every moment of his life. Yet most of us take our bodies far too much for granted -- we don't think twice about them unless something goes wrong. Naturally, we pay a price for such ignorance: by remaining unaware of the marvels of the human body, we fail to appreciate our own magnificence. And even more importantly, there's little question that a knowledge of one's body, its various organs and systems and how they work can be used to maintain health and fitness and thus prolong our enjoyment of our bodies.
In 1988, we published ""Know Your Body"" to dispel precisely this ignorance. It introduced readers to the most important parts and systems of the human body, to some of the more common ailments that afflict it -- and what can be done about them. The book was enthusiastically received, and in the years since we've received countless requests to reprint it. So we have brought out a new edition, with additional material. While we have retained most of the articles in the earlier edition, we have now included pieces on food, diet and exercise. As always with the Digest, the articles here are thoroughly researched and vividly written, thus providing you with authoritative and up-to-date information presented in a way that you can enjoy and understand.
This edition, too, is for you to read, keep and refer to again and again."