Welcome to the First Festival of Health

It would be difficult to think of a subject of more vital interest to all of us than health. Whether it’s our own health or the well-being of family or friends, we are frequently reminded how issues of sickness and wellness touch virtually every aspect of our lives.

This is especially apparent to anyone living in Southern California, bombarded as we are daily by images of medicine, health and fitness. The region is home to world-class medical institutions and researchers, to “surgeons to the stars,” to fitness fanatics and diet crazes, to Muscle Beach and managed care, and to Hollywood, whose vision of things medical--from a TV show like “ER” to a movie like “Patch Adams”--is shown the world over.

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What better place, then, to hold an event that brings together people to celebrate their varied interest in matters of health? That is one of our goals in organizing the first Los Angeles Times Festival of Health.

Another goal is to respond to what seems to be an insatiable public appetite for health information. There is evidence of this: Research shows that health and medical information is one of the biggest reasons why millions of Americans are surfing the Internet. And hundreds of book titles are published annually on every conceivable aspect of health and fitness. Some books recently arrived in my office: “Am I Old Yet?,” “I’m Pregnant and I Have a Cold” and “Keep Your Dog Healthy the Natural Way.”

While natural dog health didn’t make the cut for this year’s festival program, you can hear about ways to improve communication with your doctor, how to choose an HMO and the latest remedies for aching backs. You can also learn about medicinal herbs and food supplements, ways to beat insomnia and depression, and tips for preparing healthier meals for your family. In all, there will be more than 45 free panel discussions on medicine, health care, fitness, diet and other topics.

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We’ve designed the festival as an event for you and your family. There’s a children’s stage with special activities, youth soccer and volleyball clinics, and stunt bike riders. For everyone, there will be music by live acts, cooking demonstrations by well-known chefs and exercise workouts by top names in the fitness world.

We hope you’ll attend this first Festival of Health and come away with lots of practical information that will help make you healthier and more fit.