Undoctored: The brand new No 1 Sunday Times bestseller from the author of 'This Is Going To Hurt’

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It opens with a nightmare: his recurring nightmare of a baby he cannot save. But that is only the first of his agonies. His prat falling is vast in its scope, the self-destruction of an artist.

But, if you've read anything by Kay, you know that even when the subject matter is horrific or sad, he is very, very funny. The humour is often on the raunchy side here, but there are also moments of raw honesty. He puts it this way: "I've never thought of those two theatre masks as comedy and tragedy, more as how I present myself on stage versus how I actually feel." The structure of the book makes it very easy and even addictive to read. And, like in his children's books, there are some fun running gags: his made-up metaphor "like a wolf on a panini," and faking an anglicisation "replace-all"-gone-wrong to turn participants into "particitrousers." As someone who has suffered more from modern medicine than the illnesses it was used to treat, this is a must-read for everyone in the USA.Adam writes about how there's a certain homogeneity among medics. He explained how one of the consultants during placement forced him to cut his hair short and wouldn't allow painted nails. You're not supposed to stand out in a hospital. There's a certain image doctors are meant to project and medical students are held to the same standard--formal clothing in GP surgeries, scrubs (but NEVER outside a hospital because god-forbid how patients would react to that...okay, also because of infection control and all that), no outrageous coloured hair, no painted nails, formal footwear, no jewellery. I do think the rules are relaxing a bit. I know one girl in my year who dyed her hair red and I don't think she's faced any disciplinary action. There are also more tattoos among doctors and nurses! Though my own tattoos have been frowned upon by some elderly patients. It's normal for an expert to have an area of expertise, of course! But when that expert thinks everything hinges on their area of expertise, it makes them seem a bit less credible. Vitamin D provides far-reaching and magnificent benefits when restored. We aim for a 25-hydroxy vitamin D blood level of 60 to 70 ng/mL, typically achieved with 4,000 to 8,000 units per day of vitamin D 3 in gelcap form. Delay measuring blood levels for at least 2 to 3 months after initiating or changing dosage to allow the full effect to develop.

I knew in advance that Adam Kay might seem shy. In the new book, he writes: “Elton John was wrong about sorry being the hardest word – for me, it was ‘hello’. “How are you doing?” he asks hastily, as if wishing to skip the introduction altogether. He is 42 with an intelligent face and toffee-brown eyes with a dogged, anxious expression – he looks like a rather stressed cherub. He is immediately funny but it is not clear to what extent he amuses himself. He wears a T-shirt the colour of raspberry sorbet upon which is flirtatiously written, Not from Paris, Madame. He is from Brighton, born into a Polish Jewish family of medics (original name Strykowski) and grew up in London. And although he returned home on a delayed flight from Edinburgh at 3am (he has been trying out material there for a new touring show to be called: This is Going to Hurt … More), he shows no sign of fatigue. An old hand at sleeplessness, he denies himself coffee (explaining he has just given up caffeine). There are plenty of obvious adjectives one might apply to Adam Kay – clever, entertaining, articulate – but, as I listen, the one that keeps resurfacing is vulnerable. Having read his previous book Wheat Belly and decided that route wasn't for me, it was surprising to read Undoctored. Unfortunately, if you are reading the book you are going to get the same pitch which is carbs are the devil. But that wasn't the reason I read the book.It took Covid: I offered and it turned out they didn’t want a gynaecologist who hadn’t worked for a decade. I will doubtless return when I reach my expiry date as an author, as all authors do. I suspect I’ve done my last shift on a labour ward but I think I potentially have something to give in education or policy within the service. Cornstarch is among the most popular ingredients in gluten-free foods, also explaining why gluten-free breads, muffins, and other products are associated with extravagant weight gain and high blood sugars.

Interesting. I'd already read Wheat Belly by the same guy, so I was familiar with many of his arguments. Basically he's saying that Speaking of Whishaw, Kay is of course a fan of the actor cast to play the fictionalised version of Adam (who the author reminds us isn’t really him). He points out multiple times that the value of his advice comes from taking all of it at once, and not in some hodgepodge fashion. All or nothing, he says, because the positive outcomes are a result of the synergy of all the suggestions taken together, not in any one or two singly applied. And things are now better – they are not better enough, there’s still a long way to go – but it’s a big ship to steer.’ Now I understand him better, I understand his cruelty. He never extended kindness to himself. This book is breathtakingly sad, and I suspect that will anger him, too.Comedy is Kay’s forte but, as the first memoir related, he hung up his stethoscope after a tragic event: one of his patients lost her baby because of an unforeseen complication with her pregnancy and had to go into ICU for an emergency hysterectomy – and while it was not his fault, he felt it to be his responsibility and the catastrophic nature of it affected him profoundly. On the strength of talking to him, I’d say it still does. Something that gave me hope through the pandemic – and continues to – is the public love for the NHS. I feel strongly that, were the NHS to come under any major existential threat, people would get to their feet and fight for it. I’m fortunate to get to meet medical students, nursing students and midwifery students, and get enormous hope from their energy. The NHS is in the safest hands – if it gets over the current bump in the road.