Undoctored: Why Health Care Has Failed You and How You Can Become Smarter Than Your Doctor Hardcover – May 9, 2017

I truly love all of the things I'm learning from Dr. Davis--he is an answer to prayer. I've always tried the L. Reuteri he recommends and done some other things, and what a difference! Clearly, antibiotics have done their damage to me, and this is the first time anyone had a genuinely, legitimate answer that worked for my gut issues and other side effects from antibiotics. I appreciate his work very much and highly recommend his books to others seeking healing. I've bought 3 of his books so far and they are filled with very excellent, helpful information, and I love listening to his YTube videos, too, his personality is very cheerful, kind and identifiable. I hope others find him.The only thing about the books I find troubling is the roughness of the paper on which the pages are printed, it is rougher than newsprint, it feels almost slivery...and I am not usually affected by whatever type of paper that books are printed in, so this surprised even me. I do hope he'll change to a smoother paper in future printings, it would be less distracting because I keep thinking of putting on gloves, and I love books (and have many)--this really is a first-time weird thing for me to experience. But his information is so inspiring that it's still worth buying.

I can't recommend this book highly enough. I was already familiar with Dr. Davis's dietary plan via his Wheat Belly and Wheat Belly Total Health books, but this book takes things one step further and explores the vagaries of the current "health care" system in America, and how it has evolved into nothing more than a profiteering scam. The health care system has no incentive to actually teach people how to be healthy...their business is treating the sick--that is how they make their money. Following the dietary and health advice of prestigious groups like the American Heart Association, American Diabetes Association, Food and Drug Administration, etc. is no longer prudent. They may sound like benevolent groups, but in reality, they are supported in large part by donations from pharmaceutical companies, agriculture lobbyists and manufacturers of processed foods. Studies that your physician quotes to you as to why you should be taking a statin medication or why you should eat a low fat diet and more "healthy whole grain" were sponsored in large part by those same pharmaceutical and food lobbyist groups and have had the statistics twisted to profit those companies.Dr. Davis is taking us into the future of healthcare...where YOU are responsible in large part for your health, not your doctor. Not your insurance company. And he tells you how to navigate all the new technology and information available now to anyone--not just to those with medical training. He's not a conspiracy theorist nutjob. He does NOT tell you to skip your yearly physical, your screening colonoscopy or mammogram, and is not an anti-vaxxer, or the snake oil salesman who tells you to take turmeric for your new cancer diagnosis or the root of some South American plant for your eczema! Not at all. Dr. Davis helps you to ask the right questions of your doctor. He helps you to lose the attitude that "doctor knows best" because in reality, many doctors don't know much at all about actual nutrition, about current studies that are NOT supported by drug companies, and for the most part, their goal is to see as many patients as possible and tick off your compliance that their employer and your insurance company requires of them.Dr. Davis is a practicing cardiologist who has worked for decades within this American health system and, prior to his own enlightenment, preached the "follow a low fat diet and take this statin" form of cardiology and then was happy to perform a very lucrative angioplasty with a couple of stents when it didn't work. He has seen this system from the inside and knows how it works. He's also a Type 2 diabetic himself who has virtually 'cured' himself (and thousands of his patients and online community) by following his dietary and total health plan as outlined.Mind you, I was not someone who needed a lot of convincing--in essence, as a nurse who has also seen the health care system from the inside and has grown increasingly troubled by what I'm seeing--really, Dr. Davis was preaching to the choir with me. I've been following a form of his eating plan for years, off and on--grain-free, sugar-free and mostly "Paleo" without a lot of processed foods, artificial sweeteners and such. But his plan takes it up a notch for me and I intend to adapt my current way of eating to his plan in the hopes of getting rid of more of my prescription medications and becoming as healthy as I can. Truly healthy, not just healthy on paper.If you are someone struggling with chronic illness and take a handful (or two??) of meds for things like Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, cholestrol, acid reflux, osteoporosis, various autoimmune diseases, depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, IBS...I strongly encourage you to give this book a read. Dr. Davis also has a lot of very informative videos on YouTube and there are literally thousands of testimonials from people who have followed his plan and become mostly "Undoctored." Meaning...they need a doctor if they fall and break a leg, or to perform an appendectomy or to do their screening colonoscopy, but they don't need a doctor to write them prescriptions any more. I think that many people start this program not necessarily because they want more health, but because they want to lose weight. It is touted as a weight loss plan, because that DOES happen. Often people start it as a 'diet' and do lose weight...but when the other health benefits become evident within just a short time, people stick with it.As Glinda, the good witch of the north says in The Wizard of Oz, "You had the power all along, my dear." Dr. Davis helps to show you how to use it.

I read this book in June 2017 and started eating in the "Undoctored" fashion in July 2017. I agree with many things Dr. Davis says - that modern medicine and our government do little to help us stay healthy and prevent illness. I have Crohn's disease and am fortunate that I am generally in remission but I have other health issues and wondered if this way of eating would help. After 2+ months of eating "Undoctored" I had the best colonoscopy I have ever had - and I've had 10 colonoscopies in the last 20 years. Very few polyps (this was a first) and a few very minimal spots of active Crohn's - less than in my previous colonoscopies.This is a very dense read but I am sold on this way of eating. I feel better and my colonoscopy results support the benefits for me of this way of eating. If you have any immune system issues, it's certainly worth a try.I have become less impressed with what Dr. Davis is currently doing - his blogs and recipes are all about the packaged products he sells on the Wheat Free Market.The "Undoctored" lifestyle does require an investment of time and effort to understand the philosophy and to find and prepare recipes that work with this way of eating. You will need to make most of your food from scratch. But once you get the hang of it, there are lots of websites and recipes online that will give you a variety of options.I was at the point where I was ALWAYS dealing with some health issue and was willing to make dramatic changes to feel better. I don't really think gluten is my biggest issue - I think soy and additives/chemicals are more of an issue for me. But with all of the genetically modified foods these days, who know?"If you have chronic health issues, this is worth a try to see if it helps you.

I give 5 stars to Dr. Davis' amazing, revolutionary book. Its sound advice backed by research, its indictment of the nexus of pharmaceutical industry and commercial food industry, and sound tips for the reader make this book excellent information for those motivated to read and incorporate advice.The discussion of appropriate thyroid health is something most doctors refuse to acknowledge. The cookie-cutter approach to thyroid status and treatment fails most patients.The importance of a good gut biome cannot be underestimated.Highly recommend to those who think for themselves, and not simply concede their health to ignorant, ill-informed doctors. It's also a must to read his book, "Super Gut," as well.