Monty Lyman

A fascinating exploration of the skin in its multifaceted physical, psychological, and social aspects Providing a cover for our delicate and intricate bodies, the skin is our largest and fastest-growing organ. We see it, touch it, and live in it every day. It is a habitat for a mesmerizingly complex world of micro-organisms and physical functions that are vital to our health and our survival. It is also a waste removal plant, a warning system for underlying disease and a dynamic immune barrier to infection. One of the first things people see about us, skin is crucial to our sense of identity, providing us with social significance and psychological meaning. And yet our skin and the fascinating way it functions is largely unknown to us. In prose as lucid as his research underlying it is rigorous, blending in memorable stories from the past and from his own medical experience, Monty Lyman has written a revelatory book exploring our outer surface that will surprise and enlighten in equal measure. Through the lenses of science, sociology, and history--on topics as diverse as the mechanics and magic of touch (how much goes on in the simple act of taking keys out of a pocket and unlocking a door is astounding), the close connection between the skin and the gut, what happens instantly when one gets a paper cut, and how a midnight snack can lead to sunburn--Lyman leads us on a journey across our most underrated and unexplored organ and reveals how our skin is far stranger, more wondrous, and more complex than we have ever imagined.

An Intimate Journey Across Our Largest Organ

The Remarkable Life of the Skin

The New Science of Why We Hurt and How We Can Heal

The Painful Truth

In Skin, Monty Lyman takes us on a scientific journey around the largest organ in the human body. He first explores the terrain of the physical skin, picking out the facts from the fiction, and giving a fascinating insight into the skin's many vital functions. He takes us on a 'safari', where we meet the many and varied microorganisms and bacteria which inhabit our skin, many of which perform vital health-giving functions and some of which can kill us. Along the way we learn things which will have the beauty industry scurrying for cover. Does our diet really affect our skin? What makes the skin age and how can we slow the process? Is it possible to prevent hair loss? And Monty explores the intriguing hinterland between the skin and the mind, from the pain and pleasure of touch to the physical effects of stress. Including case histories taken from Monty's experience around the world - from East Africa to New Zealand and everywhere in between - this brings our most misunderstood organ into the limelight as never before. Fascinating and jaw-dropping popular science for readers of Adventures in Human Being.

Skin

'An enthralling read' Dr Rachel Clarke, bestselling author of Dear Life A Royal Society Science Prize shortlisted author 'A talented new writer' - Sunday Times __________ We know pain when we feel it. We fear it and try to avoid it. But do we know what it really is? We're currently experiencing a Renaissance in pain science. In recent years our understanding of pain has altered so radically it's fair to say that everything we thought we knew about pain is wrong. As Dr Monty Lyman reveals, we misunderstand pain - with harmful consequences. The Painful Truth explores cutting-edge research, encompassing phantom aches to persistent pain, and including interviews with survivors of torture as well as those who have never felt pain. It not only provides hope for reducing and managing pain, but takes us to a deeper understanding of what it means to be human. This is the untold story of pain - our most elusive feeling. __________ Praise for Monty Lyman and The Remarkable Life of the Skin - 'Seriously entertaining' The Times - 'Beautifully written, revealing and surprising' Daily Mail - 'Imaginatively told' The Spectator - 'An absorbing, fact-packed study' Nature - 'What a read it is' Vogue - 'Fascinating' Daily Express

The new science of why we hurt and how we can heal

Up until the last ten years, we have misunderstood a fundamental aspect of human health. Although the brain and the body have always been viewed as separate entities - treated in separate hospitals - science now shows that they are intimately linked. Startlingly, we now know that our immune system is in constant communication with our brain and can directly alter our mental health. This has opened up a new frontier in medicine. Could inflammation cause depression, and arthritis drugs cure it? Can gut microbes shape your behaviour through the vagus nerve? Can something as simple as brushing your teeth properly reduce your risk of dementia? Could childhood infections lie behind neurological and psychiatric disorders such as tics and OCD? In The Immune Mind, Dr Monty Lyman explores the fascinating connection between the mind, immune system and microbiome. A specialist in the cutting-edge field of immunopsychiatry, Lyman argues that we need to change the way we treat disease and the way we see ourselves. For the first time, we have a new approach to medicine that treats the whole human being.

The Revolutionary New Science of Brain, Body and Microbe

The Immune Mind

'Fascinating... A thoroughly thought-provoking read' Dame Sarah Gilbert, author of Vaxxers Delving into the recent discovery of the brain's immune system, Dr Monty Lyman reveals the extraordinary implications for our physical and mental health. Until a decade ago, we misunderstood a fundamental aspect of human health. Although the brain and the body have always been viewed as separate entities – treated in separate hospitals – science now shows that they are intimately linked. Startlingly, we now know that our immune system is in constant communication with our brain and can directly alter our mental health. This has opened up a new frontier in medicine. Could inflammation cause depression, and arthritis drugs cure it? Can gut microbes shape your behaviour through the vagus nerve? Can something as simple as brushing your teeth properly reduce your risk of dementia? Could childhood infections lie behind neurological and psychiatric disorders such as tics and OCD? In The Immune Mind, Dr Monty Lyman explores the fascinating connection between the mind, immune system and microbiome, offering practical advice on how to stay healthy. A specialist in the cutting-edge field of immunopsychiatry, Lyman argues that we need to change the way we treat disease and the way we see ourselves. For the first time, we have a new approach to medicine that treats the whole human being.

The new science of health

Delving into the recent discovery of the brain's immune system, Dr. Monty Lyman reveals the extraordinary implications for our physical and mental health. Up until the last ten years, we have misunderstood a fundamental aspect of human health. Although the brain and the body have always been viewed as separate entities - treated in separate hospitals - science now shows that they are intimately linked. Startlingly, we now know that our immune system is in constant communication with our brain and can directly alter our mental health. In The Immune Mind, Dr. Monty Lyman explores the fascinating connection between the mind, immune system and microbiome, offering practical advice on how to stay healthy. A specialist in the cutting-edge field of immunopsychiatry, Lyman argues that we need to change the way we treat disease and the way we see ourselves. The fields of neuroimmunology and immunopsychiatry have opened up new frontiers in medicine. Could inflammation cause depression, and arthritis drugs cure it? Can gut microbes shape your behavior through the vagus nerve? Can something as simple as brushing your teeth properly reduce your risk of dementia? Could childhood infections lie behind neurological and psychiatric disorders such as tics and OCD? For the first time, we have a new approach to understanding ourselves that does not just medicate the body or mind, but treats the whole human being.

What causes the placebo effect? What is phantom limb pain? Why do we experience pain, even after we've healed? We're currently experiencing a Renaissance in pain science. In recent years our understanding of pain has altered so radically it's fair to say that everything we thought we knew about pain is wrong. As Dr Monty Lyman reveals, we misunderstand pain - with harmful consequences. Exploring cutting-edge research and encompassing phantom aches to persistent pain, and interviews with survivors of torture as well as those who have never felt pain, Dr Lyman not only provides hope for reducing and managing pain but takes us to a deeper understanding of what it means to be human. This is the untold story of pain - our most elusive feeling.

Monty Lyman

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