Book excerpt: For more than three decades, Tom Monte has been a leading writer, teacher, and counselor within the natural healing community. As a national best-selling author, he has helped bring to the public’s attention the work of many cutting-edge doctors, medical researchers, and scientists. As a teacher and counselor in the use of natural healing methods, he has worked with thousands of individuals and families who were seeking to overcome serious illnesses or other life-altering crises. During the course of his work, he has witnessed and written about many “miraculous” recoveries. As inscrutable as these recoveries may have seemed, Tom began to recognize common factors among those who overcame serious illness. Based on medical research, the insightful work of others, his own work, and the experiences of patients who managed to reverse their own devastating health conditions, Tom has written an inspiring guide for those who suffer from chronic or life-threatening illness. Unexpected Recoveries is the culmination of a lifetime of work designed to offer hope, purpose, and—most important—a proactive plan. This book combines modern medical know-how, ancient healing practices, and a healing diet to provide a comprehensive and practical guidebook for physical, emotional, and spiritual recovery. It takes aim at such conditions as cancer, heart disease, kidney disease, chronic pain, Crohn’s disease, degenerative bone conditions, and more. Readers are provided with a seven-step program to help them on their journey of healing, with each and every step designed to be flexible. Factors such as mental attitude, lifestyle, diet, and exercise are discussed in an informative and easy-to-read manner. Along this journey, readers are introduced to twelve people who have recovered from incurable illness. Also included are a helpful resource section, a twenty-one-day menu planner, and over sixty kitchen-tested recipes. When a doctor tells a patient there is no cure, what the doctor is essentially saying is that there is no treatment proven to eliminate the condition. This doesn’t mean that healing isn’t possible. If you or a loved one is suffering from a severe illness, Unexpected Recoveries can be a powerful tool to change the course of that condition.