Includes bibliographical references and index

Shepherd's story, part I: The leap -- Instead of an introduction: A community of the defiant -- Shepherd's story, part 2: The science of our guts -- Terry Wahls: How far can moxie take you? -- Diet and inflammation: Terry looks for proof -- The science of success: What makes us try and try again -- Amanda Hanson: Love and sacrifice -- Jamie Stelter: The raw fuel of optimism -- The science of mind and body: "Things shift toward wellness" -- Annie Salafsky: Saying no to no -- The science of hope: Agency vs. learned helplessness -- Trusting her son: Amy and Jaxon Chan take on ADHD with diet -- Amy Thieringer: Evolution of a healer -- Shepherd's story, part 3: The surprise -- Afterword: The landing

"True stories about people who triumphed over seemingly impossible medical diagnoses using untraditional, inventive therapies and perseverance--and about what scientists are discovering on the psychology of healing and the mind-body connection--from the author of theNew York TimesMagazinearticle about her own son, "The Boy with the Thorn in his Joints," which led to this book about other families"--

"THE OTHER SIDE OF IMPOSSIBLE is about people facing difficult medical conditions who, driven by love, desperation and astonishing perseverance and inventiveness, take unusual steps to combat autoimmune arthritis, autism, intractable epilepsy, severe food allergies, ADHD, and including a woman with MS who, partly through her own inventive therapy, got out of a wheelchair. The people in this book find ways to get better. Why did they even think they could? Meadows writes about the findings of research on the mind and psychology of agency, in these stories of inspiring fighters who never let go of hope"--