Book review by Terri McCormick

What if the reason you are not healing is not the treatment itself, but the condition of your cells?

Breaking Through Chronic Illness is written for anyone who has tried countless treatments yet still feels unwell. Dr. Melanie Stein speaks to those who have pursued every avenue of care, including antibiotics, supplements, herbs, dietary changes, and alternative therapies, only to find that nothing leads to lasting improvement.

Her message is not about trying another protocol. It is about rebuilding the internal environment that makes healing possible.

Central to the book is one foundational idea: true healing begins at the cellular level. Dr. Stein explains how chronic illness can impair a cell’s ability to produce energy, clear toxins, and communicate with the rest of the body.

The Cell Danger Response

When these functions weaken, the body grows disorganized, more vulnerable, and markedly less able to respond to treatment. This breakdown can also push cells into the Cell Danger Response, a state in which they remain stuck in survival mode and unable to reset.

Drawing from her own experience with a tick-borne illness and a long search for answers, Dr. Stein writes as both patient and practitioner. She includes stories of recovery and outlines a treatment strategy designed to reverse cellular damage and restore the body’s ability to heal itself.

Her plan includes cell membrane therapy and therapies such as IV phosphatidylcholine, photobiomodulation, methylene blue, and nutrient-dense, cellular-repairing foods, along with additional modalities that support mitochondrial and immune function.

One message remains consistent throughout the book: you are not broken, you are not beyond repair, and your body has been doing everything possible to protect you with the resources it has.

Even though the science can be complex, the book remains easy to follow. Dr. Stein uses clear explanations and relatable analogies that help readers understand how and why cellular repair transforms the healing process.

Breaking Through Chronic Illness offers a compelling understanding of why healing may have stalled and presents a science-based case for shifting the focus toward cellular repair. It provides clarity, direction, and renewed hope for restoring the body’s ability to recover.

Terri McCormick, a long-time Lyme disease advocate and educator, is the author of the forthcoming book “Being Misdiagnosed: Stories That Reveal the Hidden Epidemic of Lyme Disease.” She can be reached via her website.