Breaking Free from Persistent Fatigue

Lucie Montpetit

Many factors of twenty first century life are impacting negatively on our quality of sleep and self-restorative functions. The pressure for increased productivity, less than ideal diet, constant technological changes, environmental pollution and unrealistic self expectations mean that a growing number of people are suffering from debilitating and persistent fatigue.

This book explains the body-mind balance and how it can be destabilised resulting in fatigue. It combines practical ways to measure energy levels and identify stressors with concrete suggestions for how to modify habits, detoxify lifestyles and tackle daily challenges head on. The author employs her vast professional and personal experience of conquering Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) to address the physiological and psychological factors affecting our energy levels, from diet and environment, to breathing and the internal workings of our bodies.

This detailed and comprehensive guide offer a fresh outlook for anyone who suffers from general fatigue, stress and conditions such as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, Sleep Disorders, Adjustment Disorder, Depression and Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction as well as the professionals who work with them.

Contents

Acknowledgements. Introduction. How to Use this Book. 1. What Is this Fatigue that Never Seems to End? 2. The Environment in the Twenty-first Century. 3. From Chaos to Energy Balance. 4. Physiological Energy. 5. Does Stress Come from Our Plates? 6. Energy: What Is It? 7. The Rhythms of Life. 8. Breaking Free by Rediscovering Your Body. 9. Breaking Free from Perceived Illusions. 10. Breaking Free by Taking Charge of Ourselves. 11. Breaking Free through Conscious Interconnectedness. 12. Therapies and Therapists. 13. Adrenal Glands. Appendices. Glossary. Endnotes. References. Subject Index. Author Index.

Reviews

“This book covers all the areas that I consider essential to my own and my patients' wellbeing – stress management, nutrition, work/life balance, present moment awareness, emotional wellbeing, physical health and efficient breathing. Providing evidence-based explanations and with useful practical exercises across all of these areas and more, it is essential reading for anyone who knows that there are elements of modern life that are not healthy, and who wishes to make changes. It is a fascinating, wise, thorough and potentially life-changing book.”
- Elizabeth Turp, NHS primary care counsellor and author of Chronic fatigue syndrome/ME: Support for Family & Friends

“This book has been written by a healthcare professional who has been through the chronic fatigue journey themselves and is aimed at both those going through the difficult journey of ME and the healthcare professionals working with those people. You can pick and choose your way across the chapters, choosing whichever needs or symptoms you want to understand and work with. Each chapter has focused exercises and summaries which means you don't even necessarily have to read the entire chapter. From a healthcare professional's point of view, there are plenty of technical references to get your teeth into. I like the way the book also encompasses the mind/body connection as well as the more grounded physical aspects of working through chronic fatigue.” 
- Laurel Alexander, author of How to Incorporate Wellness Coaching into Your Therapeutic Practice

"Lucie Montpetit's unique program, laid out in this book, combines scientific research with principles from psychology to equip the reader with the knowledge and capacity to help themselves, and feel the positive impact of doing so."
- Nicole Seguin, Clinical Psychologist, Montreal, Canada

Author information

Lucie Montpetit is an occupational therapist with over 25 years' experience working in a variety of hospital and outpatient settings. She runs workshops on managing fatigue, stress and pain using the approach she has developed incorporating practical contemporary occupational therapy techniques and drawing upon principles of traditional Chinese medicine, Qi Gong exercises and neuro-functional reorganization principles (NFR). She has personally suffered from debilitating fatigue and restored her health through the methods she now teaches others. She lives in Montreal, Canada.