Fight Fatigue: 6 Simple Steps
to Maximize Your Energy
Dr. Mary Ann Bauman, MD

By Mylan V. Kohler

When you hear about fighting fatigue, what do you think of? We usually think of energy drinks, more sleep, less conflict, less illness. So we'll drink an energy drink and not feel any different. We'll get more sleep, yet somehow still wake feeling groggy. We try not to argue at work, but we wind up snapping at our families. Illness is out of our hands and something that just happens.

But what if it isn't? Dr. Bauman begins her book with anecdotes, all of which illustrate her first step toward fighting fatigue. Then she begins her discussion of psychoneuroimmunology, which is the the scientific study of the mind-body connection. Her discussion is straight-forward and written in simple English. This is no mean feat for someone well versed in medicine for thirty years, yet she accomplishes this and adds anecdotes in every chapter to illustrate her point. Each chapter is full of anecdotes from her personal life or from her patients' lives. They seem rather simplistic, but she also mentions studies and books on the topic at hand. As a result, the book has a very conversational feel.

The six steps to fight fatigue are more like six steps to decrease stress. Stress is a major contributor to fatigue, so decreasing stress will certainly help stop fatigue. The steps sound silly at first, since they focus more on an individual's perceptions and handling of conflicts.

The steps then move on to cover actions that people can take to be less stressful. Dr. Bauman is a firm believer in the power of counseling when there is no medical reason for fatigue, and has seen the good it has done for her patients as well as for herself.

The six steps are easy to do, and easy to work into anyone's schedule. They build on each other to ultimately change perspectives to better deal with stressors. Life is a work in progress, and this book definitely helps to make it easier.

Rating: *** (Good)

Tate Publishing & Enterprises, 2006 (ISBN: 1598861875)