Health
Nina Vukas
Fitness and Nutrition for Women’s Physiology

Lately, I’ve been diving deep into fitness and nutrition through the lens of female physiology, tracking my cycle, tuning into changes in energy and performance, and preparing for the shifts that come with perimenopause, which is soon approaching. This journey has led me to explore research, expert insights, and real-world strategies tailored specifically to women.

One of the resources I’ve found helpful is Dr Stacy Sims, whose work reflects a growing shift in health and fitness: recognising that women are not just smaller versions of men. At the heart of all this is a simple but important goal: I want to be able to surf, lift, hike and do all the things I love for as long as possible, and even though I have been active my whole life, I know that this transitional phase is the most important. In this blog post, I’ll be sharing what I’ve learned and applied, from science-backed approaches to personal observations, focused on helping women move, eat, and live in ways that truly support our bodies.

Fitness and Nutrition for Women’s Physiology
psychology
Nina Vukas
The Neuroscience of Change or How to Rewire ...
The Neuroscience of Change or How to Rewire Your Brain
Activism
Nina Vukas
A Woman's Journey to Safety

The following story is about a trip home I took during the pandemic, but it serves to illustrate a bigger subject - feeling safe in the world, especially as a woman. I promised to write it years ago and never got around to it. A student friend reminded me recently, and I felt today, on International Women’s Day, was the perfect time to reflect. Please note that I mention some statistics that some might find triggering. So, here it goes...

A Woman's Journey to Safety
Activism, psychology, yoga
Nina Vukas
Yoga in a Divided World

Even though I stay well-informed about global events, including politics, and often discuss these topics in my personal life, I usually avoid bringing them into platforms I use for work, including social media, or blog posts, unless I feel it’s important. A conversation with a new friend, a fellow yogi and self-described “refugee from the US” reminded me that this is one of those times, and inspired me to share some thoughts. She expressed heartbreak over what she sees as the slow erosion of democracy and equality in her country and how many in the yoga community contributed to it. “That’s what hurts the most,” she said. I have to say I agree and am worried about the future.

Yoga in a Divided World
psychology
Nina Vukas
The importance of perspective-taking

While, for many, the holiday season is all about joy and happiness and (re)connecting, it brings anxiety and stress for some. This happens for many reasons, including spending time with friends and family we don't often see eye to eye. A spiritual teacher, Ram Dass, once said, 'If you think you're enlightened, go and spend the week with your family.' Still, the challenges are often opportunities to learn and change. Last year, I wrote about ‘navigating the holiday season using Buddhist principles’. This year, I will focus on a more contemporary type of wisdom offered by Social Psychology and the theory of perspective-taking.

The importance of perspective-taking

Health

Fitness and Nutrition for Women’s Physiology

Fitness and Nutrition for Women’s Physiology

Lately, I’ve been diving deep into fitness and nutrition through the lens of female physiology, tracking my cycle, tuning into changes in energy and performance, and preparing for the shifts that come with perimenopause, which is soon approaching. This journey has led me to explore research, expert insights, and real-world strategies tailored specifically to women.

One of the resources I’ve found helpful is Dr Stacy Sims, whose work reflects a growing shift in health and fitness: recognising that women are not just smaller versions of men. At the heart of all this is a simple but important goal: I want to be able to surf, lift, hike and do all the things I love for as long as possible, and even though I have been active my whole life, I know that this transitional phase is the most important. In this blog post, I’ll be sharing what I’ve learned and applied, from science-backed approaches to personal observations, focused on helping women move, eat, and live in ways that truly support our bodies.

The science of breath - hyperventilation

The science of breath - hyperventilation

We can all agree that breathing is essential and one of the most important life-sustaining functions, if not the most important. We can go without eating, drinking and sleeping for days and only minutes without breathing. Besides the apparent gas exchange function, breathing also regulates our pH and can quickly influence our autonomic nervous system. Thus, knowing how to breathe well can positively affect our health and well-being, decrease stress and increase our mental and physical performance. When done well, altering our natural breathing pattern, which is what we do when practising pranayama or other breathwork techniques, can be very beneficial. However, altering our breathing patterns can be detrimental if the technique is not for us, is too advanced, or is based on misconceptions and pseudoscience. 

Hello Bertolotti

Hello Bertolotti

As a birthday present this year, I gave myself a full physical check-up, and as a part of it, I went for an MRI of my spine yesterday. This was something I wanted to do for a while, as I knew something was going on in my lumbosacral and my neck, but never got around to it and honestly, the idea of being trapped in that machine for almost an hour scared me. But, after the dull and sometimes piercing pain in my lower back started to be more frequent, I decided it's time and, regardless of the discomfort and a small anxiety attack I had in that machine (I almost walked out due to restraints and small space), I am happy I did it as now I have answers to so many questions. Answers only those scans can give.

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Be more mindful this Earth Day (and every day)

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Be more mindful this Earth Day (and every day)

Today and this weekend, we celebrate Earth day (April 22-24). Of course, we should be celebrating the wonder and beauty of our home every day, but this weekend we are reminded to do so even more. We should all spend a day or an entire weekend somewhere in nature, reconnecting to Mother Earth, teaching our children the importance of being in nature, of loving and preserving our home.

 

photography: Sanjin Kastelan / web design; Nina Vukas
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