Show Notes
Today we're confronting an often vilified aspect of our lives: stress. You might find yourself in one of two camps—either you dodge stress like the plague, or you stride directly into challenges, fully aware of the stress they bring along. Both approaches are valid, yet there's a hidden narrative around stress that we don't talk about enough. What if stress isn't our enemy but actually a catalyst propelling us towards growth and strength? We're exploring the crucial difference between stress and challenges, and why eliminating stress entirely might not be the path to recovery from burnout that we think it is. In this episode, we dive into how our bodies are biologically designed to grow stronger through stress—just like exercise creates minor muscle tears that heal and increase strength. We discuss Kelly McGonigal's research showing that if we perceive stress as harmful, it adversely affects our health, but if we see it as an ally preparing us for greatness, we can unlock beneficial responses in our body. We explore how world champions like Josh Waitzkin found success not in avoiding stress but mastering the art of balancing stress with recovery, and why perspective transforms pre-match nerves from hindrance into motivational force. We're covering how to create your own recovery plan by weaving recovery into daily routines to counterbalance stress. This includes nutrition through balanced, whole-food diets, quality sleep and mental clarity by quieting mental chatter and minimising device time. Every challenge is a stepping stone to growth, and with a recovery plan in place, stress becomes manageable, paving the way for self-improvement rather than burnout. Stress isn't the enemy—it's the growth mentor we never knew we had. What helps you shift your view on stress and supports your growth? LINKS Double Your Energy Masterclass: https://peak-revival.captivate.fm/yt-masterclass Website: www.vesnahrsto.com Mentioned in this episode: Website
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LINKS Apply for Peak Revival here: www.peakrevival.com Double Your Energy Masterclass: https://training.vesnahrsto.com/email-webinar-registration Website: www.vesnahrsto.com Mentioned in this episode: Website
Apply for Peak Revival here: www.peakrevival.com Double Your Energy Masterclass: https://training.vesnahrsto.com/email-webinar-registration Website: www.vesnahrsto.com Mentioned in this episode: Website
If you struggle with negative self-talk, this episode is for you. That quiet inner voice (“here we go again”, “my body is broken”) can keep you stuck even when you’re doing everything right with nutrition, supplements, training, and sleep. Vesna and Melissa unpack how negative thoughts can trigger a stress response and keep your nervous system in fight or flight, making fatigue, anxiety, inflammation, brain fog, and poor sleep feel worse. You’ll learn how to spot the story you attach to symptoms and shift it with simple awareness practices. Perfect for anyone navigating burnout recovery, chronic stress, nervous system dysregulation, women’s health, and healing mindset. CHAPTER MARKERS 00:00 Introduction 00:54 Inner Voice and Healing 01:52 Stress Chemistry of Thoughts 02:53 Interpretation and Setbacks 05:26 Spotting Wins and Progress 07:54 Symptom Meaning and Hypervigilance 10:39 Worthiness and Self Priority 12:11 Belief as the Prerequisite 16:03 Redefining Beliefs and Fear 19:39 How to Change the Pattern 20:02 Write It Down Practice 23:04 Final Reflection LINKS Apply for Peak Revival here: www.peakrevival.com Double Your Energy Masterclass: https://training.vesnahrsto.com/email-webinar-registration Website: www.vesnahrsto.com Mentioned in this episode: Website
If you’ve been wondering whether it’s burnout or perimenopause, this episode breaks down why the symptoms can feel so similar. Fatigue, poor sleep, anxiety, brain fog, irritability, mood changes, hormone shifts, and feeling overwhelmed can all point to burnout, perimenopause, or both. We talk about the overlap between chronic stress and perimenopause, why stress can amplify hormone symptoms, and why it’s important to look at the full picture. That includes your symptoms, cycle, stress load, lifestyle, and pathology testing rather than guessing too quickly. If you’re dealing with perimenopause symptoms, burnout, women’s hormones, chronic stress, sleep issues, mood swings, or nervous system dysregulation, this episode will help you better understand what your body may be trying to tell you.
If you deal with bloating, gut issues, food intolerances, IBS symptoms, constipation, diarrhoea, nausea, or stomach distension, this video explains why it may be more than “just bloating.” A lot of women are told these symptoms are normal, hormonal, or just part of getting older, but ongoing digestive issues can point to something deeper happening in the gut. In this video, I talk about SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth), one of the possible causes of chronic bloating and unexplained digestive symptoms. We cover why symptoms like gas, abdominal swelling, discomfort after eating, and irregular bowel movements are often brushed off or misdiagnosed, and why proper gut health testing can matter when standard blood work comes back “normal.” I also break down why the low FODMAP diet is not a long-term solution for gut healing, even though it can help manage symptoms during treatment. If you’ve been struggling with women’s gut health, IBS, microbiome issues, inflammation, nutrient deficiencies, fatigue, or brain fog, this conversation will help you understand what may be going on beneath the surface. If your gut symptoms keep getting dismissed, this is your reminder to look deeper. Chronic bloating, SIBO, digestive health, gut inflammation, microbiome balance, women’s health, and functional testing all matter when it comes to getting real answers and feeling better long term.