Konenkiwellness (2026)

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18/08/2026

This post is for the version of me who was desperately searching the internet before my double mastectomy.

Looking for photographs.
Looking for other women’s stories.
Trying to understand what my body might look like afterwards — but perhaps even more than that, how I might feel in it.

I chose a risk-reducing, bilateral double mastectomy because I carry a BRCA1 gene mutation. I knew it was the right decision for me. But I loved my natural breasts. I loved my body. And I was scared that losing them might change the way I felt about myself.

I wanted to know:
Will I still feel feminine?
Will I still feel confident?
Will I still feel like me?
Will it be a mess?

One year after my double mastectomy, and 3.5 months after my final reconstruction surgery, my body IS different.

There are scars. There is numbness. There have been multiple surgeries, setbacks and a lot of healing.

But I still love my body.

I still feel feminine.
I still feel confident.
I still feel like me.

And over the past few months, I’ve been physically rebuilding too — regaining strength, expanding my capacity and finding my way back to the yoga practice that has been part of my life for so long.

Soon, I’ll be returning to guide others again too.🤍

I’m sharing this because I know how much I needed to see women living fully on the other side when I was preparing for mine.

Every mastectomy and reconstruction journey is different, and this is only my experience. But if you’re facing a risk-reducing mastectomy and you’re doing what I did — searching, wondering, full of unanswered questions, trying to picture what life might look and feel like afterwards — my DMs are always open.

I was very closely connected with my oncology & reconstruction team throughout the whole process and have all the details of my surgeries and reconstruction, so if there’s something about my experience you’d like to know, I’m happy to share.

Because sometimes seeing someone on the other side can make the unknown feel a little less frightening.🤍

Inspired by Rosie Krista Brown,MS,RN,ONN,CFNC •Proactive Cancer Prevention• the shining light on my journey 🤍✨

03/08/2026

No one ever taught me this.

Like many women, I grew up believing hormones were mainly about periods, fertility, pregnancy and menopause.

I understood they could influence mood and energy—that much we learn through puberty.

What I didn’t realise was how profoundly they influence our health every single day.

Our hormones don’t just affect reproduction. They help regulate the brain, cognition, nervous system, heart, bones, metabolism, muscles and so much more.

Looking back, I can see how much I didn’t know. And that’s exactly why I created KŌNENKI Learn.

Not to create fear.

But to make hormone education more accessible, so women can recognise change sooner, make informed choices and feel more prepared for the years ahead.

Because preparation changes the experience.

🤍 Which slide resonated with you the most?

Save this post for later, or share it with someone who deserves to know this sooner.

01/08/2026

Community Voices • Series 1 • August 2026 🤍

Meet Tash (Broken.Boobs.To.Forever.Foobs)

This month, we’re honoured to share Tash’s story.

As a breast cancer survivor, BRCA1 pathogenic variant carrier and woman living with surgical menopause, Tash shares an honest reflection on what happens when survival becomes the priority—and the lifelong impact of surgical menopause becomes the part no one prepared her for.

Her story is a powerful reminder that, for many women, surgical menopause isn’t simply the outcome of surgery. It’s the beginning of a completely new chapter, bringing physical, emotional and psychological changes that can last a lifetime. It’s a reality I know all too well.

Throughout her story, Tash reflects on the importance of being better prepared for life after surgery, having honest conversations about the lifelong impact of surgical menopause, and connecting with women who truly understand the journey through lived experience.

At KŌNENKI, we believe preparation changes the experience. Women deserve to feel informed, prepared and supported—not only before surgery, but throughout the lifelong transition that follows. That means education, compassionate conversations, practical support and access to women with lived experience, alongside appropriate medical care.

Thank you, Tash, for sharing your story with such openness, courage and generosity. Your willingness to speak so honestly about breast cancer, BRCA and surgical menopause will help so many women feel seen, better prepared and less alone.

If this story resonates with you, we’d love to hear from you in the comments.

💬 What conversation do you wish someone had had with you before surgery?

Some conversations need to happen before surgery, not after. 🤍

Life after surgery isn’t just physical. Identity changes too.

What if every woman was truly prepared for what comes next?

A reminder that’s carried Tash through some of her darkest moments. ✨

Wisdom for the next generation—and for all of us. 🤍✨

As we wrapped up, Tash shared one final thought that stayed with me:

“My whole world got flipped upside do

23/07/2026

“I thought I was losing my confidence.”

It’s something I hear again and again from women navigating perimenopause and menopause.
In fact, brain fog has been one of the most common experiences shared by women in our KŌNENKI community survey so far.

It’s exactly what happened to me during perimenopause. Not because I’d become less capable, but because cognitive changes like brain fog quietly chipped away at my confidence—especially at work.

When you’ve always been organised, articulate and able to juggle multiple demands, suddenly forgetting words, struggling to focus or losing your train of thought can feel deeply unsettling.

Many women don’t realise these changes can be linked, in part, to hormonal fluctuations.

Instead, they question themselves.

This isn’t just a wellbeing conversation.

It’s a workplace conversation too.

The more we understand the connection between hormones, the brain and the nervous system, the more we can create environments where women feel informed, supported and able to thrive through midlife.

🤍 Preparation changes the experience.

Have you ever experienced brain fog at work? I’d love to hear about your experience in the comments.

Source: Liu, H., Huang, X., & Zeng, Y. (2026). Estradiol reduction during perimenopause is associated with lower BDNF, elevated inflammation, hippocampal loss, and cognitive decline. Experimental Gerontology, 222, 113219.

20/07/2026

Brain fog was the most common experience women shared in our community survey so far.

That didn’t surprise me.

Because it’s one of the symptoms women talk about quietly, often believing they’re simply becoming forgetful, less capable or “not themselves.”
The reality is more complex.

Fluctuating hormones, disrupted sleep and an overloaded nervous system can all affect attention, memory, focus and cognitive performance. Hormonal change doesn’t just influence how you feel emotionally—it can influence how your brain functions too.
This is exactly why understanding what’s happening matters.

Not just for women trying to make sense of their symptoms.
But for healthcare professionals supporting them.
And for workplaces, where many women continue to perform at a high level while privately navigating cognitive changes no one ever prepared them for.
Preparation changes the experience.

🤍 Our survey is still open, and every response helps us better understand the real experiences of women navigating midlife.

If you’d like to add your voice, comment “I’m in” and I’ll send you the survey link.

Perimenopause brain fog is one of the most common yet least understood symptoms of hormonal change in midlife. Learn how fluctuating hormones, nervous system regulation, stress, sleep and lifestyle can affect memory, concentration and cognitive performance. Evidence-informed education for women navigating perimenopause, menopause and midlife wellbeing through practical tools, nervous system support and whole-person health.

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