Imagine if you could insert a chip into your brain to achieve the impossible? Would you do it? Day by day, we are moving towards a more technological world and the integration between man and machine is inevitable. Star Trek might become reality, guys! I’m pretty sure you’ve stumbled across the term biohacking, the ability to hack our biology to perform at maximum levels. The thought of installing a chip into your brain might seem a bit too much, but there are ancient, more natural ways to biohack your body for better health.
What is biohacking
It’s hard to put a definite definition to biohacking, but what it essentially comes down to is the process of improving our body in some shape or form. The goal with biohacking is to increase our energy, increase our physical performance through the change of our chemistry and biology. As mentioned earlier in the post, some people do it by changing up their diet and lifestyle, and others go all-in with technology. Whichever option tickles your fancy better, here are some tips you can try naturally.
How to biohack safely
Since the goal of the biohacking mission is to change our biology, we need to think about what’s currently safe and what’s not. The absolute best way to check this is with a simple blood test. Simple and simple aren’t quite the right words coming out of my mouth since I’m the biggest cry baby when it comes down to taking a blood test… But, for your other brave-hearted people, a blood test is the easiest way to start your biohacking journey.
Your blood work will give you the foundation of where your vitamin levels are at, and it will also act as a blueprint if the biohacking is working or not. I mean, keeping track of your vitamin levels is never a bad idea.
The different types of biohacking
Biohacking has levels to it, as mentioned it ranges from simple lifestyle changes to programming technology into your fabulous body.
Nutrigenomics
You could possibly already figure out what nutrigenomics refers to by reading the name, yup, it refers to the nutritional science about how our bodies react to the food we eat. Keep in mind that whenever we are talking about food, every person reacts differently, and because of this we can’t pinpoint a “one size fits all” diet. We can do a generalization scan and talk about the foods that work for most people, but to start creating your personal diet plan, you’ll have to make that vein in your arm say adios amigos to some blood (by taking a blood test).
DIY Biohacking
Not as simple as arts and crafts, but DIY biohacking refers to people who do experiments on themselves in uncontrolled environments. This refers to experiments that are not conducted in labs or medical facilities. I want to salute these people for being brave bunnies, and testing our different theories on themselves, but please don’t go out there and start experimenting on yourself before you know what you’re doing. I don’t want to get accused of bad peer pressure.
Grinder
No, I am not referring to the gay dating app. What grinder means in the biohacking sphere is the most “extreme” form of biohacking. The one where you put in technology into your body.
How to biohack your body for better health
Alright, now when we have the boring theory part out of the way, it’s time to get down with the really interesting part – how we can biohack ourselves for better health. I will not talk about DIY or Grinder hacks because of obvious reasons. If you’re into that, you’re just a Google search away from exploring the unknown. Or maybe join a DIY biohacking group? Yes, they do exist. Look it up on father Google.
Food allergies
One of the best things you could do for your health is to find out your food allergies (if any) and say adios to them. By taking a blood test you can easily get a report of what food allergies you have. But if you’re a weakling like me, you could also dry the elimination diet. What this means is that you start eliminating the major food allergens such as gluten, soy, and dairy. After about 3-4 week you start introducing one of these foods into your diet again and pay attention to how they make you feel.
I know that it sounds like a lot of effort, but the benefits are huge. Once you know if you have any allergies you can move on with your life feeling way more energized and generally more satisfied with your life. Of course, it will hurt to have to give up some of your favorite foods, trust me I KNOW! I’ve discovered that I’m gluten and soy sensitive. Yup, I had to break up with my dearest wheat bread and pasta, and turn to gluten-free or wheat-free options. And when it comes to the soy, keep my tofu and faux meat consumption to a minimum.
But then again, I’m human, just like you and everyone slips up now and then. That’s OKAY! As long as you don’t eat these trigger foods daily, you’ll still improve your health tremendously.
Intermitted fasting
You are what you eat but did you know that when you eat also can have an impact on your overall wellbeing? Eating past 7 pm has long been a “no go” in the health industry, but it’s not that kind of “when” I’m talking about. By the way, this 7 pm myth can be thrown out the window.
Fasting has significant health benefits for us. Controlling our insulin, increasing our energy, and stabilizing our ghrelin (the hunger hormone) and leptin (fullness hormone) are just a few of the amazing things fasting does for us. And no, you don’t have to go without food for days or restrict your calories like crazy. Fasting has found a sweet middle ground. You’ve probably come across the term “intermitted fasting” which refers to fasting for 16 hours and eating during an 8-hour window. Well, technically you can adjust your fasting period to how long you want. Some people do 18, or even 20 hours of fasting with a 6 hour, or 4-hour eating window. The 16:8 rule is the most common one and probably the easiest one to start with.
Try to experiment with intermitted fasting, and you should at least let your digestive system rest for 12 hours every day. If you think about it, that’s not that crazy. Let’s say you eat dinner at 7 pm, then you only have to hold your hunger to 7 am (12 hours) or 11 am (16 hours). Try it out and see how your body feels. Remember, it will take some time to adjust.
Don’t sleep on sleep
Sleep, sleep, sleep. We know that sleep is one of the most important things for our health, yet it’s the first one to get deprioritized when we have a lot to do. Getting your beauty sleep is more than just looking pretty, it’s essential for health. Ways to biohack sleep? Get more of it! Get your 7-9 hours and make sure to get into the deep sleep every night. If you’re a night owl like me you just got to change up your circadian rhythm. Wake up early, get moving during the day, and find ways that work for you to rewind your mind before bedtime.
Throw the processed foods in the trash
I’ve mentioned this over and over in previous blog posts, but processed and refined foods are the devil to our body. Whatever diet you may follow (vegan, keto, vegetarian) make sure to stick to whole, real foods in their most natural form. Also, make sure to get those plants in! Turn that 5-a day into 6- a day! Fruits, vegetables, and berries are essential to our health and brain function. Limit the refined sugars, read the food labels, and become more aware of what you’re putting in your body. Yes, I want you to become that person who is hunching over the food labels in the grocery store. Own your label reading hunch!
Clear your mind
The mind is just as, if not even more important when it comes to improving our health. Our thoughts, our environment, and how we respond to it all play a role in our health, and we can all biohack the shit out of it!
Meditation is the secret sauce (and it doesn’t contain any hidden sugar) to put your mind in check. I have to admit that I’m not an expert in the meditation field. I’ve tried several times but failed. What I have realized though is that I’m able to get into the meditative state in other ways than the traditional “legs crossed, sitting in silence” – position. While commuting, during exercise, and by listening to low stimulating beats I manage to get into that clear space where I forget about time and space.
Find your way to meditate and if you need a helping hand there’s a ton of apps you can download to get a little pat in the right direction.
What to think about
By now you have a little more knowledge about this biohacking world. But, just like with everything else health-related you have to find the things that work for your body. In the end, we are all unique and the best biohacking you can do is to check yourself before you hack yourself. Getting to know our body takes time, I know. But health that lasts a lifetime isn’t a quick fix. It’s about trial an error, learning to accept yourself, and learning to admit to yourself and others what works best for you.
I’m personally fine with just changing up my lifestyle a little bit to reap these benefits, but when I’ve done the proper research about integrating technology into our bodies, and it’s maybe a bit more mainstream, then hell yes! I’ll be the first one to jump on board the biohacking train!
https://www.tonyrobbins.com/health-vitality/biohacking-for-beginners/
https://www.healthline.com/health/biohacking#types