When you hear the word “biohacking”, social media often drives you toward peptides, supplements and exercise/diet extreme directions.  Biohacking simply means using tools combining science, technology and biology to “hack” your body for better health, performance and longevity.  With all the social media flurry, it makes you think you are missing out by not diving into something expensive and often literally unproven.

With my focus on peptides the last several weeks which are touting anti-aging, I want to remind you that there are some very simple and often free things available to you right now that will provide the biohacking you need with tons of science backing it up!

READ ON for these 6 important biohacking tips….

  1. Sleep: Oh my goodness.  This literally should be the first five because if you aren’t sleeping then you aren’t repairing.  As a society, the biggest problem with sleep is we have been programmed for constant fight or flight so when it is time to go to bed we cannot or if you do fall asleep you can’t stay asleep.   The best way to have a good night’s sleep is to start to work on your stress levels during the day.  Taking something at bedtime might help a little bit but it will need to be strong to overcome an entire day’s worth of running from that lion.  Don’t forget treating any sleep apnea as this robs your sleep quality and your ability to repair.
  2. Healthy diet: This isn’t just about eating balanced meals although it is a key component but eliminating all the sleep “robbers”.  Sleep robbers include caffeine, alcohol, sugar and foods you are sensitive to.  When I get exposed to dairy, I know my mind will be racing all night and I wake up exhausted even though technically I have been sleeping.  If you are consistently waking up in the middle of the night, you might consider food sensitivities as a potential culprit.  Lots of research on true fasting and if you are going to consider doing this check out the book “The Obesity Code” by Dr. Fung as he dives into all the pros and cons of fasting and recommends an alternate day fasting program supplementing with bone broth rather than intermittent fasting.  If you are a big intermittent faster then read this book!
  3. Sunlight – exposure to morning sunlight helps regulate our circadian rhythms, boosts vitamin D which is good for brain, bones and gut and gives you an overall mood lift. When our mind and body is happy, all of our biochemical processes’ “hum” at a better frequency!
  4. Social connection – many studies looking at longevity tout the most significant factor in longevity is simply being connected to a social circle regardless of other medical conditions. Find a group of your people and foster those relationships.
  5. Strength training – yes, I think cardio is important but when you start to breakdown muscle our aging process accelerates (it goes both ways). Regardless of your age, NOW is the time to add in strength training and if you are over 60 then it is a MUST.  There are actual studies indicating grip strength is a better predictor of premature death and higher strength correlates with lower risks of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cognitive impairment.  Simply starting by squeezing a rubber ball daily can make a difference.
  6. Wearables – there are so many wearable devices showing your sleep patterns, heart rate variability, heart rhythm and on and on. If I had to pick one wearable that I think everyone should try at least once it is a continuous glucose monitor.  This monitors your blood sugar for 2 weeks so you can determine if you have insulin resistance WAY before you are an actual diabetic.  Blood sugar dysregulation accelerates aging.  Check out the $50 version from Hellolingo!
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There are many more simple biohacks available so don’t think you need something fancy, expensive or trendy to get on track.

To your health,

 

Laura