Before I kick start with defining Biohacking, let me tell you that I had been toying with the concept of “BioHacking” for a while. But, in 2017, after a deep and engrossing discussion with a friend (Sushant Singh Rajput), I began exploring the term in detail. As I delved deeper into the subject I discovered a whole new world of biohacks that began to work for me. Thereon, I began to create a series of snackable posts based on personal experience, starting from here:
Let’s get into biohacking basics and see how it can work for you.
You may have come across hacking in reference to computers, smartphones and email. But, what we are going to talk about is different.
We now turn towards the human body. Your body. In today’s context of pandemics like COVID19, we must respect our body and workover it physically, mentally & Spiritually. Biohacking is all about “do it yourself” easy ways.
If the term biohacking has got you confounded and scratching your head on what it entails, you’ve come to the right place. The new phenomenon, known as biohacking, although may sound fictional and sci-fi, is basically a new-age term about self-improvement. Simply put, consider biohacking as do-it-yourself biology!
However, even though the possibilities are endless, to kickstart the process of being more intelligent, more agile and better human beings, here are 8 sure-fire methods to initiate your journey into biohacking.
Index of Page
Stay away from food which makes you feel guilty i.e inflammatory foods
One of the most significant sources of imbalance in the body arises from consuming junk foods. These can be convenient and satiate you for the moment but are low energy foods and can cause your body much harm. Some of the biggest instigators of inflammation are sugar, fried food, refined and processed foods and trans fats. By eliminating these food groups, you will notice how your body starts to heal itself, without you even realizing it. Consider nutrient-dense and wholesome foods in its place. If you see a specific food group that is part of your daily diet, which is causing you food intolerances and unpleasant reactions, try eliminating them for a few weeks. You will to see tangible results and be able to pinpoint the exact harmful item.
Change how you eat
Intermittent fasting is no longer just a buzzword. It is a proven method to keep weight off and normalize your insulin levels. If practised well, it can keep chronic diseases such as diabetes at bay.
What do I do?
– Keep a handful of nuts such as almonds, peanuts walnuts or dry fruit at hand to snack whenever required.
– Drink a cup of warm water or green tea (whatever you feel like) every 30/35 min. This way the thought of food or being hungry stays away.
Log your sleep
If you’re getting less than 7 hours of quality sleep each night, it means you are sleep deprived. And this does not just boil down to the number of hours, but also the quality of sleep.
Here’s what you can do to better your sleep patterns:
– Cover your bedroom windows with blackout curtains
– Try going to sleep at a particular time each night and waking up at the same time every morning
– Download a sleeping app that can track the number of hours you sleep and its quality.
And because I have been blessed to review various wearable brands and in the business of officially testing smartwatches. I have learnt how to gauge the quality of my sleep through its various features. If you are looking to get a brand new wearable tech to be your sleep guide in your biohacking journey, drop me a dm on twitter @honeytech (you might get lucky as well)
For detailed analysis, you can also refer to how we can transform your irregular sleep pattern or how to fix sleep cycles
Listen to binaural beats
If you have not heard of binaural beats before, these are helpful tools that resonate at a frequency mimicking your brainwave frequency. The beauty of listening to binaural beats is it can boost your brain cells to spur specific stages of awareness, based on your needs. If you are looking to stay wide awake or alert, you can opt for high-frequency beta waves. On the other hand, if you’re looking for a gentle push to move into a creative and meditative state, consider theta waves.
Here are a few playlists I follow on Spotify/Amazon Music/Youtube
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLbXZkxjs1XppzO3CJXArhUGMMRCftofUn
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFGsZ6ythQQ
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1DX7kEF8F3oWnM?si=7I0IFQIqTWOKn8uZ9OGmsg
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1DX5Tgh3tlyc3X?si=jalqSY1dRDSy4RVNWG9HJA
Move your body
Find out what you enjoy the most, based on your time schedule and physical state. You could disregard the latest trend or the membership to an overpriced gym and instead look for ways to move physically as much as possible throughout the day. It can boost your endorphins and give you that much-needed kick to indulge in advanced body movement exercises.
Understanding your worth
Searching for happiness is not a biohack. Knowing what your purpose is and where you stand as a valuable human is what makes all the difference. When you begin to feel meaning in life, happiness trickles in automatically. You may want to take up something that will not reward you in the initial stages but could pay you off in dividends later in the form of positive neurotransmissions. To cut the jargon, find what hits your sweet spot of dopamine and stick to it. For instance, it could be a new hobby, you never know.
Connect with people and animals (While maintaining social distancing)
You may not be a big fan of this, but human relationships are what defines us as social beings. If you don’t find solace in connecting with people, material objects such as new gadgets or screentime can consume us. True, relationships with people and even animals such as dogs require effort and discipline. However, because they deeply enter our psyche and hack our biology positively, in more ways than one, it’s worth making that effort. Isolating yourself from people can cause several lifestyle disorders so in this current context of COVID19 try to connect online/phone/video calls with your loved one. But one of the most active hacks to favourable biology is the feeling of having real connections.
Seek ways to build wealth
Ideally, to accomplish all of the above needs wealth, moderate wealth at best. But, having wealth does not mean indulging in extravagant purchases or habits. It means to have money without compromising your sense of purpose or connection with others. This is what can determine oneself, sleeping and eating habits and other likewise hacks that you would need to undertake to improve himself.
Here are some helpful guides that can provide you with detailed assistance.
Book Recommendations:
- Eat To Beat Disease – William Li
- Super Attractor – Gabrielle Bernstein
- Mindful Work – David Gelles
- Wheat Belly – William Davis
Biohacking is a new term indeed, but it’s principles are age-old, only unlocked now through science and technology.
Conclusion
While weight loss and body toning is the first thought that comes to most of us when we consider biohacking, perhaps we need to adopt the concept as a means to holistic wellness and health. Losing excess weight is one of the many benefits you will experience, in addition to peace of mind, a rejuvenated self, improved energies, balanced hormones and so much more.
A New and Younger You transformed to meet any physical and mental challenges should be your ultimate goal. And as you continue to keep at it, you will actually be adding add years to your life!
You heard right! Adding years to your life. Here’s a secret: Looking for that magic bullet to stop ageing in its tracks? Let me introduce you to your telomeres. Sitting at the end of your chromosomes, telomeres contain genetic information that protects your body from early-onset disease or deterioration. With age, telomeres naturally get shortened. But new research reveals that there are ways to slow down the telomere shortening process drastically. Have I got your interest? I’ll take a deep dive into telomeres, how you can extend them through a series of experiments that I am currently in the process of conducting. I’m also preparing an extensive session on DNA preservations tricks and anti-ageing steps to follow soon. Until then keep reading and biohacking your way to good health!
