What is biohacking? Does it actually work? Or is it just a buzzword?
With all the information available online, knowing what to believe about biohacking can be a challenge. At Synergistiq Wellness, we believe that biohacking is more than just a buzzword, and is the holistic key to unlocking full-body wellness for our patients–and we want to help you achieve the same.
In this informative beginner’s guide to biohacking, we’ll look at common examples of biohacking, the benefits of implementing biohacking into your life, and most importantly, how this holistic technique can elevate your health and increase your quality of life.
What Is Biohacking?
Biohacking is the process of improving your physical or mental health in some way by changing your environment or lifestyle.
While biohacking can range from minor lifestyle changes to intense or even unregulated techniques, the goal is the same: positively and naturally alter your health.
Biohacking is primarily experimental and consists of trying different techniques until you find what’s best for you. This can look like undergoing a diet change to lose weight, exercising more frequently to reduce stress, using wearable technology to track your heart rate, or even taking supplements.
Remember, everyone’s health goals and conditions are different. Always consult a medical practitioner before starting any new treatment.
Now, let’s take a closer look at the benefits of biohacking!
Benefits of Biohacking
Many people turn to biohacking because it allows them to improve their health holistically. That means no more ‘band-aid’ treatments that only mask debilitating symptoms but finally identify and treat the root cause.
A functional doctor may order blood tests to check your health before beginning any biohacking treatment. These tests can work as a baseline and provide you and your doctor a better picture of specific changes you’ll need to make to achieve your health goals.
Here are some of the most common benefits people achieve through biohacking:
- Weight loss
- Improved memory
- Reduced inflammation
- Improved mood
- Improved gut health
- Boosted energy
- Reduced stress
- Decreased blood pressure
- Balanced hormones
- Increased focus & attentiveness
Fact or Fad: Does Biohacking Work?
Biohacking is not a fad–it’s been around for thousands of years!
While it may go by different names, each culture offers different biohack philosophies. Ayurveda is arguably the world’s most ancient and intricate biohacking system dating back over 10,000 years. From herbal teas that decrease inflammation to ancient acupuncture techniques, to natural remedies, biohacking has been around for millennia.
In today’s modern world, the word ‘biohacking’ spurs skepticism for people unfamiliar with the practice. You may find yourself wondering, does it really work? Or is it just a result of the placebo effect?
The truth is, that biohacking is more than a buzzword. Even if it went by a different name thousands of years ago, the idea was still the same: enhance your health by making thoughtful changes to your lifestyle. And as technology and medicine advance, so do biohacking techniques.
With the recent rise of holistic medicine in Western culture as a way to naturally heal both body and mind, more people have turned to biohacking. As a result, more clinical studies and research have been conducted, supporting the idea that biohacking can be a natural, evidenced-based way to increase longevity and quality of life.
While biohacking remains largely experimental (as results can vary from person to person), the key is finding what works best for you to achieve your healthiest self.
For example, you may use biohacking to lose weight and improve blood pressure, while another person may focus on using different techniques to improve their memory and decrease brain fog.
What Is Biohacking? Examples of Biohacking
Have you ever had caffeine to stay alert during a morning meeting? How about wearing a Oura ring or other device to track your sleep quality at night?
Both are examples of biometric biohacking.
If you change your lifestyle and environment, or use technology to track and adapt your performance in any way, then you are biohacking.
While oftentimes you’ll have to undergo trial and error, the process of biohacking can be extremely rewarding physically and mentally and emotionally once you find what specific biohacking practices work for you.
Lifestyle
Diet and exercise are where biohacking newbies often start–and with good reason! These lifestyle changes often help people see results, such as weight loss, decreased joint pain, improved mood, and more!
Examples of lifestyle changes may include:
- Intermittent fasting
- Eliminating processed foods
- Getting early light exposure upon waking
- Grounding & walking barefoot outside
- Consuming more fermented foods & drinks
- Taking cold baths or showers
- Infrared sauna
- Peptide and IV and supplement therapies
- EBOO
- CVAC pod
- Increasing your amount of quality sleep
Technology
We use technology to improve productivity and enhance our quality of life. Biohacking technology works the same!
Cutting-edge tech such as smartwatches and heart monitors allow you to track various facets of your health. From there, you can make changes to your lifestyle to improve your health, using the same technology to track these improvements over time.
Living in a digital world means that there’s plenty of tech on the market that you can use to enhance your health and wellness journey:
- Smartwatch
- Sleep tracker
- Calorie & macro-tracking apps
- Injections & microchips
- Heart rate monitor
- Blood sugar monitor
Molecular & Biological
More advanced biohacking techniques attempt to alter cellular processes to augment your health.
For example, you can use natural substances such as stem cell/exosomes, IV therapy, or a daily supplement/nutraceutical to give your body the nutrients it needs.
Another treatment option is taking nootropics.
Nootropics, otherwise known as ‘smart drugs,’ can help improve cognitive function, resulting in better focus, attention, and overall boosted brain performance.
Some nootropics are commonplace, like caffeine and creatine, and can be used to increase cognitive and/or physical performance. Other nootropics like Ritalin or Vyvanse or Adderall require a prescription and are commonly used to treat mental disorders such as ADHD or Alzheimer’s.But in integrative medicine, there are several natural supplements that serve to enhance brain power.
Always consult your doctor before taking Nootropics, as side effects may vary.
Benefits of Biohacking
Your physical and mental health go hand in hand. When you practice biohacking, you reap not only physical benefits but mental benefits too, helping you achieve full body synergy.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the top benefits of biohacking.
Physical Benefits of Biohacking
Even if your primary health goal isn’t weight loss, there are still several physical benefits associated with biohacking.
Based on the biohacking techniques we discussed earlier in the article, here are some of the physical benefits people see:
- Lower heart rate
- Lower blood pressure
- Improved immunity
- Improved metabolism
- Decreased risk of disease
- Decreased inflammation
- Decreased joint and/or muscle pain
The Connection Between Biohacking & Weight Loss
Being overweight can put you at an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and other health concerns.
While there are a variety of factors that can affect a person’s weight such as genetics, existing medical conditions, lifestyle, and more, biohacking has been an effective way to help patients lose weight naturally.
Techniques such as intermittent fasting which involves only eating from anywhere within a 10-2 hour window each day, and taking regular walks outside are common biohacking techniques that doctors and dieticians may recommend to their patients. Other techniques like High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) and cold therapy may help increase metabolism and aid in weight loss.
If you’re looking to lose weight naturally, discuss biohacking with your doctor to find the best plan for your specific needs.
Mental Benefits of Biohacking
Mental health can be just as important as your physical health. Luckily, many biohacking techniques are proven to not only help you achieve a healthier body and mind.
- Decreased stress
- Increased mind-body connection
- Increased productivity
- Improved focus
- Feeling energized & well-rested
- Improved mental health
If you have issues focusing, or sleeping or are suffering from brain fog, then implementing techniques such as meditation, yoga, or an anti-inflammatory diet can be a great option for healing your mind naturally.
Biohacking Cognitive Function Connection
Your brain is your body’s control center, and when you biohack your brain, which is neurohacking, you can ‘hack’ this control center and achieve several cognitive benefits such as:
- Improve memory
- Improve attention span
- Decrease risks of neurodegenerative disease
- Boost mood
- Enhance executive function
What Is Biohacking? Main Takeaways & Next Steps
So, what is biohacking?
Biohacking is a natural way to improve your physical and mental health, helping you to decrease your risk of disease, increase longevity, and become the healthiest version of yourself.
In other words, biohacking can be life-changing, physically, mentally, emotionally and sexually.
Can you imagine a day without chronic fatigue? Or less inflammation? Or minimal joint pains?
This holistic approach to mental and physical health has helped many of our patients take back their health naturally.
While trying something new can seem intimidating at first, the good news is that you don’t have to change everything about your day-to-day life to reap the benefits of biohacking. Start small, check in with yourself physically and mentally to see how you respond to each change, and adapt accordingly.
And remember, always discuss any new treatment with your doctor before you start.
Elevate Your Health with a Custom Biohacking Plan
Are you ready to achieve a healthier mind and body?
At Synergistiq Wellness, our mission is to help you become the happiest, healthiest version of yourself with functional medicine. Our team of expert practitioners will work with you to create a customized plan that identifies the root cause of your symptoms and uses biohacking techniques to effectively treat and eliminate them.
Contact us today for a 10 minute consultation, and take the next step towards creating a healthier and happier version of your existence while boosting longevity!