What is biohacking? - Practices, benefits, and tips

Whether you're a certified wellness guru or just starting out, chances are you’ve heard the term biohacking. But what does biohacking really mean, and how can it be used to enhance your well-being? We’re going to decode the world of biohacking and give you practical, accessible tools to help you begin your journey!

Otherwise known as ‘DIY biology’, biohacking is the process of making incremental lifestyle changes to 'hack' your body’s biology. Biohacking involves combining both tested and experimental scientific methods with understanding your own bodily functions and using this knowledge to optimise your overall physical and mental performance.

Types of biohacks

Biohacking can be as simple or as complex as you like, however, it often involves a necessary amount of personal experimentation to find what works best for you (hence the nickname, DIY biology). Biohacking can be broken down into three main areas:

1. Diet and nutrition

Dietary Changes

This can include anything from intermittent fasting, ketogenic diets, or the use of specific supplements to address dietary deficiencies or boost nutrient intake.

Nutrigenomics

This delves a little deeper than other, simpler dietary changes, focusing specifically on the interaction between your genetic makeup and your body’s response to food. Specifically, it examines how your unique genes can affect the way you absorb and metabolise nutrients.

This practice combines genetic testing and personalised nutrition plans to tailor dietary recommendations based on individual genetic profiles to best optimise your nutritional intake. Nutrigenomics can also be used to analyse how different nutrients affect how you feel, behave and function. Benefits of nutrigenomics include:

Decreasing your risk of developing hereditary diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and obesity
Treating symptoms of underlying health conditions more effectively such as regulating blood pressure, fighting allergies and managing cholesterol levels
Aiding in effective weight loss and finding personalised weight management strategies
Identifying food intolerances or sensitivities based on genetic predispositions

Nootropics

Nootropics, often referred to as “smart drugs”, are supplements, medications or foods that can be used to improve your cognitive function, mental performance and productivity. Nootropics are commonly used to boost memory retention, creativity, and enhance mental clarity, but are also used to treat medical conditions such as ADHD and Alzheimers.

Nootropics have gained a cult-like following among students and professionals alike as they achieve fast results with minimal effort or time. However, nootropics should be used with caution as certain medications can be dangerous if not taken exactly as prescribed by your healthcare professional.

2. Lifestyle

Exercise and physical activity

This can be as simple as incorporating a 15-minute walk into your morning routine or as hardcore as tailoring workout regimes to optimise physical performance and health. Other popular methods include high-intensity interval training (HIIT), strength training, or simple stretches which can be used in tandem to enhance fitness and prevent injury.

Sleep optimisation

Sleep optimisation involves adjusting your sleep environment and habits to enhance the quality and efficiency of your sleep. This can be done by using sleep trackers, reducing blue light intake before bedtime or experimenting with sleep schedules like polyphasic sleep, where sleep is divided into multiple short blocks throughout the day.

Sleep optimisation alone can significantly improve cognitive functions, regulate hormones, increase energy, support weight management, reduce inflammation and strengthen your immune system (this is your sign to go to bed early tonight!).

Environmental adjustments

Environmental adjustment is essentially modifying your surroundings to optimise your health and cognitive function. This can be done by:

Improving air quality: Using air purifiers or air purifying plants to reduce pollution, increase oxygen and improve air quality

Managing blue-light: Reducing blue light exposure from phone and computer screens by using blue-light glasses or screen filters

Ergonomic enhancement: Investing in ergonomic furniture for your house or office to improve posture and reduce physical strain on your spine and joints

3. Biotechnology

Quantified Self or “Lifestyle” Biohacking involves using technology to track various aspects of daily life and gathering data on your biological functions. This can be used to monitor sleep, fitness, stress levels, and diet, providing data that can be used to make informed health decisions. Wearable technology such as FitBits and smartwatches can be used to monitor health metrics such as your heart rate, blood sugar levels, and sleep patterns.

Biotechnology also branches out into other, more extreme practices such as genetic engineering and the use of medical implant devices, although it should be noted that biohacking and biotechnology are not mutually exclusive.

Now that we’ve busted the world of biohacking WIDE open, you might be thinking “Well, where do I even begin?!”. Don’t worry, we’ve got that covered too!

Getting started with biohacking

Biohacking doesn't require sophisticated lab equipment or a background in science to get started. You can begin by introducing one or two biohacking techniques into your routine and tracking how these techniques impact your health. As you grow more comfortable and gain a better understanding of what works for you, you can gradually incorporate more techniques over time and track your progress until you achieve your desired health outcomes.

If you want to take a more targeted approach, blood testing is a great place to start. This can help identify any preexisting health issues such as vitamin deficiencies, allergies, food intolerances and hormonal imbalances, giving you a clear starting point to implement the correct biohacks for your individual needs and goals.

Looking into your gut health is another great place to start. A healthy gut not only aids in better digestion but also plays a crucial role in boosting your immune system, enhancing mental clarity, and even improving your mood. By addressing issues such as dysbiosis, where the balance of good and bad bacteria is disrupted, you can alleviate symptoms like bloating, fatigue, and skin problems. Implementing dietary changes, probiotics, and personalised supplements can create a more harmonious internal environment.

For those looking to take proactive steps towards optimal gut health, consider scheduling a gut health consultation with our experts at Nourishme Organics. Our consultations are designed to provide you with tailored advice and strategies to nurture your gut and, in turn, enhance your overall health.

In the meantime, here are some practical, user-friendly biohacking techniques to get you started!

Incorporate fermented foods into your diet

This is a delicious and easy way to increase your probiotic intake and improve your gut health. Fermented foods not only increase the diversity of beneficial bacteria in the digestive system but also increase the absorbability of your food.

Some of the most popular and beneficial fermented foods include probiotic-rich yoghurt, kefir, sauerkraut, kimchi, tempeh, and miso. Other fan favourites include kombucha known for its probiotics and antioxidants, natto, which is rich in vitamin K2, and sourdough bread which contains prebiotics and a lower glycemic index than other types of breads.

For more information, read our blog on the Top 10 Fermented Foods and How to Make Them at Home. If you’re ready to jump straight into the world of fermenting your own foods, explore our at-home fermenting kits.

Intermittent fasting

Intermittent fasting (IF) is a method of dieting that restricts the time in which you eat and do not eat, allowing your body to adequately burn through the calories consumed during your last meal. IF is commonly used for weight loss and weight management and has a huge range of potential health benefits such as lowering insulin, promoting cell repair and preventing cardiovascular disease. Popular fasting methods include:

The 16/8 Method: This involves fasting for 16 hours of the day and only eating within an 8-hour window.

5:2 Diet: With this approach, you eat as normal for five days of the week, and for the other two days, you limit your caloric intake to 500-600 calories per day. The two restricted days do not have to be consecutive.

Each of these methods has its own merits and varying results, however, deciding which method world works best for you will depend on your individual preferences, lifestyle and health goals. Talk to your healthcare professional to see which method is best for you.

Cold water therapy

Cold water therapy, also known as “cold hydrotherapy” can take several forms, including cold showers, ice baths, or swimming in cold water. Here are some of the key benefits associated with cold water therapy:

Improving circulation through the constriction and dilation of blood vessels
Boosting the immune system by increasing white blood cell counts,
Reducing muscle inflammation and pain, making it popular among athletes for recovery
Triggering endorphin production which improves mood and mental health
Promoting lymphatic drainage to remove body toxins
Relieving the nervous system

Sleep optimisation

There are many supplements and medications we can take to help improve our quality of sleep such as magnesium, lavender and melatonin. However, if you want to treat the underlying causes of “bad sleep”, the best place to start is by regulating your circadian rhythm. Your circadian rhythm or “body clock” is essentially your body's internal clock that is in sync with the day-night cycle, and influences functions such as sleep, wakefulness, hormone release, body temperature, and other important bodily functions. Tips on how you can regulate your circadian rhythm and improve your sleep quality include:

Regulate your sleep pattern: The best way to do this is by establishing a consistent sleep schedule. This can be achieved by simply going to bed and waking up at the same time every day.

Improve sleep environment: Ensure your bedroom is dark, quiet, cool, and comfortable. This may involve investing in blackout curtains, white noise machines or air purifiers.

Manage light exposure: Limiting exposure to blue light from screens before bedtime and getting plenty of natural light during the day. You can also invest in blue light blocking lightbulbs which can help regulate your circadian rhythm and boost melatonin production.

Understanding the risks of biohacking

While biohacking has been applauded for creating new and accessible ways for people to take control of their health, it has been criticised by medical professionals for trying to get ahead of science.

Conducting health experiments without proper guidance can lead to unforeseen and irreversible consequences. Our advice? Always consult with your medical professional before attempting any biohacking techniques solo.

So, interested in biohacking?

Getting started with biohacking is an exciting opportunity to take control of your health. Whether you're tweaking your diet, optimising your sleep, or exploring new supplements, it's important to approach biohacking with care and professional guidance.

At Nourishme Organics, we're here to support you at every stage of your wellness journey. From expert consultations to high-quality products, we provide the tools and knowledge you need to achieve your health goals safely and effectively. Ready to start your biohacking adventure? Check out our biohacking range or reach out to us today and let us help you unlock your full potential!