Over the last few years I've been learning from the world of Biohacking and it's technologies. If you're wondering why follow yet another trend sometimes even contradicting what we've learned, then read on. The challenge is that we have created such a huge imbalance in the way we live on this planet, that simply eating healthy, using organic foods and natural products, and working out are not enough to counter the unhealthy, even toxic environments we have surrounded ourselves with. People keep getting sicker and sicker; and low energy, a foggy mind and chronic fatigue are becoming the new normal. Mental illness, auto-immune diseases, and mystery illnesses are at an all time high. Most of us at this point need to take it a step further to create, or even just maintain heath, find balance, and live from a place of well-being.
Why Biohacking?
Whenever there's an emerging diet or healthcare/wellness practice which many people begin to follow, it's good to first practice discernment. Sometimes new trends contradict the practices we've integrated into our lives, leaving us with confusion, and not sure what to think, all in an effort just to be healthy. It's often hard to figure out which is right, and which is wrong. Here we need to remember that we're not all the same, and what's good for one person, may not be that great for someone else. Using moderation with anything, and especially when changing lifestyle habits. The 80/20 rule is always a great tool to incorporate, for example when consuming controversial foods like grains, dairy and cruciferous vegetables. It's not always easy to practice discernment though, and my personal recommendation is to always to follow your intuition. Take the recommendations that feel right for you, leave the ones that don't. As it turns out, the world of Biohacking is quite compatible with the Science of Ayurveda - the sister science of Yoga, and below I'm sharing some of the practices that can greatly help improve overall health. Simply put, Biohacking is about making simple lifestyle changes, and incorporating small practices into our routine which can result in better health, more energy, and an overall sense of well-being in our physical body. Biohacking is a vast ocean full of endless possibilities, and unless you are willing to dedicate your life to it, the easiest is to just adapt some simple practices that can support your own unique life journey and state of being.
1. Take time to care for your eyes
Did you know that blurred vision can be improved, if not reversed? Caring for and maintaining the health of the eyes is an important part of well-being. Some simple practices can include palming, which is actually a yogic exercise, candle or sun gazing, blinking often to help keep eyes moist and relieve eye strain, flexing, and many other beneficial exercises help retain (or regain) youthful eyesight. Most importantly though, we need to be conscious of our exposure to blue light, which is emitted through screens and daylight bulbs, among many other sources, and affects our sleep. Special glasses such as blue light glasses, among more advanced options, can help protect the eyes from harmful rays. Following the circadian rhythm by not only avoiding daylight bulbs later in the day, but actually adjusting our lives to tune into the rhythm of Mother Nature is vital. For more information on eye exercises, send me a message!
2. Easy supplementation, tailored to your needs
Health and well-being can only be present when there is balance and harmony. Since we have created huge imbalances on our planet, not just environmentally, also psychologically and emotionally, and as a result of how we have structured life here on this planet, we need to supplement our lives to be able to provide our physical, energetic, and mental bodies the nourishment needed. It starts with our food
choices - more on that later - and it also requires some supplementation, tailored to each individuals unique circumstances and needs. As always we can turn to Mother Nature for help. Investing in high-quality vitamins and being informed on how they are sourced and produced, and incorporating adaptogens are just some of the options to help us counter the imbalances we have created and inherited from past generations.
3. Food is everything. Make choices that benefit your future Self now.
Food can either heal, or it can make us really sick. The average American and European diet, and the foods commonly sold in supermarkets, are not only filled with toxins, but are also depleted of nutrition. Also, we are each born with a different constitution, and our physical, emotional and mental bodies are affected by our lifestyles, relationships and surroundings. If we want to move though the different stages in life from a place of well-being, and continue to stay healthy even at an old age, it is vital that we care for out future selves right now by nourishing our bodies with food that allows us to thrive, feel energetic, be healthy, and move through live with a sense of lightness. And also, the energy that's put into the cooking process, as well as the state of our being while we are eating, also impacts whether the food we consume nourishes or is harmful for us. Eat foods as close to healthy nature as possible. If you're interested in exploring how to make simple lifestyle adjustments to nourish your whole being, consider a wellness consultation as your first step. More info can be found here.
4. Support healthy brain function
It begins with food and ends with sleep. Making conscious choices every day to support brain function is is super important for longevity and healthy aging. Stress and anxiety, which most people suffer from, are at the top of offenders that cause memory problems, and a consistent breathing and meditation practice is vital for our brain to begin it's journey back to well-being. The food choices we make affect healthy brain function as well. Eliminating inflammatory foods, and foods that contain toxins and sugars, or turn into sugar, and instead incorporating lots of healthy fats, as well as MCTs, are the first stepping stones. Getting a good nights sleep is also vital, your brain needs quality sleep to function properly, and lack of sleep causes loss of brain cells. Of course, alcohol, smoking & drugs - we already know about the negative effects on our brain. While the occasional small amount of alcohol is likely not harmful for most, even just one glass of wine, if consumed every day, is toxic to our brain function. Once again supplementation and focusing on nutrients is key when it comes to mental performance. Incorporating Magnesium, Vitamin D, B Vitamins, and Turmeric to help combat inflammation can be a great place to start for most.
5. Protect your sleep
To be able to live healthy, productive lives, we need high-quality sleep. So it's not just about the amount of sleep with get each day, it's about the quality of our sleep. We've all heard that to function optimally, the average adults needs 7-8 hours of sleep every night. I have met people who feel tired and exhausted after 8-9 hours of sleep every day, and I have met people who are healthy and function optimally, even perform above average on less than 5 hours a day. It's not the number of hours we sleep, it's the quality of our sleep that affects our well-being. High quality sleep not only improves brain function, but also aids in muscle recovery, helps regulate body fat, balance hormones and boost longevity. Poor sleep results in irritability, mood swings, and lack of focus. This is where our sleep hormones, Melatonin and Adenosine, come in. They help us relax and reach a deeper, more restorative sleep. Unfortunately, our hormones are disrupted at night by LED lights, as well as the blue lights from our electronics, inhibiting a healthy sleep cycle. Without healthy sleep, we can not perform optimally, and we can not live lives rooted in well-being. Simple ways to improve our quality of sleep are shutting down all electronic devices at least 1 hour before bedtime, focusing on incorporating healthy fats and protein into our diet, and daily meditation practices to rewire the brain and strengthen neural pathways to help balance our nervous system. Quality sleep is important because it improves our brain function and performance in all aspects of life. It improves brain function, aids in muscle recovery, boosts longevity, balances your hormones, protects your heart, and fights fat. Restorative sleep.
If you have questions or are interested in learning more, feel free to send me a message, or consider a one-on-one consultation to explore options that could greatly improve your well-being, and how you show up in your life every day.
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