What Is Biohacking? How to Benefit from Making More Conscious Choices

What is Biohacking? Biohacking is developing our best selves to feel great with optimal performance.

Now, you are probably thinking, so biohacking is simply self-improvement? Well, no, not exactly. Biohacking takes a holistic approach to human biology. It is a comprehensive system for regulating every aspect of our physical selves. Everything from the music we listen to the food we eat to the exercise we undertake affects our health, behavior, and overall performance. Essentially, biohacking, like computer hacking, is “hacking” for optimal output.

As computer hackers program systems to gain access to information, biohacking allows you to do the same with your body by helping you gather the information you need to become your very best self.

With biohacking, we are going to transform ourselves into more energized, more productive, more focused individuals. The “hacks” you use might be large or small tweaks to your routine—there’s no magic shortcut here. Instead, biohacking means finding the “hacks” that work best for you and sticking with them.

Sit Up, Stand Up, Get Up

Many of us spend much of our time sitting—from car to desk to car to sofa every day. Research continues to show too much sitting is harmful to our health, eventually causing damage like back injury, poor posture, obesity, and chronic pain. But you can avoid the damage and the pain. How? Well, when you have to sit, sit up straight and maintain good posture. But ultimately you should stand up more during the day. Get up and walk. Talk with co-workers face to face rather than sending an email. Use the stairs, not the elevator. Stand up and pace while you’re on the phone. Get up at least once an hour and walk around the office. You’ll soon see the difference these simple steps make!

Eat Right!

There’s an old song that encourages us to “eliminate the negative, accentuate the positive,” which is perfect advice when it comes to food and nutrition. Food sensitivities and allergies cause inflammation, so if you know you are sensitive or allergic to certain foods, avoid them. Common culprits are gluten, dairy, peanuts, soy, and corn. If you aren’t sure, you can be tested or better yet, try an elimination diet, which removes known allergens for a month and then adds them back to see how they make you feel.

Eliminating sugar is another important biohack. Research shows sugar is addictive and also linked to a number of today’s most common diseases. It won’t be easy, but eliminating added sugars (sodas, candy, cookies, energy drinks, processed foods) can make a huge and positive difference for you.

Now that we’ve eliminated the negatives, let’s accentuate the positives—healthy options for your diet. Start with lots of veggies along with high-quality proteins like grass-fed beef, free-range poultry, and wild, low-mercury fish, plus moderate amounts of fruits and starches.

Supplement Effectively

Biohacking includes supplementing effectively based on your biology and your unique self. iHerb carries many hard-to-find supplements to aid you in this endeavor. You’ll find nootropic supplements like choline to improve your memory and focus, as well as bacteria-packed probiotics to help with digestion and tummy troubles. In addition, find herbs like Rhodiola Rosea and glycine that reduce stress and calm both mind and body. You can also find quercetin to reduce fatigue and increase your energy. Healthy supplements can assist you in your successful biohacking journey.

Get into Nature

One final biohacking tip is to head outside and restore yourself in nature. Natural, outdoor air is rejuvenating to the body and mind. Another benefit of the great outdoors is sunlight, an important factor in your body’s nutrition. Sunlight is the best source of vitamin D, and it kills bacteria, lowers blood pressure and cholesterol, and builds the immune system. While outside, kick off your shoes and walk around. This biohack, known as grounding or earthing, allows your body to experience the flow of the earth’s natural electric currents, which may reduce inflammation and encourage sleep.

While outside, get the maximum benefit by meditating, practicing yoga or deep breathing. Each of these biohacking techniques helps you increase awareness and develop greater consciousness, aiding both mental and physical health by reducing stress, lowering inflammation, and boosting productivity.