The trendy term for helping your body run more efficiently and healthfully.
We’re all familiar with hacks you do on your phone to quickly send a text or take a photo. You might know a few tricks to make your workout more efficient, too, say by doing a high-intensity interval workout to get an intense sweat session without spending a lot of time on it.
When I first heard this term “biohacking”, I realized that’s exactly what I was doing throughout undergraduate and graduate school “biohacking” my way to better health, to figure out what was going on with my digestion issues, migraines, stress, etc. So if you’ve experimented or guinea-pigged with different diets and lifestyles with yourself to find the best possible outcome, then you’ve already done some form of biohacking.
The term biohacking — a trendy one in the wellness community — basically breaks down into the idea that you can hack your biology to make your body healthier. It’s about finding clever new ways to make your body run more efficiently and also looking at the process like a scientist or with a curiosity to needle your way to solutions.
While there are several types of biohacking, including DIY biology (driven by institutions studying biology—making one change to the system and seeing how the body reacts) and gene or chemical manipulations, the one I’m going to focus on today is nutrigenomics, or using nutrition to influence your genes and health. Nutrigenomics also incorporates other lifestyle habits, like alcohol consumption, smoking, exercise, sleep and stress (1).
What to Know About Biohacking Your Own Life
I discuss ways to improve your health through nutrition all the time. In fact, most posts include tips on what to eat to improve an area of your life, whether that’s better digestion or a happier, less stressed mental health. Of course, I often talk about the big picture as well—that eating healthy is about a whole foods approach, with room for indulgences and cravings.
The thing about biohacking is that it looks at the body as a system, and then changing one bolt in the system to see if it holds together as strong (or stronger) than before.
Technically, anything I’ve discussed before (eating fruits and veggies for better digestion, adding more mindfulness to your day, getting more sleep) could be considered biohacking—at least in terms of what it’s come to mean these days. However, let’s take a closer look at some nutrition-focused biohacks (some we’ve previously discussed) that could potentially make your body healthier.
3 Nutrition-Focused Approaches to Biohacking
1. Cutting back on sugar
While not all sugar is bad for you, overconsuming could lead to weight gain and even some health conditions, like heart disease (2)(3). That’s why it’s important to watch your sugar intake and why it’s considered a biohack. By simply cutting back on all the sweet stuff, you could also help maintain your blood sugar levels, which then helps sustain your energy levels for the day. More energy equals more drive to have a productive, healthy day.
To cut back on sugar, focus on filling up on more fat, protein, and fiber. Skip the sugar-laden beverages, like soda or juice, and try drinking more water. These fruit-infused water recipes will help satisfy that craving for something sweet.
3. Eating plant-based
There’s nothing wrong with enjoying meat, like chicken, poultry, or fish. However, by focusing on a more plant-based lifestyle you just might find yourself eating more fruits and vegetables, plus plant-based proteins (think beans and legumes), which give you ample vitamins and minerals to help your body operate at an optimal level. (This is why it’s Nutrition Stripped’s overall food philosophy!)
Science backs up some of the health benefits of going plant-based. This includes the prevention of type 2 diabetes (4) and cardiovascular disease (5).
Following a plant-based diet simply means focusing on foods from the earth, like produce, beans, legumes, nuts, and seeds. To get a full break down on what plant-based, check out this story.
4. Intermittent fasting
Intermittent fasting refers to giving your body a certain amount of time to fast, or not consume any calories. There are several approaches to this, including sticking to a 12-, 16- or even 24-hour fast in which you would stop eating at say, 6 p.m. and not eat again until 6 a.m. or 10 a.m.—or skip a day of eating altogether. As long as you eat your calories within the non-fasting window, you’re doing intermittent fasting.
Some people do this every day, while others choose a few days a week to make it happen. In fact, some people might choose to take one or two days a week to restrict their calories to 500 instead of fasting for a certain number of hours every single day. It’s really about what works best for your body.
Most people turn to intermittent fasting for weight loss and fat burning. It’s meant to help train your body to use fat as fuel, rather than glucose—the more preferred source of energy for the body. It could also improve heart health, and reduce inflammation and cholesterol.
Biohacking: The Bottom Line
While biohacking might make it sound like there’s a quick fix to your health or healthy eating, it really comes down to an overall healthy lifestyle.
Making just one change to your everyday habits is a step in the right direction, but of course, you can’t cut back on sugar while still eating an extra large fry every day and hope to see major changes. Simply look at the big picture, and make those little hacks to create an overall healthy lifestyle.
Also, I’m a little biased here, but I think you get the most bang for your buck in biohacking when you can team up with a health professional like a dietitian, especially if you’re making diet changes! They can help you come up with a plan and things that work based on your health versus things that may be a waste of time. If you ever need any 1-1 guidance, I’m an email away.
References:
- M. Nathaniel Mead. (2007, December.) Nutrigenomics: The Genome–Food Interface.
- Luger M. Lafontan M. Bes-Rastrollo M. Winzer E. Yumuk V. Farpour-Lambert N. (2017, December.) Sugar-Sweetened Beverages and Weight Gain in Children and Adults: A Systematic Review from 2013 to 2015 and a Comparison with Previous Studies.
- Michelle McMacken and Sapana Shah. (May 2017). A plant-based diet for the prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes.
- Satija, Bhupathiraju, Spiegelman, Chiuve, Manson, Willett, Rexrode, Rimm, Hu. (July 2017) Healthful and Unhealthful Plant-Based Diets and the Risk of Coronary Heart Disease in U.S. Adults.
The post What is Biohacking? appeared first on Nutrition Stripped.