My top 7 favorite Biohacking tips to look and feel better
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Time to read 7 min
What is Biohacking?
Biohacking is a term that refers to DIY biology. If you are a "biohacker," it means you are someone making changes to your body, diet, and lifestyle to improve your health and well-being. Long before I even knew of this term, I was a biohacker. My first experience with biohacking began when not one doctor or medication was able to cure my cystic acne. After years of poor self-confidence and too many prescription medications, I took matters into my own hands and started making diet changes. Flash forward about 12 years, and my skin is healthy, youthful, and free of cystic acne!
I am writing this article because:
I want to share the knowledge I have learned over the years.
I want my blog readers to feel as good as I feel.
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I want to inspire people to try natural healing methods and identify the root cause of their issues.
As you read this article, please keep in mind that I am not a doctor or a medical professional. I am a passionate and intelligent biohacker who wants to live a long and beautiful life!
My 7 Favorite Biohacking Tips
1. Red Light Therapy
What is Red light therapy? RLT is a treatment that targets your skin and cells that has been shown to help lower inflammation. It uses wavelengths of red or near-infrared light to stimulate various biological processes. Here are some of the key benefits:
- Skin Health: Can boost collagen production, speed up wound healing such as scars and burns, and combat inflammation to help clear up acne.
- Pain Relief: Reduces inflammation helping alleviate arthritis pain and speeds up your post-workout recovery. Vets even use it on dogs experiencing pain. I am going to purchase a red light therapy vest for my fur baby Brooklyn!
- Mental Health: RLT can help improve your mood and treat anxiety and depression. When using my light I definitely feel a lot happier than normal!
- Other benefits include improved circulation, hair growth, sleep improvement, and eye health. I have seen great improvement in my health since starting RLT but in order for it to work best you need to be consistentt with using it.
*it is always advisable to consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new therapy*
2. Breathwork
Breathwork refers to a variety of breathing exercises or techniques that enhance physical, mental, and emotional well-being. These practices can range from simple, mindful breathing exercises to more structured techniques used in therapeutic settings. Practicing breathwork is probably my favorite biohacking tip because it really calms me when I am having bad anxiety, and it also helps me release emotions that I store in my body. The benefits can include:
- Stress reduction
- Improved focus and concentration
- Emotional regulation
- Physical performance
- Resilience training
- Improves sleep quality
- Supports respiratory health
- Balances blood pressure
- Facilitates emotional release
The military uses breathwork techniques to enhance performance, manage stress, and improve overall mental and physical well-being. That's all the more reason to try breathwork today! I promise, you won't regret it. I
3. Herbal treatments like Ashwagandha
Western medicine practices typically involve reacting to problems within the body by treating them with specific drugs. Eastern medicine, which I prefer to follow if possible, focuses on treating the person as a whole rather than their symptoms. I try to avoid prescription medications as much as possible, with my last use of antibiotics dating back to 2019. Ashwagandha is something I use to for biohacking my health, as suggested by an integral health practitioner. The herb is referred to as "nature's Xanax" and helps improve my mood and eliminate anxiety. Here are some of the benefits:
- Stress and anxiety relief
- Improved sleep
- Enhanced cognitive function
- Increased energy and stamina
- Immune system support
- Hormonal balance
- Blood sugar regulation
- Heart health
- Muscle growth and strength
*Consult with a doctor or medical professional before taking herbal treatments*
4. Dry brushing
Dry brushing is a biohacking ritual I never regret taking time for. I'm not gonna lie; it took me a bit to fully incorporate it into my routine, but now that I am consistently dry brushing, I really have been seeing its detoxing benefits. I usually do this before I go into the shower for about 3-5 minutes, and then I rehydrate my skin after showering with an organic lotion or oil. Here are all of the benefits of dry brushing:
- Exfoliation
- Improved circulation
- Lymphatic support
- Reduced appearance of cellulite
- Energized
- Unclogs pores
- Smooths skin
- Stress relief
- Natural detoxification
- Enhanced digestion and kidney function
Tip: Start with your feet and work your way up. Use long sweeping motions.
5. Meditation
Whether biohacking is your thing or not, I think everyone should practice meditation. Meditation has been practiced for thousands of years and offers numerous benefits for the mind, body, and spirit. I started practicing meditation about 10 years ago, and to to be honest I haven't always been consistent with it. However, when I am consistent like I am today, I am the best version of myself. Meditation helps me calm down, relieve stress, clear my head, and live more in the moment (which is something I struggle with).
Here are the beneifts of meditation:
- Reduces stress
- Enhances emotional health
- Improves concentration and attention
- Increases self-awareness
- Promotes mental clarity and focus
- Enhances physical health
- Improves sleep
- Fosters compassion and kindness
- Enhances creativity
- Supports addiction recovery
- And so much more
6. Take a gut health test
I have a gut instinct that you are not aware of how important your gut health is (see what I did there?). A healthy gut is crucial for overall well-being and affects numerous physical and mental health aspects. Maintaining a healthy gut is important for:
- Digestive Health: Bloating, Indigestion, Diarrhea and Constipation all occur when our digestive health is disrupted.
- Immune Function: A large portion of the immune system lives in the gut, and by keeping it healthy, we are more able to fight off infections.
- Mental health: The gut-brain axis links the gut and brain through neural, hormonal, and immune pathways. Therefore, an unhealthy gut can lead to anxiety, depression, and other mental health concerns.
- And more such as weight management, skin health, hormonal balance, and even chronic disease prevention.
I personally have struggled with gut health for years following a childhood filled with antibiotics (which in short, are really bad for our gut health). Poor gut health has disrupted not only my digestion but also my skin and mental health. After seeking help from natural medicine and getting to know my gut better, I feel great!
One thing that has helped me is eating foods that love me instead of foods that I love. I discovered the foods I should be eating through the results of my Viome gut test, I believe a lot of people are unaware of the state of their gut and what foods they should avoid. Considering that gut health is the foundation of our health, I highly stress taking this test. You won't regret it!
7. IV Therapy Treatments
Feeling tired, achy, and moody are all signals that our bodies are lacking certain nutrients. Our body even gives us signals on our skin. For example, I currently am having an issue with Melasma which is often caused by irregular hormones. To treat it, I am using a combination of shots and IV therapy treatments of glutathione. Glutathione is a powerful antioxidant found in every cell of the body. It is composed of three amino acids: glutamine, cysteine, and glycine. After my first shot of glutathione, I felt I had much more energy during the week. Here are all the key benefits:
- Antioxidant Power: It protects cells from oxidative stress and damage.
- Detoxification : It plays a crucial role in detoxifying harmful substances in the liver, aiding in removing toxins, heavy metals, and pollutants from the body. My personal body always needs help detoxing.
- Immune System Support: Glutathione helps maintain a healthy immune system by supporting the function of white blood cells and enhancing the body’s ability to fight infections.
- Anti-aging Properties : By combating oxidative stress, glutathione can help reduce the signs of aging, including wrinkles and fine lines, and support overall skin health.
- Protein Synthesis : It assists in the synthesis of proteins, which are necessary for various bodily functions, including muscle building and repair.
- And much more such as brain health, metabolic functions, cellular health, and dna repair.
*Please consult with a healthcare professional before taking any supplements*
Conclusion
Biohacking is important because what could be better than living a long and beautiful happy life? Taking care of your body, which is your temple, to the highest degree is the highest form of respect that you can show yourself. When I finally started to taking my biohacking seriously, all other aspects of my life became better. I no longer maintained friendships that weren't serving me, my confidence improved, and I really feel that I have stepped into my higher self. I have a longer list that 7 biohacking tips, so I will put out a part 2 (and maybe even 3) to this blog post.
Wishing you love and light, and a beautiful life.
The Author: Brianna Cantore Terlizzi
Bri has been a biohacker since way before the term has gained popularity. She is a lover of nature, animals, yoga, pilates, and living a healthy, clean, and beautiful life. Her struggles with acne, anxiety, and depression led her to explore natural medicine in hopes to heal from the inside, out. She is an avid reader and researcher, and loves identifying the root cause of issues, and figuring out how to naturally fix them.
