What is biohacking? How these tips can help you to be more youthful

While biohacking might sound like something out of a science fiction novel, it’s name sums up a radical new approach to health and wellness. Biohacking as a science looks at the ways that we can become more youthful. Rather than just keeping our bodies and minds ‘ticking over’, biohacking seeks to change our chemistry and physiology at cellular level, so that we can be the fittest and mentally agile version of ourselves we can be. This can be achieved through diet and lifestyle habits or by taking supplements to result in a kind of turbo-charged ‘2.0’ version of ourselves. (Not to mention looking and feeling more energised and younger than ever before.)

Other examples of biohacking include apps that work to monitor things like sleep quality and fitness levels (in conjunction with a Fit Bit or Apple Watch.) The concept of biohacking may sound a little extreme but here are some easy ‘biohacks’ you can incorporate into your everyday life to improve your mental and physical health.  The fact that you are including Rejuvenated supplements in your daily regime means that you have already embraced this concept. Read on to find out how you can update your system and reap the benefits…

Boost your energy levels

With age comes lower energy levels. The main cause of this is the reduction of certain cellular molecule. This molecule, Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) is in every cell in our body and is vital for cellular energy. Until recently the only way to revitalise the molecule  was by adhering to a very strict regime of a restrictive low-calorie diet and intense exercise. Rejuvenated have created, Regenerate, a supplement to not only boost levels of NAD+ but also provide other plant molecules to boost cellular proteins that work to protect the cell and promote healthy DNA.

Re-Boot Your Sleep Patterns

While sleep may seem like an after-thought for many of us, it’s actually a crucial time for the body and mind to repair and recalibrate itself. (The links between lack of sleep and issues such as obesity and depression have been well documented1.) It’s also when our cells metabolise ‘toxins’ so they can function at their best – this includes our skin cells, so our complexion stays healthy and youthful.

Seven to eight hours sleep is optimum to help protect against inflammation and degenerative diseases. Recent studies reveal that a poor night’s sleep can lead to an increase in amyloid-beta (Aβ), a molecule associated with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). This supports the science for the connection between poor sleep and Alzheimer’s disease.

Ensuring you get enough sleep will help to protect your heart, brain, and support healthy weight management.

As well as ensuring you maintain healthy sleep habits (click here for some tips and advice) and get a good 7-8 hours a night, try our H30 Night Repair to boost your beauty sleep and wake up with a glowing complexion. This is one simple way for us to use biohacking to be more youthful.

Re-Programme Your Gut

Biohacking your diet goes beyond just cutting out junk food and counting calories. A typical western diet doesn’t provide a diverse range of foods for optimum health.   Eating a wide range of foods rich in fibre helps to promote a healthy gut which is essential for our overall wellbeing. Introducing fermented foods encourages healthy bacteria which work to fight off infections and boost the immune system. Include, fruit, vegetables, legumes, beans and pulses in your diet.

This easy kimchi recipe is a great way to introduce fermented foods into your life.

Certain supplements like our Immune Complex contain a blend of probiotics and prebiotics that work to ‘feed’ the good bacteria in the gut, which has a knock on effect on our energy and immune system. Others, such as our Re-set capsules work to enhance our metabolism and maintain normal blood sugar levels to curb hunger pangs and ensure we burn fat at a healthy rate. 

Upgrade Your Mental State

Our mind works a bit like a computer; if you input it with positive information this will dictate your thoughts and general mood. That’s why practising gratitude and mindfulness will make a big difference in your outlook and how you react to stressful situations. One way of doing this is keeping a gratitude journal; when you first wake up, jot down everything you’re grateful for. This can help frame your day in a positive light and help you focus on all the good things in your life. Another way is getting out in nature on a regular basis, noting down everything you can see and hear, and any scents of plants and flowers nearby. Focusing on the present moment can help calm any racing thoughts and quell any nagging worries to restore mental equilibrium.

Take just a few minutes each day to sit quietly and calm the mind. If you need some help to get started try the audio book, Mindfulness, a practical guide to finding peace in a frantic world by Mark Williams and Danny Penman. It has an 8-week guided meditation tool and scientific studies show that practising meditation over an 8-week period can retrain the body and mind to cope with stress more effectively .

Try these mental health and brain boosting Apps:

Happify - Whether you’re stressed, anxious or depressed, Happify gives you tools to take care of your emotional wellbeing.

Calm - Possibly one of the best known meditation Apps. Calm can help you to meditate, sleep, relax and so much more.

BrainLabs - BrainLab is a new app by Cambridge Brain Sciences that lets users keep track of their brain health. Users can complete daily cognitive tests, and find out how lifestyle factors such as lack of sleep or stress affect their score.

Lumosity - This App has adapted cognitive ability tests into a series of games to help you train your brain in a variety of skills.

Have you embraced Biohacking if so what are you best ‘biohacking’ tips? DM us at @rejuvenateduk