Safe to say, these days, ‘hacks’ are a hot topic, making headlines on the homepages of countless publications and filling our social media feeds. And, given the difficulties of the last few years, it’s easy to understand their popularity. Hacks are, in simplest terms, clever solutions and shortcuts that enable us to better manage life’s must-do’s as efficiently and effectively as possible. When we tap into our hacking groove, not only do we improve our lives and crush our to-do lists, we also free up more time and energy to spend on the things that matter most to us. Frankly, it’s hard not to love a good hack!
While many hacks are geared towards automating life’s more mundane tasks – better ways to cook, get your steps in, grow more vegetables, etc. – the kind of hacking I’m most interested in is ‘bio-hacking,’ as in, the kinds of hacks that focus on smarter strategies to improve health, wellness and, ultimately, longevity. Here’s an introduction on why bio-hacking matters, and how to put this idea of fine-tuning aspects of your biology into practice:
What is bio-hacking?
When you hear the term ‘bio-hacking,’ images of creepy cyborg wannabes implanting microchips into their arms may spring to mind. And while ‘human enhancement’ with implanted devices and limit-pushing experimentation is par for the course for a small minority of bio-hackers, for the rest of us, it’s most definitely not.
When I talk about bio-hacking it’s about applying safe and sensible practices – drawn from the latest discoveries from the worlds of biology, nutrition, and neuroscience – to support and enhance your physical and mental performance now, and for decades to come, minus the scary stuff. And yes, depending on your needs and goals, there may occasionally be a device involved. They’re the kind worn on the body – not in it.
A quick look at bio-hacking’s rise
It’s tough to pinpoint the moment when it all began, but the basic idea of bio-hacking has been simmering since the early 2000s when hard-charging Silicon Valley types and amateur DIY biologists began exploring ways to more actively control their biology, their energy levels, physical and mental performance.
And while some on the fringes of the bio-hacking culture have taken the philosophy far beyond what most of us would consider reasonable – take for example the California bio-hacker who currently holds the world record for most implanted technological devices – for the rest of us, bio-hacking is really about taking a multidisciplinary, evidence-based approach to health and longevity, as efficiently and safely as possible. It’s also worth mentioning that you’re probably already doing a good bit of bio-hacking whether you realize it or not (but more on that later).
What’s under the bio-hacking umbrella?
Fringy practices and treatments aside, you’ll find diet and supplementation hacks, lifestyle hacks plus biomarker testing and genetic testing and tech tools like wearable health tracking devices. It’s an impressive toolbox that few of us could imagine being able to access just a few years ago.
In my practice, the fundamental idea is to keep hacks simple, do-able, safe and well-tested – and avoiding the more outré options (i.e., implanted devices, physical alterations or gene-editing/CRISPR therapies), some of which can trigger auto-immune reactions, infection, inflammation and even death. What’s more, some items like DIY gene therapy kits are actually illegal in some states, so certainly steer clear of them too – you could be playing with fire.
Time to hack your way healthy
As I mentioned earlier, chances are, you may already be doing a few hacks, like tracking activity levels on your phone, getting more morning light to help regulate circadian rhythms, or enjoying infrared sauna sessions. If you are, then bravo! If not, well, what are you waiting for?
The hard truth is that aging makes itself noticeable by the time we enter our 30s and 40s, when those first fine lines around the eyes and forehead may be our initial wake-up call. (And that’s only a glimpse at the cellular aging going on inside). Tried-and-true hacks for your outsides might include collagen-stimulating laser treatments, red light therapies and cold (or ‘cryo’) therapies. But there are so many other hacks to embrace if caring for your insides and putting aging on the slow track, is what you’re after. So, let’s take a look at a few of the easy-to-incorporate options, plus a few higher-level hacks that can offer real solutions to some of aging’s tougher bits:
Dr. Frank’s Four Extra Easy Everyday Faves:
No pain, no gain? Au contraire! When it comes to these ‘fab four’ hacks, my advice is do them every day, no excuses. Best of all, they’re easy, benefits are legion and they make you feel great too:
1) Hack your nights
Sleep, as in 7-8 hours every night. Fail at sleep and over time your cells start to suffer, aging your whole body more rapidly. At night, your system gets busy repairing cells throughout the body and brain, ‘taking out the cellular garbage,’ which, if it hangs around too long, can drive neurological decline – and ages the skin to boot. In other words, sleep is a hack that really matters.
2) Shake a leg – frequently
Regular exercise is a major health hack which among other things, encourages mitochondrial production and stokes your energy levels – all to the good. But don’t stop moving just because your spin class ends. Take it a step further, and keep moving throughout the day to hack your way to better health and potentially a longer lifespan. Even when you’re stuck at the desk, take every opportunity to move! Walk in place during phone calls, sit on a balance ball while you work, step out to get lunch, etc. – just move. Even small movements like toe-tapping, foot-wagging or even just plain fidgeting can help hack health by having a positive impact on blood vessels and blood sugar levels.
3) Hack your stress
One of the best, simplest and possibly oldest hacks in the book? Meditation. Just 5-10 minutes once or twice a day will help de-stress body and mind, which in turn helps improve memory, processing speed, focus, and creativity. You'll also lower blood pressure and anxiety, reducing reliance on pharmaceuticals. Score!
4) Get chilly with it
Controlled cold exposure stimulates the body's longevity gene pathways, while increasing mitochondrial production and reducing inflammation. How cool is that? Lower temps have also been shown to boost immunity, improve sleep quality, and increase your brown fat stores which in turn burn extra calories. To take advantage, DIY-it with cold showers (or, for newbies, just a 30-second cold blast at the end), ice baths, or spend some time outdoors lightly dressed in winter.
Dr. Frank’s Top 4 Edible Must-Hacks:
Can you eat your way to better health and longevity? Absolutely! Eating well is a hack – and what you eat and the nutrients you absorb along the way are essential to digestion, energy, gut health, immunity, a well-functioning brain and so much more. To hack it up right, start with these tricks of the trade:
1) The ‘perfect plate’ hack
Easiest hack ever: Eat more! Grab a big plate and fill it with veggies to crowd out the less healthy stuff. Focus on quality and don’t obsess over quantity. The perfect veggie-packed plate will fill you up and pack your body with loads of nutrients, while also countering the most common drivers of excess pounds: too many starches, sugars and inflammatory ingredients from processed foods and factory-farmed sources. Voila!
2) Break up with sugar
Sure, this one may sting a little but it’s 100% worth it – and my 24 sugar kicking hacks can help you to free yourself from the highly addictive sweet stuff. Kicking the sugar almost immediately boosts gut and brain function, while improving blood pressure levels. Better still, kicking the stuff quickly starts to cut the risk for obesity, diabetes, heart disease and even cancer. There’s just no good reason to eat it, so go cold turkey, or start the tapering off process now.
3) Don’t eat round the clock
Time restricted eating, or TRE, is a simple, highly effective, metabolism-boosting hack that just about anyone can do. By extending the natural fast between dinner and breakfast you’ll prompt your body to make the most of what you consume, resulting in decreased blood sugar and insulin levels, less fat accumulation, and reduced inflammation – all of which does wonders for your life-and-health span. Three or four days a week, start with 12 hours between your last and first meal of the day, and work your way up to a 16-hour window.
4) Fill the gaps
No sugar? Check. Lots of veg? Check. What’s next? Hack the nutritional gap, and fill it with a few supplements as some nutrients can be tough to get enough of exclusively from food. For most people, a probiotic with at least 20 billion live organisms, 1-2 grams of high-quality fish oil containing EPA and DHA, vitamin C and D3 are good basics to help support optimal function of your body’s many systems. Adding B vitamins are also a helpful hack when energy and mood need a gentle lift.
Dr. Frank’s Five Happy Head Hacks:
The most important organ to hack? Not to play favorites but I’d put the brain very high on the list. These five are fast-track hacks for a happy, healthy brain:
1) Tune in
Most any kind of music can be healing, but for hacking your brain health it’s hard to beat 'brain entrainment' music, specifically designed to induce desirable changes in brainwave activity in real time. Opt for music made with embedded tones, aka 'binaural beats' which, depending on your selection, can help boost alertness or energy levels; promote relaxation; put you in a meditative state, boost focus, enhance mood and/or encourage sleep. Take your pick and enjoy the benefits – and the tunes.
2) Tune out
As in, get outside, and experience nature, ideally in a green space. Time in nature is a powerful hack for the brain that quickly soothes the body and eases the mind into a peaceful, yet alert state that’s thought to boost the production of crucial disease-fighting "killer T-cells." You’ll also get a decrease in cortisol levels, activating the parasympathetic nervous system, and giving your prefrontal cortex a chance to unwind and recharge.
3) Turn on
If you retreated into your shell during the pandemic, this hack goes double for you: rebuild those social ties if you want to live well for longer. Studies show that strong (and, of course, healthy) social connections may reduce premature death by 50%. Also, genetic research suggests that social connection supports immune function, while isolation likely reduces it.
4) Hack your outlook
Optimism is more than just an outlook, it’s a powerful head (and heart) health hack. Research shows that optimistic individuals tend to have healthier hearts, brains, stronger immunity, and live longer compared to those who are less upbeat. Not naturally optimistic? No worries. Optimism is also a practice, which, like maintaining a healthy diet or staying physically fit, you can get better at over time.
5) Thanks – for the hack
Practicing gratitude is a hack that can lower blood pressure and blood sugar, improve heart health, and enhance immune function, so the more gratitude you can cultivate, the better for you, from head to toe. Gratitude also has a positive impact on the brain by triggering the release of mood-boosting neurochemicals such as dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin while reducing the release of cortisol – also known as the stress hormone. Additionally, expressing gratitude is linked to lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure, increased happiness and contentment, greater generosity, emotional resilience, and improved mood – talk about a win-win!
Extra Credit: 3 More Bio Hacks to build on
One of the many aspects about bio-hacking that’s so cool is that new hacks emerge just about every day – there’s something for everyone, and if you want to go all in with health hacks, you can also consider these three next level bio-hacking helpers:
1) Wearable tech – brings the bio-hacking home, as an effortless way to gather data about yourself and understand how your body responds to various factors like food, exercise, stress, and sleep. The constant stream of up-to-the-minute data offers a constant reminder of your progress and can guide you on where to make adjustments. Devices like continuous glucose monitors, smart watches, and Oura rings are popular ways to try.
2) Genetic testing – the bio-hack tool that provides valuable information about inherited health risks and arm you "risk analysis" data to guide lifestyle, nutritional and wellness changes that can help mitigate potential health risk factors.
3) Blood analysis – a lower-tech bio-hack alternative to genetic testing, which offers evidence about your present health by measuring key biomarkers and uncovering factors and deficiencies which may be contributing to illness.
