This might come as a surprise, but when I do something I want to excel at it. Got an idea? I want to build a business out of it. Got into cycling? I buy all the gear and track all my rides on strava. Better leader? Got myself a coach, mentor, read every biography of leaders I admire, see a counsellor, took training courses in mediation and leading with empathy.
My quest for personal and professional improvement is probably at the crux of who I am as a person. I want to test the boundaries of who I can be; mediocrity terrifies me.
And so when I started hearing more about biohacking, the search for ways to optimise health and improve longevity of our physical & mental self, I was ALL about it.
So here’s what I’ve started trying and my thoughts so far
Circle DNA test
I had a full DNA test with Circla about 18 months ago because I wanted to know any genetic precursors I had to particular conditions and how I would respond to certain supplements. The report I got tests for 115 different types of cancers & disease risks, 60 different diet & fitness things and 160ish carrier conditions like cystic fibrosis, muscular dystrophy etc (important to know about before you have kids!). Mine showed that I have a genetic mutation for hemochromatosis which I already knew, which means I'm at risk of having too much iron in my body (my father has this too). But the interesting things were that I have a lower metabolic response (at rest, body burns calories at a slower rate), I have a very high stress tolerance, higher need for vitamin B6, higher carb sensitivity, higher water loss, increased need for antioxidants, and a bunch of other fascinating things that helped me put in place a plan that was specifically suited, genetically, to me in terms of diet, how i exercise, and what to be mindful of. It's not cheap, from memory it was about $1k, but I think it was totally worth it.
Professional naturopath
I have an incredible naturopath I’ve been seeing for about 4 years, who prescribes all of my supplements. She does full blood work every 6 months, and checks things like methylation profiles too. I take about 10 different supplements at the moment, zinc, vitamin D, magnesium, B group vitamins, etc but its so important you get your tests done first - don't go doctor google and self diagnosing, or buying supplements from the chemist (they’re mainly totally ineffective as the active ingredients are so low.
Yerba Mate
Heavily influenced by Dr Huberman on this one - I’m obsessed with his podcast. I was drinking a lot of coffee (2-3 large long blacks a day…!) but I’ve cut this down to 1 long black and 1 Yerba Mate tea a day and I'm definitely feeling the difference. It’s supposed to increase focus and get rid of brain fog.. I dont know that I can speak to that yet, as its only been about 2 weeks, but I’ll keep you posted. I bought this one because Hubermann recommended it. It tastes horrific, but with a little bit of honey it's bearable.
Nootropics
The term “nootropic” is relatively new. It is derived from the Greek nous (“mind”) and trepein (to bend), and covers pretty much all substances, natural or synthetic, capable of enhancing brain or mental function. Nootropic supplements can boost alertness, concentration, focus, memory and recall and sleep as well as reduce anxiety and depression. Some nootropics have even been proven effective in assisting serious neurological diseases like ADHD, ADD, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, & OCD. I’m currently trying the Bio8 daily nootropic, and have experimented with Lions Mane in the past but I didn't notice much from that.
Garmin watch
This was a COVID 2020 addition to my life and I love it. I use it to track all my workouts - spin, boxing, weights, yoga, walking, and keep a track of my heart rate, my period, daily steps, etc. I find the data addictive. It's a great way to track calories out and push myself to go just that little bit harder each workout. I got the fenix 6s Pro sapphire and cannot live without the pay functionality now, I literally just leave the house for a run with my keys and watch because I can pay with that, so handy!
Peptides
So I’m new to this, and started injecting peptides about 5 weeks ago now, so am far from an expert in peptides! Peptides are kind of like a light switch - turning on certain mechanisms in the body that had previously laid dormant. Peptides are small proteins made up of amino acid sequences. The smaller peptides, with distinct amino acid sequences, have different functions in our body, from healing to hormonal regulation, sleep, energy, neurological function and longevity. Im taking BPC157, TB500 and Ipamorelin from Biov8 - its prescribed by a doctor and you inject it at night. I’m desperately trying to repair the damage in my knee from an old ski accident that just constantly niggles me, and this came highly recommended for repair, so lets see!
Thorne fish oil
Again influenced by Dr Huberman. A lot of the vitamins I get prescribed by my naturopath are Thorne, many you can’t get without a prescription which speaks to the quality. I've started taking fish oil which I just ordered online because I definitely don't get enough essential fatty acid in my diet naturally.
NAD+
There’s been a lot of hype about NAD+ so I feel like Im a bit late to the party on this one!
Basically NAD+ fuels the energy source of every cell & scientists have now proven a direct correlation between aging and the depletion of NAD levels. Supplementing NAD+ into the body effectively can apparently slow down the aging process. SIGN ME UP.
Magnesium spray
The lovely people at Salt Lab sent me some of their spray to try and I've been applying it on my stomach and feet at night for sleep, but also directly on sore muscles like my crazy tight hamstrings and it definitely helps. I take magnesium tablets too, but I like that this is a direct way to get easy absorption for specific sites. I’m sleeping like the dead which is hopefully from this and not just the sheer exhaustion of dealing with COVID...
Fitbit Luxe
When I want to wear something a bit more understated than my Garmin (look, its practical, but its a chunky sports watch so doesnt necessarily go with every outfit!) I use a FitBit luxe. I got the plain black one cause its pretty chic and means I dont have any data breaks in my tracking when I dont want to wear a full sports watch. It’s also much easier to sleep in than my Garmin.
So that’s my current jam! I’m only about 8 weeks into all the supplements and am definitely sleeping better, recovering from workouts better and I would say generally nicer to be around (my team my debate that) so I’d say it's improving my stress levels. I’m intrigued to see how I feel at the 3 month mark, stand by for an update. I also fast until lunchtime each day, try to eat relatively well, get a min 7hrs sleep a night, and drink water with either collagen powder in it (I like this unflavoured one by Swiish), and dont drink much alcohol. I swear, I am still fun to be around..!
Input very welcome, and please, I’m by no means a medical professional - so see your doctor or specialist before you start any of this kind of stuff!
