Celebrities, professional athletes, and even leading CEOs have been adopting a wellness trend that helps them feel, perform, and live better: that trend is biohacking.
Biohacking is a way to optimize the way your body works, and there are a whole host of different tools and techniques that wellness-savvy people are adopting to enhance their quality of life.
But did you know that some of the most effective biohacks come from ancient wisdom?
Acupuncture and Oriental medicine practices have offered powerful tools that optimize your well-being naturally for thousands of years. Let’s explore how you can use acupuncture to “hack” your way into better health.
What is Biohacking?
Biohacking is all about making small, targeted changes to your lifestyle and environment to improve your overall health and performance. It’s kind of like tweaking your body’s internal mechanisms (like a computer’s software and hardware) so it can run more efficiently.
With biohacking, you use a variety of tools and techniques all with the aim of enhancing your physical and mental performance. These tools can range from simple practices like meditation to cutting-edge health tech devices or testing.
What are some common ways to “biohack” your body?
- Intermittent Fasting for Metabolism & Longevity
Unlike traditional diets that focus on what you eat, intermittent fasting is all about when you eat. With this method, you cycle between periods of eating and fasting. By restricting eating to specific windows of time, you allow your body to take a break from constant digestion, which preserves energy and can lead to several health benefits.
Some research suggests intermittent fasting can improve metabolism and allow for more efficient fat-burning and weight loss. It has been linked to longevity, as fasting periods can activate certain genes and proteins associated with longer life and disease resistance. Fasting can also increase the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which supports brain health and cognitive function, making you feel sharper and more focused. - Nootropics for a Superpowered Brain
Do you start your day with a cup of coffee? If so, you’re already using the most well-known nootropic substance: caffeine. Nootropics – often referred to as “smart drugs” or “brain boosters” – help you enhance your cognitive health and function. These substances (which can be natural or synthetic) are designed to improve brain functions such as memory, productivity, creativity, focus, attention, and motivation.
Beyond coffee, there are many other nootropics – and many have even better health benefits than coffee:- L-Theanine: An amino acid found in tea that can promote relaxation without drowsiness, often paired with caffeine.
- Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Essential for brain health and can improve memory and mood.
- Bacopa Monnieri: An herb that has been shown to improve memory and cognitive function over time.
- Wearable Tech for Performance & Sleep Quality
Fitness trackers and smartwatches have become staples in the bio hacker’s toolkit. These devices provide real-time data on various aspects of your health so you can make smarter decisions to optimize your well-being.
What kind of information do these gadgets give you? They typically keep you up to date on your physical activity throughout the day (such as tracking your steps, distance covered, and calories burned). This helps you stay motivated to reach your fitness goals. Other features like continuous heart rate monitoring can help you manage stress and understand your cardiovascular health better. Wearable tech also analyzes and gives useful insights into the quality and quantity of your sleep. Since sleep is key to recovery, mood balance, and well-being, knowing when and how to make adjustments can significantly improve your quality of life. - Cold Exposure for Enhanced Cellular Recovery
Cold exposure is a biohacking technique that involves exposing your body to cold temperatures – think ice baths, cold showers, or cryotherapy tanks. Wondering how spending time in freezing water could possibly be good for you? The idea is that the stress of the cold boosts your metabolism and enhances your body’s recovery. When you immerse yourself in cold water, your body works harder to maintain its core temperature, which can also increase metabolic rate and promote fat burning.
Cold exposure also has powerful anti-inflammatory effects, making it a favorite biohacking tool among athletes who want to speed up recovery and reduce muscle soreness. Regular cold exposure has general wellness benefits too, like improving circulation, boosting your immune system, and balancing your mood by increasing the production of endorphins and norepinephrine.
Biohack with Hormesis: How Subtle Stress Can Help You Live Better
Many of the biohacking tools and techniques out there have something in common: they stimulate a process in the body called hormesis.
Hormesis is a biological phenomenon where a beneficial effect (improved health, stress tolerance, growth, or longevity) results from exposure to low doses of a factor that causes microtrauma or stress. When talking about biohacking and health, hormesis involves using controlled, small amounts of stressors to stimulate the body’s adaptive and repair mechanisms.
For instance, exposing the body to short periods of stress, such as through cold exposure, intermittent fasting, or exercise, can trigger a hormetic response that enhances overall resilience and promotes healing. This adaptive process can lead to improved metabolic function, stronger immune response, and greater stress tolerance, contributing to overall well-being.
Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine: Ancient Biohacks for Modern Health
From intermittent fasting to cold plunges, there are many different ways to help your body work optimally. But did you know that some of the most effective biohacks come from ancient medicine?
Acupuncture and Oriental medicine have been around for thousands of years (and long before biohacking became a wellness buzzword). These practices were developed to help people prevent illness and live optimally by balancing the body’s energy.
Acupuncture as a Biohacking Tool
Put simply, acupuncture works by inserting thin needles into specific points on the body to stimulate energy flow and promote healing. It might sound strange how a needle can promote healing, but it all comes back to the concept of hormesis. As the needle enters the body, it not only stimulates nerves and blood vessels in the area but creates a micro-stress in the tissue that triggers the body to start healing.
Oriental Medicine doctor and owner of 120 Acupuncture Clinic, Dr. Ko, explains it this way: “As human, our body is made of energy (CHI 氣). If your energy circulates smoothly, you can live to be over 100 years old. Oriental Medicine, acupuncture is the only treatment that can restore and treat energy. From an Oriental Medicine perspective, treatment is to treat energy, and when energy becomes strong and circulates well, one becomes healthy. If you are healthy, you live long, again, the only treatment that can treat energy is Oriental Medicine.”
Here are just a few ways acupuncture can help you biohack your way to optimal health:
- Acupuncture for Pain Relief
Acupuncture is renowned for its ability to reduce pain, whether it’s chronic pain, headaches, or muscle tension. By stimulating specific points, acupuncture releases endorphins and improves blood flow, helping your body heal naturally. It can also improve mobility, so you can stay active and independent for longer. - Acupuncture for Stress Reduction
Stress is a major health disruptor. Acupuncture helps to calm the nervous system, reducing stress hormones and promoting relaxation. Regular sessions can help you stay calm and centered, even in the face of life’s challenges. - Acupuncture for Improved Sleep
Good sleep is crucial for health and performance. Acupuncture can help regulate sleep patterns, making it easier for you to fall asleep and stay asleep. Better sleep means better recovery and more energy for your day. - Acupuncture for Performance
Whether you’re an athlete or just looking to improve your physique, acupuncture can be a secret weapon for enhancing performance. By improving circulation and reducing inflammation, acupuncture aids in faster recovery and muscle repair. This means you can train harder and more frequently, pushing your limits without the usual downtime. - Acupuncture for Productivity
Need to hone your focus? Think smarter? Problem-solve more efficiently? Acupuncture can help. It has been shown to enhance focus, clarity, and mental stamina, making it easier to stay on task and achieve your goals. By improving blood flow to the brain and reducing stress, acupuncture helps clear mental fog and boosts cognitive function.
Oriental Medicine for Biohacking Holistically
Beyond acupuncture, the comprehensive practice of Oriental Medicine offers other therapies that can help you be your best self. These, too, are aimed at supporting your body’s natural healing processes and helping your systems work efficiently.
- Herbal Medicine
Personalized herbal formulas can enhance your body’s resilience, boost your immune system, and address specific health issues. Some herbal formulas also contain herbs with adaptogenic properties that help you build stronger resilience to stress and illnesses. - Cupping
This technique involves placing cups on the skin to create suction, which improves blood flow and promotes healing. It’s great for muscle recovery and relieving tension, but can also reduce stress, enhance overall blood flow, and promote well-being. - Dietary Therapy
In Oriental medicine, you are what you eat! A balanced diet is key to living well and slowing the aging process – and the best diet out there is one tailored to your individual needs. With dietary therapy, you can focus on eating the foods that balance your unique constitution, support your nutritional needs, and help you feel your best.
Maximize Your Well-Being at 120 Acupuncture Clinic
Biohacking may seem like a wellness trend, but tried-and-true biohacking practices like acupuncture can help you embrace your best health.
As Dr. Ko reminds us, “Acupuncture is the only treatment that can heal our body itself, which is made of energy. 95% of cases can be treated with acupuncture. Acupuncture can prevent illnesses and protect our health.”
You don’t have to wait until you’re sick or in pain to explore acupuncture and Oriental medicine. Book your consultation with 120 Acupuncture Clinic in Studio City, Los Angeles or call us at 1-818-980-7979 to learn how to leverage the power of acupuncture in your self-care routine.