BIOHACKING SECRETS

Have you heard other people talking about Optimal Living and are wondering what it is and whether it could help you to achieve more of your goals in life? In this guide, we take a closer look at what optimal living is all about and how you can make changes to your life to exploit its full potential.

Optimal living, at its heart, is all about finding the perfect balance in your life to help you achieve the goals that you’ve set yourself. It’s about becoming more productive, more successful and forging stronger and more positive relationships in every area of your life. Working towards continuous improvement is at the core of optimal living.

Of course, living optimally isn’t something that always comes to us naturally. We must implement changes to improve our mental and physical well-being and we can do this by utilizing certain lifestyle hacks.

What’s a lifestyle hack? It’s a simple change that you can put in place that will revolutionize the way you do things. The point of a lifestyle hack is that it’s a shortcut or trick to increase your efficiency and productivity in all areas of your life.

Why are lifestyle hacks so beneficial for your mental and physical well-being? The modern world is a hectic and frantic place. We’re all working harder than ever before, trying to achieve more in our working and personal lives, while striving to stay fit and healthy both mentally and physically at the same time.

It’s a tall order. Simplifying how we live our lives can make a huge difference to the way we face the world, and this is where lifestyle hacks can prove indispensable. These simple methods are quick and easy to implement but can simplify and improve how we live exponentially. You’ll find that you’ll soon see positive changes that ripple out across all aspects of your daily life.

Are you ready to find out more about the lifestyle hacks that you can put in place in your own life? Then read on and discover ten easy changes that will help you to enjoy the best possible physical and mental health every day of the year.

Sleep is a vital element for both physical and mental well-being. Without enough sleep, you can’t function effectively daily. Not only does a lack of sleep impact negatively on your productivity at work and home, but it can even cause you some serious medical issues. Poor quality sleep can lead to mental health problems such as anxiety and depression, not to mention physical issues such as hypertension and heart disease which can have severe and lasting repercussions.

However, while we know that we should all be getting at least 8 hours of sleep every night, it can be difficult to achieve that goal. Whether you work shifts, have family responsibilities or are struggling to get all your school or college work done, fitting in enough rest can be a serious challenge. So, how can you resolve that problem? The answer could lie in tracking your sleep patterns.

How and Why Can You Track Your Sleep?

Thanks to the latest technology, you can have access to sleep tracking functionality at home. You can now buy wearable sleep trackers that will keep track of your sleep patterns so that you can become more aware of the length of time you sleep, the stages of sleep that you reach and the quality of sleep that you’ve enjoyed.

These days, we can customize more things in our life than ever before. We can personalize our clothes, phones and homes, so it makes sense to be able to personalize your sleep patterns too. Not all of us need the same amount of sleep every night, but if you track your patterns you can come to a better understanding of how many hours is right for you.

If you’re having sleep problems, a wearable sleep tracker will help you to pinpoint the cause of your sleep issues. At one time, the only option was to go to a sleep lab to get a professional assessment. Now, you can have similar functionality in your comfortable bed. With the accuracy and accessibility of modern sleep trackers, you can spot problematic patterns and change your habits for the better.

If you track your sleep patterns, you will also begin to wake at the optimal time. Many of the best sleep trackers have a smart alarm to wake you when you’re during the lightest sleep stage. This stops you from waking groggy and irritable. Instead, you’ll feel ready and rested from the get-go for a more productive day.

The Benefits of Sleep Tracking

If you invest in a sleep tracker, you can improve your sleep quality and, in turn, the quality of life you can enjoy. More of us a stressed and anxious than ever before, so getting enough quality sleep is imperative.

If you are sleep deprived over extended periods, you are vulnerable to medical problems, both physical and mental. Heart disease, respiratory disease and type II diabetes have all been linked with insomnia.

While we’re very aware of what we’re doing during the day, during the night, our routines often get lost. We’re used to monitoring behavior patterns during the day, from what we eat to how much exercise we get, so we should start to do the same during the nocturnal hours.

If you track your sleep, the greatest benefit is that you’ll start to spot links between your sleep patterns and overall wellness. For example, you’ll discover whether drinking coffee or consuming caffeine impacts negatively on your sleep or whether the alcohol that you drink affects the quality of your rest.

You’ll also find out whether the time at which you exercise affects your sleep patterns, whether exercising in the evening or morning is most beneficial for you, as well as whether spending time outdoors improves or worsens your rest.

You’ll be able to see if there is a link between your use of devices and computers and the quality of your sleep, and how much your sleep, or lack of it, correlates with the stress and anxiety levels you experience.

You’ll even be able to determine whether eating late in the evening or whether certain foods affect your sleep, and for women, whether their menstrual cycle causes their sleep quality to fluctuate.

By pinpointing these patterns, you can then easily choose to adopt changes in your lifestyle that will not only help you to sleep more effectively but will also help you to be more productive, more fit and healthy and more positive in all areas of your life.

More of us are now becoming more aware of how blue light can affect our bodies, yet with increased device usage, we’re exposed to more of it than ever before. To enjoy maximum well-being, we need to find ways to minimize the amount of blue light we allow ourselves to be exposed to. Why is this the case? Read on and learn more.

How Does Blue Light Affect Your Body?

Understanding how light interacts with our eyes is the key to knowing why blue light is so bad for our well-being. Light is made up of different colored waves, which all have their different energies. Red light is at the beginning of the visible light spectrum. This has low energy waves and is easier on the eyes, particularly during the night. Blue light, however, has the highest energy waves and this makes it more difficult for the eyes to process effectively.

While high energy light waves are vital for our daily lives, it can prove to be harmful if we are exposed to them at the wrong times. High energy light is received from the sun to regulate sleep patterns effectively. In the day, the light enters our eyes to release enzymes, bring our levels of melatonin down and help us to wake up.

Melatonin regulates our sleep cycles via circadian rhythms. However, this cycle is all too easy to disrupt. Excessive exposure to blue light can disrupt your circadian rhythm cycle severely. This is because it reduces the melatonin levels released by your body. If your body doesn’t have enough melatonin at bedtime, you can’t sleep properly and become exhausted.

Blue light is emitted by screens from laptops, smartphones and tablets and eventually causes eye strain, near-sightedness and dry, itching eyes. Even worse, blue light affects the cellular anchors and the retina and can cause Advanced Macular Degeneration at a younger age. Some experts have even linked obesity to melatonin disruption as well as the development of some forms of cancer. Finding ways to avoid excessive blue light exposure is therefore essential.

How Can the Blue Light Exposure Problem Be Resolved?

Some manufacturers of devices are now recognizing the harm that blue light can cause us and are starting to develop new technological solutions to resolve the problem. Blue-filter covers are available for purchase for VR goggles, mobile phones and laptops and some devices have now integrated “evening modes” into their design which filters out the blue light when you use your device in the evening hours to limit your exposure.

Of course, the obvious solution to the blue light exposure problem is simply to avoid using any device during the evening or night. Smartphones and tablets should be kept out of the bedroom, and for several hours before bed, we should steer clear of any device usage. Unfortunately, this isn’t always practical or even desirable. So, how can we avoid the issue?

The answer could be to invest in a pair of blue-light protective glasses. These are designed with an HEV (high energy visible light) filter built in. These allow you to use your devices whenever you like without any worries about exposure to blue light impacting on your sleep patterns.

Blue light blocker glasses look the same as a standard pair of glasses, but they have special filters that prevent high energy visible light from reaching the back of the eye. They can either be purchased as a standalone pair of glasses or as a special pair of night-time glasses which can be worn over a regular pair of spectacles. If you put these on around an hour before you go to bed, they will block all the blue light emitted from your devices and LED lights helping you to get better sleep every night.

Another useful biohack that you can add to improve your lifestyle is to drink alkaline water. This is one of the latest discoveries in the health and wellness sector and it is something that can easily be implemented in your life.

We all know that water is key to every tissue, organ and cell in our bodies. However, many of us fail to stay as hydrated as we should by drinking enough glasses of water. Now, new evidence has shown that not only do we need to drink more water but the type of water that we drink is equally important. Alkaline water is believed to be the best thing for us to drink. Why is this the case?

Why is Alkaline Water Better?

Water is made up of oxygen and hydrogen, with the number of hydrogen ions in the water being measured as a pH figure. Alkaline water contains fewer hydrogen ions and has a higher pH level than standard tap water.

Water has a pH level which ranges between 0 and 14. 7 is said to be neutral, with an equal balance between alkaline and acidic. When water has a pH level of under 7 it is acidic and higher than 7 makes it alkaline. Water from the faucet in the USA usually has a pH of between 4.3 and 5.3 depending on whereabouts in the country you live.

Those who extol the virtues of alkaline water say that the larger number of hydrogen ions helps to provide more hydration when compared to regular water, particularly if you’ve been working out. They also believe that regular tap water that has an acidic pH causes too much acid to build up in your cells and blood resulting in a range of health issues.

They believe that alkaline water can reduce the amount of acid in your bloodstream, giving your metabolism a boost, increasing your energy levels, slowing down the aging process, improving your digestion and even reducing your bone loss. Some believers even say that it can starve cancer cells.

Alkaline water is an antioxidant that neutralizes the free radicals which cause DNA and cellular damage. Thanks to the smaller cluster size of the water it can penetrate the cells more easily to hydrate you more effectively, and its higher concentration of alkaline minerals like magnesium, potassium and calcium helps to ensure better health.

Alkaline water is also rich in oxygen which increases the amount of oxygen dissolved in the blood, and thanks to its detoxifying abilities it can eliminate the build-up of mucus on the walls of the colon to improve your body’s nutrient-absorbing abilities.

This kind of water can flush out the toxins and acidic waste which has accumulated in your body while the negatively charged ions help to boost your alertness, mental clarity, and energy levels. It can even help to control your weight and to stay healthy in the long-term since pollutants that are usually found in tap water are removed.

How to Benefit from Alkaline Water

If you’re ready to experience the benefits that drinking alkaline water can bring, you need to know how you can get hold of it. While you can buy bottled alkaline water in stores, you can make it yourself at home with a water ionizer.

A water ionizer is a compact unit that connects to the water supply in your kitchen. It carries out low voltage electrolysis on your tap water before drinking it or using it in your kitchen for cleaning or cooking.

A water ionizer uses a special attachment which redirects the water from the faucet through a hose into the unit. In the unit, water is filtered to take out the most common pollutants which are found in regular tap water. Next, the water which has been filtered passes on into a chamber which is equipped with titanium electrodes coated with platinum and it is in this chamber where the electrolysis takes place.

Positive ions (or cations) come together at the negative electrodes. This creates reduced (or cathodic) water. Meanwhile, the anions or negatively charged ions, come together at the positive electrode. This makes oxidized or anodic water.

The ionized water is directed to the faucet while the oxidized water is directed to a different hose which leads to the sink. The ionized water can then be used for cooking or drinking. As a bonus, the oxidized water is useful as a sterilizing agent that can be used for cleaning utensils, food and hands, and treating eczema and wounds.

If you invest in a water ionizer for your home, you can enjoy all the benefits of alkaline water every day without any fuss or hassle.

RLT or red light therapy is a therapeutic technique which utilizes low-level red-light wavelengths to treat a range of skin problems like wounds, scars and wrinkles together with other conditions. How can it help us to improve our overall well-being? Read on and find out.

What Is Red Light Therapy?

During the 1990s, red light therapy was employed by scientists for growing plants in space and it was during this process that they discovered the intense light produced by red LEDs (light-emitting diodes) promotes photosynthesis and growth of the plant cells. It was then that red light began to be studied for its possible benefits in the world of medicine with tests being carried out to see if RLT increased the energy in human cells to treat bone density problems, slow healing of wounds and muscle atrophy.

RLT or red light therapy is sometimes called PBM or photobiomodulation, LLLT or low-level light therapy, cold laser therapy, soft laser therapy, biostimulation, LPLT or low power laser therapy or photonic stimulation. There are several kinds of RLT with both medical and beauty applications. It can treat serious conditions such as psoriasis and slow-to-heal wounds as well as cosmetic issues like wrinkles and stretch marks.

Red light therapy works by producing biochemical effects in the cells to strengthen their mitochondria. These are the cell’s powerhouse where the energy of the cell is created. ATP is the energy-carrying molecule that can be found inside the cells and when RLT increases the mitochondria’s function, it makes more ATP. As a result, cells have more energy which enables them to rejuvenate themselves, repair damage and function more effectively.

Unlike other IPL or laser therapies, RLT doesn’t damage the surface of the skin. Instead, it stimulates skin regeneration to offer a host of benefits including:

Promotion of tissue repair and wound healing

Improved hair growth

Treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome

Stimulated healing of wounds that are slow to heal

Reduction of psoriasis lesions

Relief of stiffness and pain in those suffering from rheumatoid arthritis

Reduction of side effects from cancer treatments

Improved complexion and increased collagen for diminished wrinkles

Repairing of sun damage

Prevention of recurring cold sores

Improved joint health in those with osteoarthritis

Diminished scars

Relief of inflammation and pain

As you can see, there are several reasons why you should consider having Red Light Therapy to boost your overall health and well-being.

How to Benefit from Red Light Therapy

You can find red light therapy in use for cosmetic purposes in day spas, gyms and tanning salons. However, there are also several FDA-approved RLT devices that you can buy for use at home. While these won’t be as powerful as those which you can find in medical use, they are effective at combating unwanted signs of premature aging such as fine lines, wrinkles and age spots. If you want to treat a medical condition, however, you’ll need to discuss the options available to you with a doctor to ensure you reap maximum benefits.

RLT is painless and safe if the devices are used properly. There have been stories of some people getting burns because of device corrosion, broken wires or because they fell asleep with their unit still in place. However, when the instructions are followed properly, red light therapy isn’t harmful. It is, however, very important to use eye protection since red light can potentially damage the eyes.

Since RLT has been shown to have promising results when it comes to treating several skin problems, it’s well worth adding red light therapy into your regular skincare regime. If you’re concerned about your symptoms, you may wish to consult your doctor first to make sure that RLT is the best option for you, but for many people, the benefits of red light therapy make the investment in a red light-emitting device well worth it.

We all know that we should get plenty of physical exercise to stay in peak physical and mental shape. However, regardless of this widespread knowledge, many of us still aren’t getting the recommended amount of activity on a daily or weekly basis. The next important biohack to add into your life is to add in more exercise every day. How can you achieve this when you’re on a tight schedule? Here, we look at some of the benefits of being more physical and some inventive ways to increase the amount of activity you can fit into your everyday life.

The Problems of a Sedentary Lifestyle

You’ll probably have heard in the media that too many of us are living a sedentary lifestyle but what does this mean?

Sedentary lifestyles are defined as a way of living where you don’t do enough physical activity regularly. The current recommendations by the CDC (Center for Disease Control) are that we should all do at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise every day or, alternatively, 75 minutes of vigorous exercise. Walking around 10,000 steps every day is recommended as the optimal goal to improve your health and to reduce the possible health risks which occur as a result of inactivity.

The WHO (World Health Organization) says that up to 85 percent of the world’s population isn’t physically active enough and this makes the sedentary lifestyle the fourth top risk factor around the globe for mortality.

Traditionally, we are led to believe that eating healthily and taking some aerobic exercise can offset all the effects caused by spending excessive time sitting down. However, evidence now shows that if you exercise for half an hour a day, you still may be unable to mitigate the potential damage. The best solution appears to be to reduce the amount of time spent sitting down and increase the amount of time we spend moving every day.

The sedentary lifestyle results in numerous negative effects. Whether you’re working every day at a desk or driving a bus or taxi, you are putting yourself at the risk of the following problems:

A higher risk of developing certain cancers

A greater risk of developing depression and anxiety

A higher chance of suffering from certain cardiovascular problems

A greater chance of becoming obese or overweight

Reduced skeletal muscle mass

Higher blood pressure

Raised cholesterol levels

It has been estimated that, around the world, sedentary lifestyles cause 6 percent of all cases of coronary heart disease, 7 percent of all cases of type II diabetes, 10 percent of all cases of breast cancer and 10 percent of all cases of colon cancer. It has even been reported recently that inactive lifestyles cause more deaths every year than smoking.

We are more sedentary today than we ever have been in the past because technology has changed how we live our lives. 50 years ago, fewer people used cars and had desk jobs. They also had more physical hobbies and pastimes rather than watching TV and playing video games. The number of sedentary jobs has increased by over 80 percent since the 1950s, and when we add into that the fact that we now have longer average working weeks, that is a lot more time spent sitting on a chair.

It’s clear that finding ways to counteract the negative impact of the sedentary lifestyle is imperative, but luckily there are several biohacking changes you can implement to improve your health, fitness and wellness overall.

How Can I Get More Active?

We all know that preserving our physical health should be a top priority, but we’re also busier than ever before in our lives. With responsibilities such as caring for children or elderly parents, demanding jobs and a hectic social life, we’re all under pressure in a frantic pace of life. Of course, the most obvious way of getting more active is to go to a gym or to set aside an hour every morning or evening to work out at home. However, realistically, this just isn’t possible for some people.

Many people are intimidated by the idea of going to the gym, while finding the time to fit physical activity into a daily regime can be virtually impossible. Therefore, finding ways to become more active while going about our regular activities is the best solution.

Here are a few simple hacks to transform your daily routine into a healthier one.

Switch to a standing desk rather than a regular one. Office workers feel tied to their desks for much of the day, but if you make the simple change to standing rather than sitting, you’ll find that you’re less sluggish and stiff when your working day comes to an end. Standing uses a lot more muscles when compared to sitting, and evidence has shown that standing up every 30 minutes and moving around can reduce your chances of dying early. Even better, it promotes better posture which in turn reduces tiredness and stress while encouraging better productivity and steadier breathing. If you’d like to take things a step further, why not switch to a treadmill desk instead. This will help you to stay a lot more active while you work, and you can walk or jog at the same time as you carry out your essential work activities.

Take the stairs rather than the elevator. Walking up an incline is better for you than walking on a flat surface, so choose the stairs for maximum benefit when getting active. Evidence shows that if you climb the stairs just three times weekly your cardiorespiratory fitness will improve. Your leg muscles will become stronger and you’ll also burn more calories for easier bodyweight maintenance.

Add simple exercises into your work routine. If you don’t have enough hours in the day to hit the gym, add some muscle workouts into your daily regime instead. Doing squats while at your disk or dips on your office chair won’t take much effort and it can help you to improve your overall fitness and wellness. You can even add in small changes such as balancing on one leg while brushing your teeth or doing modified push-ups against your countertop while you’re microwaving food to improve your health.

Ditch the car. Instead of driving to work or the store, try biking or walking instead. You’ll find that it will bring you mental and physical benefits.

Use a resistance ball instead of a regular chair. Whether you’re at work or at home, switching your standing chair for a resistance ball will help to automatically straighten your spine, improve your posture and encourage you to stretch and move more often. You can even do some small exercises at the same time such as modified sit-ups to engage core muscle strength.

Take short walks during the day. During your lunch break, instead of vegetating at your desk, take a quick walk around the block instead. Just a ten-minute walk daily can give you positive mental and physical benefits. A workout doesn’t need to take an hour. Just 10 or 15 minutes of physical activity offers benefits too and will not only get your heart pumping but will also help you to improve your mental wellness.

The modern world is certainly a fast-paced one. Rushing about to carry out all your essential tasks can be very stressful so it’s no wonder that more of us find that we’ve lost our connection with the here and now. Many of us find that we’re missing out on the enjoyment of the moment. We overlook the way we’re feeling at any given time and this can lead to negative consequences mentally and physically in our lives.

Did you wake up feeling rested today? Did you notice those flowers blooming in your street this morning? Did you hear the birds singing as you arrived at work? If the answer to those questions was no, you should think about practicing mindfulness.

What Is Mindfulness?

The term “mindfulness” is used to describe the practice of focusing all your attention purposely on the moment you are in and accepting your feelings and sensations without any judgement. It has been proven to be a major component in achieving overall happiness and reducing stress levels.

Mindfulness has its origins in Buddhism, However, virtually every religion involves some form of meditation or prayer technique to move your thought patterns away from usual preoccupations and towards a greater appreciation of the here and now.

Practicing mindfulness has been shown to bring a wealth of improvements to both psychological and physical symptoms, helping to bring positive change to attitudes, behaviors and health. When you’re mindful, you can enjoy life’s pleasures when they occur. This allows you to engage more fully with activities and help you to cope more effectively with negative events in your life.

If you focus on the given moment, you’ll have a reduced chance of getting caught up with your worries about things you have done in your past or things you’ll do in the future. You’ll have fewer preoccupations with self-esteem and success while also being able to form better and deeper connections with other people.

Mindfulness has been shown to improve your physical health. It can help to improve heart health, relieve stress, lower your blood pressure, reduce pain, improve your sleep and even alleviate gastrointestinal problems. Meanwhile, it offers a host of mental health benefits including the relief of substance abuse, depression, anxiety, eating disorders and OCD.

How Does Mindfulness Work?

Experts believe that, in part, mindfulness works by helping to enable people to accept experiences and emotions instead of reacting with avoidance or aversion.

Mindfulness can be practiced in many ways., However, the primary goal of mindfulness techniques is to become more focused and alert yet relaxed by paying close attention deliberately to the sensations and thoughts you experience at any given moment without judgement. As a result, your mind can refocus effectively on the present.

There are several different mindfulness techniques. However, this is a basic guide to adding mindfulness practice into your life:

Start by sitting down quietly and focusing on your breathing patterns. Alternatively, you can focus on a mantra or word which you repeat to yourself silently. Allow your thoughts to go and come with no judgement, returning every time to focusing on your mantra or breathing.

Notice the subtle sensations in your body like tingling or itching. Again, don’t judge them, just allow them to pass. Focus on your attention on every part of the body from your head to your toes.

Notice the sounds, sights, tastes, touches and smells around you. Again, exert no judgement, just allow them to come and go.

All your emotions to stay present but don’t judge them. Name your emotions steadily and in a relaxed way. Accept their presence then allow them to go.

Cope with your cravings, whether they are for a pattern of behavior or for a substance. Acknowledge the feelings but allow them to pass through you without judgement. Replace your wish for that craving to subside with the knowledge that this will happen eventually.

You can begin practicing mindfulness alone by using yoga, tai chi or other concentration meditation methods. You simply need to establish concentration, observe the thoughts, sensations and emotions flowing through your body without judgement, and notice the sensations that you experience. While the process may seem not to be remotely relaxing, with time and practice you’ll find that you become happier and more self-aware.

Top Tips for Introducing Mindfulness Practice into Your Life

If you’re ready to introduce mindfulness practice into your life, you could start attending a class or buy a meditation CD to begin practicing. There are, however, less formal approaches you can adopt. Here are some top tips to help to smooth the path to mindfulness:

Choose a task during which you’ll practice mindfulness. It could be when you’re walking, showering or eating.

Begin by focusing on the sensations your body is going through.

Breathe slowly through the nose. Allow the air to move downwards to your lower belly and allow your stomach to fully expand.

Breathe slowly out through the mouth.

Note the sensations you experience every time you exhale or inhale.

Slowly, proceed with your chosen task with deliberation.

Fully engage all your senses. Note every touch, sound and sight. Savor each sensation.

If you realize your mind is wandering away from the current task, bring your focus back gently onto the sensations you’re experiencing.

You can’t rush mindfulness. However, the more often you practice, the more you’ll find that it’s effective. Be prepared for the fact that it’ll usually take about 20 minutes until your mind starts to settle. Practicing the above techniques for short periods a few times a week is the best way to start, then you can work up to longer periods of meditation on more days of the week.

Although we all know that we should eat more whole foods, it can be all too tempting to fall back on the junk food and processed food that we find in restaurants and stores everywhere. Junk food is an ever-present feature of daily life in the world today.

The presence of McDonald’s, Burger King and KFC in malls up and down the country is simply encouraging more of us to snack on junk from an early age. More people today are eating processed food than ever before, but the trade-off for convenience is a host of health and wellness issues for both the body and mind.

Why is junk food such a problem, and how can it have a negative impact on your well-being? Here, we take a closer look at why whole foods are a better choice in your daily diet and how you can introduce them more effectively into your lifestyle.

The Junk Food Problem

The definition of junk food is food which is poor in nutrients and dense in calories. Over the past few years, convenience and fast food consumption have dramatically increased, and today, around a quarter of the population predominantly consume a processed food diet. As a result, there has been a rising epidemic of chronic diseases.

The main problem associated with the consumption of junk food regularly is obesity. It is expected that the obesity rate in 2050 in the USA alone with reach 42 percent. Children consuming processed food regularly eat more carbohydrates, processed sugar and fats, and less fiber than they need. Consuming 187 additional calories every day than they require, it’s no wonder that 6 lbs of weight is gained each year, increasing their chance of developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease among other chronic health problems.

Another complication arising from junk food consumption is the risk of developing diabetes. Insulin levels rise whenever you consume processed sugars which are found in white flour, soft drinks and other food which lacks the essential nutrients and fiber to metabolize carbohydrates effectively. If you eat junk food during the day, your insulin levels can become chronically high resulting in insulin resistance over time. This causes type II diabetes to set in.

If you remove fiber, minerals and vitamins from your diet, you can become nutritionally deficient. This can result in low energy levels, sleep disturbances, low productivity, and mood swings. High levels of sodium found in junk food also result in the overconsumption of salt. This results in heart, kidney and liver diseases as well as hypertension.

Not all the complications resulting from the consumption of junk food are physical. Some are mental too. A 2015 study showed that people on high glycemic diets suffered more from depression than those who had a low GI diet.

Since junk food-heavy diets are so bad for us, it stands to reason that we should look for a better way of eating that promotes well-being and good health. This is where whole foods can come into play.

What Are Whole Foods?

The term “whole foods” is used to refer to food which is closest to its natural state. They are good for us because they bring more nutrients than processed and packaged foods.

Experts suggest that we should all be aiming for whole foods to make up around 75 percent of our daily diet. This will help us to stay healthy, free of disease, with slower aging.

What foods should we be eating? Whole foods include vegetables and fruits which haven’t been processed as well as whole grains such as oats, millet, quinoa, cornmeal, buckwheat, rye, and brown rice. We should also be eating more legumes and beans like chickpeas and lentils as well as more seeds and nuts. Wholefoods also include those derived from animal origins including fish, eggs, seafood, poultry and lean red meat such as veal, pork, lamb and beef.

If you eat unprocessed foods, you’ll be able to consume the optimal amount of daily nutrients you require for overall health and well-being, and in the best possible proportions.

Wholefoods contain many different nutrients all in a single food including minerals, vitamins, fiber, essential fatty acids, and phytonutrients. They are also very rich in substances which can’t be synthesized in the body and which therefore need to be obtained via your diet. For example, valine, an amino acid, cannot be made by the body itself and therefore must be supplied via what you eat. It is vital for tissue repair and muscle metabolism, so including plenty of whole foods in your daily regime is essential.

When you eat whole foods in their natural state, you can benefit from the synergy effect of the nutrients in the food working together to benefit your body’s healthy functioning. For example, tryptophan, an amino acid, requires B vitamins to be changed into serotonin. Also, whole foods are rich in the antioxidants which neutralize free radicals and combat problems like heart disease and cancer.

Why Eat More Whole Foods?

For many years, experts have been telling us that vegetables and fruits are essential for our well-being. However, many of us still find it difficult to include enough of them into our diets. Yet, whole foods can stop us from becoming ill and help to prevent the problem of obesity.

Many studies have revealed that eating more whole foods will supply your body with valuable nutrient sources including fiber, calcium, magnesium, B vitamins, vitamin D, protein, potassium and essential fatty acids which ensure your body’s cells function in the right way. Foods that are processed are difficult to digest properly and can make you feel sick and tired.

When you add more whole foods into your life, you’ll experience a host of benefits including:

Improved blood sugar levels. Processed foods contain insulin growth factor which makes your blood sugar levels higher. As a result, you experience blood sugar swings and cravings. Whole foods won’t cause these spikes and will help you to maintain balance throughout the day.

Improved digestion. Whole foods contain lots of fiber which is a vital nutrient for digestion. This fiber is natural and will help you to feel fuller for longer while also supporting your digestion and lowering your blood sugar levels as it breaks down slowly in the body.

Higher energy levels – the body is more capable of deriving energy from natural foods than processed ones, so you’ll start to feel more energized with a faster metabolism when you eat more whole foods.

Reduced pain – processed foods have high inflammatory properties. Since they are acidic in nature, they create pH level imbalances which can result in chronic pain condition symptoms becoming worse. Whole foods keep your body more alkaline and therefore free from inflammation and pain.

How to Eat More Whole Foods

Are you convinced of the benefits of eating more whole foods but don’t know how to add them to your diet? Here are a few quick tips to point you in the right direction:

Switch to traditional oats rather than instant oat cereals. Instant oats will usually have oat bran removed. This means that a lot of the fiber and vitamins have been removed, reducing its nutritional value.

Switch to whole vegetables and fruit rather than packaged juice. When fruit is juiced, it becomes a concentrated sugar source, and this elevates your blood sugar level much more rapidly when compared with whole fruits. Juicers also remove the skin and pulp of the fruit, so antioxidants and flavonoids are stripped away. Packaged juices also have extra sugar added together with preservatives and chemicals.

Switch to fresh fish rather than frozen or canned fish. Fish contain essential fatty acids that are often removed or reduced during the packaging process. You need omega 3 fatty acids to keep your nervous, immune, reproductive and cardiovascular systems functioning properly.

You can easily find whole foods for sale in grocery stores if you shop in the aisles dedicated to fresh food. As you move towards the center of the store, remember that you’ll find more processed foods, so try to shop on the outer edges of the store. You’ll also find whole foods in farmers’ markets and at health food stores.

You don’t need to completely banish all processed food from your life to stay healthy, but if you can increase your wholefood consumption to around 75 percent, you’ll enjoy much better health and 0verall well-being.

Most of us tend to think that bacteria are dangerous and bad for us., However, this isn’t the case. There are many types of bacteria that are beneficial for our bodies. These live micro-organisms are called probiotics, or friendly bacteria, and can help to make your body healthier.

There are different types of probiotics that offer different benefits for your health and well-being. They work in the GI tract to boost the immune system, preventing dangerous bacteria from becoming attached to the inside wall of the intestines while improving the function and balance of the intestinal lining’s natural microflora.

Usually, the human body has an optimal balance of bacteria, however there are certain lifestyles or medical factors which can create imbalances. As a result, the disease-causing bacteria numbers can grow exponentially. Unnecessary use of antibiotics, gastrointestinal problems, surgery, taking PPIs, chronic stress, sensitivity to gluten and even the standard American diet can cause such imbalances.

Luckily, there are ways to redress the balance of bacteria for better overall health and well-being. The best way is to include probiotics in your daily diet.

What Exactly Are Probiotics?

Probiotics is a term used to describe the live bacteria which are present in fermented foods and yogurt. They can benefit your digestive system by bringing the balance of the bad and good bacteria in your microbiome in alignment. This ensures you have a lower risk of suffering from many different medical conditions and diseases.

Probiotics can be derived from natural food sources such as kefir and yogurt, but they can also be derived from foods which have been enriched with probiotics as well as from specialist supplements. It’s usually best to get your probiotics from natural food sources, however.

Probiotics take many forms and can be found in the following foods:

Unpasteurized kimchi and sauerkraut

Miso soup

Enriched milk and soft cheese

Sour pickles in saltwater

Sourdough bread

Here are some of the most beneficial probiotic foods that you can enjoy every day:

Yogurt – this is a top probiotic source since it contains milk which has been fermented by good bacteria such as bifidobacterial and lactic acid bacteria. Not only can yogurt boost your bone health it can reduce high blood pressure and relieve unwanted symptoms associated with IBS (irritable bowel syndrome). Not every type of yogurt contains probiotics, so you need to only choose yogurts with live or active cultures.

Kefir – this probiotic fermented milk drink is made from goat or cow’s milk with added kefir grains. Again, kefir can strengthen the bones, help with digestive issues and protect the body from infections.

Sauerkraut – this is made from shredded cabbage which has been fermented with lactic acid bacteria. Not only is sauerkraut packed with fiber and vitamins; it also contains manganese, iron and sodium as well as antioxidants which boost eye health. You need to make sure that the sauerkraut you’ve chosen is unpasteurized to experience its probiotic benefits.

Tempeh – this product is made from fermented soybeans and is popular as a substitute for meat. The fermentation process means that you can absorb more minerals from tempeh. It is also a rich source of vitamin B12 while also offering probiotic benefits.

Kimchi – this spicy, fermented Korean dish is usually made from cabbage which has been flavored with chili pepper, ginger, garlic, salt and scallions. It also contains Lactobacillus kimchi which benefits your digestive health.

Miso – this Japanese seasoning is made from fermented soybeans. Usually made into soup, miso is an excellent source of fiber and protein and is packed with plant compounds, minerals and vitamins.

Kombucha – this fermented green or black tea drink originates from Asia.

Pickles – gherkins are fermented in salt and are an excellent source of probiotic bacteria which boosts digestive health.

Buttermilk – traditional buttermilk is the liquid that is left behind after making butter. It contains probiotics as well as valuable minerals and vitamins.

Natto – this fermented soybean product is like miso and tempeh which contains Bacillus subtilis. It is also high in vitamin K2 and protein.

Some cheeses – although many kinds of cheese are fermented, they don’t all contain probiotics. Only those that have active and live cultures do. Cottage cheese, cheddar, mozzarella and gouda are all good examples of cheeses in which the good bacteria survive the process of aging.

There are many probiotic foods which you can add to your diet, however, if you dislike all of them, you could always try a probiotic supplement which can be taken daily to improve your overall health and well-being.

Although cryotherapy has been around for quite a while, it has only recently reached mainstream attention. This is because celebrities have started to extol its virtues, especially sports stars who say that it helps to boost their recovery time after exercise. So, what is cryotherapy? Who can it help and what does it involve?

What is Cryotherapy?

Cryotherapy has been growing as a trend in wellness centers and spas thanks to its popularity with celebrities and athletes. Those who have this therapy enjoy faster recovery times after working out and believe that the sub-zero temperatures can relieve asthma, anxiety and arthritis, not to mention make the skin look more youthful.

Cryotherapy sessions can take several forms. The most common involves standing in a whole-body cryo-chamber. This chamber is a can-like enclosure with an open top, so the user’s head always remains outside. Meanwhile, the rest of the body is exposed to sub-zero temperatures.

When having WBC (whole body cryotherapy), you wear gloves, socks and underwear to avoid your extremities developing frostbite. Each session only lasts a couple of minutes and although it may feel a little strange and uncomfortable, it isn’t painful or unpleasant. There are also targeted cryotherapy treatments that involve only exposing one part of the body to sub-zero temperatures. This is useful for relieving pain in a specific area.

The idea behind cryotherapy is to lower the body temperature to such an extent that the “fight or flight” mode is initiated. This causes the body to send the blood from the extremities to the heart where it is rapidly oxygenated and pumped full of nutrients. On leaving the chamber, the freshly oxygenated blood is pumped outwards back around the body again to improve recovery and healing.

What are the Benefits of Cryotherapy?

Cryotherapy is believed to offer a host of physical and mental benefits. These include:

Reduction of migraine symptoms – cryotherapy is believed to treat migraines since it numbs and cools the nerves around the neck, cooling down the blood which passes through the intracranial vessels.

Reduced nerve irritation – cryotherapy is used by athletes to numb pain from irritated nerves. It is useful in treating neuromas, acute injuries, pinched nerves or chronic pain.

Treats mood disorders – when the whole body is subjected to sub-zero temperatures there is a physiological hormonal response in the body which includes the release of noradrenaline, endorphins and adrenaline. This can help those who experience depression and anxiety to experience a better mood.

Reduced arthritic pain – people suffering from arthritis can experience less pain when having either whole body or localized cryotherapy.

Treats skin problems – of you suffer from skin conditions like atopic dermatitis, you may find that cryotherapy can help to relieve dryness and itching. Cryotherapy reduces inflammation while also improving the levels of antioxidants in the blood which helps to improve the condition of the skin. For the same reason, it’s also helpful in relieving cases of acne.

Boosted weight loss – obesity is a major problem in the world today however cryotherapy has been found to have some weight-loss benefits since it speeds up the metabolism for several hours following treatment. This means that those who have WBC can effectively burn more calories after having a treatment session.

These are just some of the benefits that have been reported after having cryotherapy. As you can see, there are many reasons why you might want to consider trying it out for yourself to see what advantages it can bring you for your health and wellness.

Are you worried about contaminants in the air? Do you suffer from allergic reactions or asthma? Do you have pets in your home, or do you live with a smoker? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, you should consider looking at ways to purify your air. Here, we take a closer look at some of the reasons why more people are choosing to invest in an air purifier as a top biohack for a healthier lifestyle.

Why do I Need to Purify my Air?

We often believe that the air inside our homes is clean and healthy to breathe., However, it may come as a surprise to learn that it can be just as polluted and contaminated as the air outdoors.

Odors, dust, pet dander, smoke and mold are just some of the contaminants that you can find in the air inside your home and there are some pollutants inside your home which are present in amounts five times higher than in the air outdoors. It’s no wonder, then, that so many people experience allergic reactions and asthma. Finding a way to capture unwanted particles from the air like pollen and dust is vital.

So, how do you know if the air in your home needs purifying? Here are just some of the reasons to consider:

You have pets. If you have a dog or a cat, you could end up suffering from respiratory problems. They shed dander onto surfaces of your home which cannot be removed by vacuuming alone. Purifying the air is the best way to be sure of getting rid of this problem effectively.

You suffer from hay fever, asthma or allergies. During the spring and summer, hay fever is a common problem due to the pollen particles which are in the air. These irritate the eyes and can cause asthma. Purifying the air will remove these irritants so you can remain comfortable all season long.

You have a mold problem at home. If your home is humid or prone to damp, you may find that mold is a problem. Bathrooms and kitchens are problem zones and without removing the spores from the air, you could develop breathing problems. Purifying the air eliminates this possibility.

You have dust mites. Dust mites are in everyone’s home and can cause allergic reactions on the skin as well as breathing problems. If you purify the air, you won’t have to worry about this problem.

You live with a smoker. Smoke from cigarettes can hang in the air for a long time causing breathing problems in susceptible individuals, not to mention unpleasant odors. If you purify the air, this won’t be an issue.

You dislike cooking odors. Whether you live near to neighbors who cook strong-smelling foods or whether you cook them yourself but don’t want the odors lingering around your home, an air purifier can banish the unpleasant smells.

You have compromised immunity. Airborne virus particles can move between individuals when they cough or sneeze. If you purify the air inside your home, your whole family will enjoy better health and overall well-being.

You have a baby. Young children are especially at risk of airborne viruses and bacteria. They may also be more at risk when they’re exposed to harmful contaminants and pollutants in the indoor environment. Purifying the air will give your little ones the best chance of enjoying optimal health.

You live close to a road, agricultural area or an industrial facility. If you live in an area which is at high risk of pollution, you should purify the air inside your home to keep the risk of contamination to a minimum.

As you can see, there are many reasons why you should consider purifying the air in your home to improve your overall health and well-being.

How Can I Keep the Air in my Home Pure?

There are several things you can do to keep the air in your home clean and pure. One of the best is to invest in an air purifier. This is a device that consists of several filters as well as a fan to suck in the air and circulate it while capturing the particles and pollutants and pushing clean air back to the living space.

When choosing an air purifier, you should make sure to choose one which has a HEPA filter (high-efficiency particulate air filter). These capture particles of a range of sizes in a very fine multi-layered net made from fiberglass threads. This airtight filter ensures that even the tiniest ultra-fine particles are trapped so they cannot be released into the environment to cause problems. You should choose an air purifier that is large enough to effectively clean the air in the space which you live in, and which has a clean air delivery rate of over 350. This will ensure that the air remains as clean and pure as possible.

There are also some other things you can do to improve the quality of the air inside your home. For a start, although it may sound counter-intuitive you can keep the windows open, creating a cross-draft whenever possible by opening the window on opposite sides of your rooms. This will ensure that unwanted pollutants and contaminants won’t become trapped inside your property, causing your health problems.

You should also vacuum your floors frequently to get rid of dust mites which can cause breathing and skin problems, and use exhaust fans in your laundry areas, bathroom and kitchen to prevent mold from building up and causing respiratory difficulties and serious illnesses.

You should avoid lighting a wood fire inside your home and avoid smoking inside your property as this will help to boost the quality of air inside your home too. Smoke can cause breathing problems while second-hand smoke from tobacco can be very harmful to your health, even causing cancer in some cases.

Of course, you should also remember to regularly change the filters in your vacuum cleaner, air purifier and ventilation system to ensure that the air indoors stays healthy and clean. A clogged filter cannot readily capture contaminants and particles, so you need to make sure to stay on top of the changing schedule to ensure that maximum pollutants are removed from the air that you and your family breathe every day.

We are living in a highly pressured modern world and more of us than ever before are living a frantic lifestyle. As a result, we experience a host of mental, emotional and physical health issues ranging from allergies and asthma to anxiety and depression. It’s no wonder, then, that so many people are looking for ways to improve their well-being so that they can avoid the stress that today’s way of living can bring.

While there is plenty of advice out there about different ways you can minimize the problems associated with modern living, some of the options suggested can be difficult to put in place and can be more trouble than they’re worth. That’s why we’ve come up with these quick and simple ideas that will improve your life.

The biohacks that we’ve suggested here represent some of the most effective ways to give your life an overhaul for the better. By implementing a few small and simple changes in different areas of your life, you can enjoy better well-being and a healthier approach.

Perhaps you’re experiencing a specific health problem such as anxiety, asthma or a skin condition. Or perhaps you’re just looking for a better way to live without putting yourself at risk of health problems developing. Either way, there is sure to be at least one biohack here that will revolutionize the way that you manage your day to day existence.

You can invest in simple pieces of equipment for your home that will limit your exposure to blue light, remove pollutants and contaminants from the air or give your water an alkaline pH. It’s very easy to put such changes in place and the benefits that you’ll experience are sure to be significant.

Alternatively, why not try one of the treatments that we’ve suggested such as Red Light Therapy or Cryotherapy. Both are quick and easy and can bring you a host of wellness benefits that can help you to get even more enjoyment out of your life.

Even if you’re on a tight budget and can’t afford the expense of heading to a wellness spa for whole body cryotherapy treatments or purchasing a water ionizer for your house water supply, there are still biohack changes that you can put in place that are completely free of charge and which can still bring you a wealth of physical and mental benefits. By simply adding meditation and mindfulness into your daily regime, you can bring yourself greater protection from mental health problems, while choosing readily available probiotic foods like sauerkraut or yogurt into your diet can greatly improve your digestion and help you to achieve greater wellness in many areas of your life.

Getting more active is another excellent biohack that costs you nothing. By simply getting up and walking more during your working day, choosing to walk rather than driving or taking the bus and using the stairs rather than the elevator you can increase your overall fitness level, help yourself to maintain a healthy body weight and even give your mental health a much-needed boost.

Although it may sound challenging to change your life for the better, you can see from these ten simple biohacks that it needn’t be difficult to turn your life around for the better. Begin by making one change and then, over time, you can start to make more changes until you’ve finally achieved optimal health and wellness.

When you feel fantastic every day, you’ll be glad that you started biohacking your life!