Note from Craig, founder KOANNA
This blog post could have been titled:
“How an overweight father, suffering with terrible health, transformed his body and biohacked his way to a pain-free life and Ironman triathlon in just 12 months!”
Just a few years ago, before I found biohacking, I was facing knee and shoulder operations, terrible blood work results, digestive issues, and sleep problems.
Koanna was born out of the knowledge gained while taking responsibility for my own health problems, and solving them, naturally, without medicine or medical intervention.
Our mission at Koanna is to deliver innovative products to help boost your performance, relax your mind, and optimise your general health and well-being. Whether it's a next-generation technology like our infrared blanket or a nutritional innovation like the new products under development, our guarantee is that they will deliver amazing health benefits!
Much love, Craig
So, what exactly is Biohacking anyway?
Biohacking is a do-it-yourself way of changing your mind, body, and overall health to empower you to reach your goals and achieve the best version of yourself. By making changes to your lifestyle and routines, you take your health into your own hands and gain greater control over your body.
Biohacking your body can strengthen longevity, enhance brain function, improve mental health, promote weight loss, reverse signs of aging, and more. They combine the best of ancient wisdom with modern-day science and technology to unlock new ways of achieving optimum wellness.
If you’re looking to address a health concern, get back in tune with your body, or to truly become the best version of yourself, then give one of these commonly used biohacks a try:
1. Intermittent Fasting
While it may seem like another fad diet craze, intermittent fasting is known to have many positive health effects. Simply said, it is an eating pattern that cycles between periods of fasting and eating.
For example, you could restrict yourself to eating only between the hours of 8 a.m. to 8 p.m, and during the other 12 hours you should be fasting. Overtime as you get used to it, then you reduce the eating window and increase the fasting one.
This fasting period has been shown to lower insulin levels, helping your body more effectively burn fat and regulate blood sugar, and improve your bio-rhythm helping with sleep. Fasting can also potentially help your cells repair tissue damage, reduce inflammation and might even help protect you from cancer and other serious health conditions according to the exciting and emerging research.
Note from Craig: not eating after 1900 in the evening helped transform the quality of my sleep.
2. Adaptogen Mushrooms
Mushrooms are nature's original superfood. Not only are they delicious, but they can also help you biohack your way to a healthier body and mind. Many biohackers now swear by incorporating adaptogenic (or functional) mushrooms into their daily routines. And they’re not alone. Mushrooms have been used for centuries dating back to ancient China to cure diseases and restore vitality.
Selecting the right mushrooms is important. Lion’s Mane mushrooms are a popular varietal that can be used to support cognitive function and improve memory and recall. Reishi mushrooms, on the other hand, are known to have calming properties. They can help to relax the body and ease the mind from stress and other worries.
These mushrooms can be easily consumed in many forms. Mushroom powders, coffee, and even gummies are now available to deliver the benefits, without having to cook and eat the mushroom itself.
Note from Craig: I use mushroom drinks to help me focus and do my best work, but also to help me relax and unwind in the evening.
3. Cold (Cryo) Therapy
Cold showers are the new black. Or at least, they’re becoming more and more popular across the world.
There’s a reason for this: Cold exposure has been shown to have a number of health benefits. For example, scientists have found evidence that exposure to cold speeds up metabolism. Another benefit of exposing your body to cold is that it reduces inflammation, swelling, and sore muscles. Therefore, many athletes use ice baths and other types of exposure to cold as a means to speed up recovery after physical exercise. Furthermore, cold body therapy is also linked to improved quality of sleep, more focus, and even an improved immune response.
Note from Craig: I take a cold shower every morning for a boost of Dopamine to start the day.
4. Try an elimination diet
Different foods affect each of us differently. Sometimes something you’ve been eating since childhood could now be a culprit in contributing to a health condition, brain fog, tiredness, or general body irritability. An elimination diet can help you identify if any foods are causing the issue.
To start, completely remove one or two foods from your diet. Often grains, processed foods, dairy, and sugar are known to cause the most inflammation, but other categories of food, such as legumes or nuts, could cause irritation as well.
If your symptoms are improving…maybe you have more energy or the nagging knee pain has gone. Then, after four weeks, slowly reintroduce the eliminated foods into your diet. How do you feel? Be on the lookout for symptoms such as constipation, breakouts, rashes, stomach pain, and fatigue.
Note from Craig: this technique transformed my knee pain within 4-6 weeks of eliminating grains and high processed foods from my diet.
5. Try Red Light Therapy
Red light therapy is a biohack technique that has helped people treat a number of conditions. When exposed to red light, the mitochondria in your blood cells activate to produce more ATP, which boosts cell energy.
Following red light exposure, you’ll enjoy increased circulation and blood flow, which can help reduce inflammation and speed up muscle recovery. It also has an added benefit of boosting collagen production for an improved skin tone and natural anti-aging effects.
Popular red light therapy tools include masks LED Light Therapy Masks that you can use at home or pods that are available in treatment centers. Although these technologies may seem new, the use of red-light therapy dates back to the 1970s when NASA used it to keep astronauts alert and healthy.
Note from Craig: I used Red Light Therapy and Infrared Saunas to help with workout recovery and pain management, and liked it so much that I founded a company making these products 😊
Bottom line
Although it sounds like an intimidating term, biohacking is simply a way, inspired by nature, and sometimes combined with modern day technology, to improve your body’s function. By adjusting your schedule slightly or changing small habits, you can go a long way in improving your overall well-being. The next time you walk your dog, try making another loop around the block to get some additional sun exposure. Or, see if a cup of mushroom coffee in the morning or even a red light mask at night helps you feel more energized during the day. Your body will probably thank you for it.
