By Grace Van Berkum, R.H.N. As featured in Sweat Equity Magazine Biohacking is the process of making changes to your lifestyle in order to “hack” your body’s biology and feel your best. The way we live, everything we put into our bodies, and everything we surround ourselves with — our foods, our thoughts, our physical movement, our sleep and rest, our environment — all affect how we behave. By biohacking yourself and your lifestyle, you can optimize the way your body functions and transform your life and future. This way you have more energy to get things done, while you look and feel your best.
5 Life BioHacks: 1) Consistent yoga practice, even if just 15 minutes a day, will have profound effects on your physical body and emotional wellbeing. Yoga helps to release tension we store in our body, strengthen our spine to prevent and reduce pain (especially as we get older), while helping to calm our minds so that we can think clearer and make better decisions that serve us. Read "7 WAYS YOGA IMPROVES YOUR HEALTH".
2) Deep breathing exercises help to bring more oxygen into the body which increases energy levels. Deep breathing also stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system which reduces stress levels and promotes calmness within the body. When the body is calm, the body also digests food better! Click HERE for easy breathing exercises. 3) Sungazing to strengthen the pineal gland and balance hormones. Sun Gazing is an ancient practice used to aid with the opening of the third eye chakra and enhancing psychic abilities. Sungazing is the process of staring at the sun during sunrise or sunset. During this time, the light emitted from the sun isn’t as strong, making it safer to look at the sun. Many people who practice sungazing believe that it is beneficial to the eyes and the pineal gland., stimulating the production of seratonin and melatonin in the pineal, effecting mood and sleep, and helping to balance hormones.
4) Meditation for mental cleansing. We wash our bodies, our hair, our cars…but what about washing our brains of negativity? The practice of meditation helps to cleanse the mind of negative chatter and imagined projections (anxiety). By observing the mind and practicing different styles of meditation that helps the observer (you) distinguish truth from reality, we are able to wash our minds and move through our life in a more peaceful way.
5) Expressing gratitude everyday, especially as soon as you wake up, and before bed, not only brings you in the present moment where you are most joyful, but also helps to set the tone for your day. By expressing gratitude, your heart centre opens up, your vibrations become more positive, opening yourself up to more loving vibrations. Expressing gratitude before bed helps you to sleep better, and can even enhance your dreams in a more positive way.
