Rewild Manifesto: Modern Biological Disruptors and Natural Biohacking Solutions

Is [diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, obesity] genetic, or does it "run in your family" because your parents eat the same inflammatory foods & have the same sedentary lifestyle habits that were passed down from their parents, and you eat the same inflammatory foods and live the same sedentary lifestyle as you were habituated to by your parents...

epigenetics noun
[ep·i·ge·net·ics]
how your behaviors and environment can cause changes that affect the way your genes work.

Natural Biohacks for Epigenetics

The modern understanding of epigenetics reveals that much of our genetic code is informed by our environment. Epigenetics is meta-level genetic regulation: influenced by external factors, epigenetic mechanisms regulate which genes are turned on and off.

It's empowering to realize that you have the ability to make decisions every day that will affect your longterm health & well being.

It's easy to blame illness on your genes, but modern science is uncovering that there is so much more to health & aging that the genes we're born with. You can literally turn on & off genes by changing your lifestyle!

It's the things we take for granted and don't question that are often overlooked as lifestyle factors that get passed down through generations. Don't blame genes on what a family tradition of frozen microwave dinners with late night TV and liberal use of Febreeze leads to.

With the right knowledge and natural biohacking solutions, epigenetics empowers us to take our health into our own hands. By implementing some of the biohacking for beginners strategies outlined in this article, you will walk away with the knowledge to literally change the direction of your health!

Examples of Biohacking: Biohacking for Beginners

Before we dive into natural biohacking solutions for modern biological disruptors, we first need to go over some examples of biohacking. 

We are all doing the best we can in a pretty crazy world. When you think about an average day in the life today -vs- what it would have looked like a couple hundred years ago (heck, even compared to your grandparent’s generation) it’s two completely different worlds.

Some of the biggest environmental changes over the past century via the industrial revolution include:

Surge in artificial light use and drastic reduction spent in natural light outdoors,
Colossal increase of non-native EMF exposure,
The use of insulated footwear and absence of electrical connection to Earth,
Diet: fast food, processed foods, overly sugared foods, and GMOs.

The thing is, our technologies have evolved a lot faster than our biology. We had the industrial revolution and rapid technology advancements, but it seems as though our bodies haven’t quite caught up.

In fact, there’s a pretty major mis-match.

Circadian Rhythm

Let’s take a look at circadian rhythm: the foundation of biohacking for beginners. Circadian Rhythm is your body’s internal clock. There are a variety of hormonal & chemical processes that, when healthy, your body performs on a 24-hour cycle. A major player when it comes to regulating circadian rhythm is LIGHT.

Think about it: our ancestors would have spent most (if not all) of their time outdoors, living in tune with the Earth’s natural rhythm. They would wake with the sunrise and go to sleep when it was dark (night). Nowadays, we have artificial lighting and bright screens (phone, TV, laptop) that can keep us up into the wee hours of the morning.[1]

Some examples of biohacking circadian rhythm include getting outside as much as possible, grounding, turning the lights low after sundown, and wearing blue blockers. But let’s dive deeper into how and why these biohacks for beginners are necessary! Because with a little awareness and discernment you can take control of your environment to optimize your happiness and vitality.

Modern Disconnects (& How to Fix Them)

We wake up indoors, turn on some artificial lighting, pop something to eat into the microwave, get in the car, sit at a desk all day (bathing in wifi and EMF), get back in the car, maybe stop by a drive through or order food delivery, get back into bed and scroll on our bright phone into the night (still bathing in wifi and EMF). A very simplified overview, but it gets the message across: we are spending too much time indoors, eating modern engineered foods, connected to wifi, and not enough time connected to nature.

But have we stopped to ask– what happens when we live disconnected from the rhythm of the Earth? Our generation is chronically ill. Autoimmunity, fibromyalgia, diabetes, cancer… these are termed “modern diseases” because they only appeared in recent history. Whether migraines, mental health issues, or modern disease, somewhere along the line we fell out of sync with the earth. Let’s go over some examples of biohacking to help bridge the gap between our ancestral roots and modern society.

Biohacking Nutrition: You are what you eat

The old adage rings true– you are what you eat. And real fat wins over processed vegetable and seed oils every time!

We want to work on making the most of what we eat by consuming the most nourishing foods available to use, as our food is significantly less nutritious than it was 50 years ago. There are no “bad foods” per se, but there are bad preparations– for example, a loaf of bread made from GMO and pesticide-laden wheat, seed oils, heavily processed, and containing non-food ingredients (preservatives, artificial dyes, etc.) is not a recipe for a healthy loaf. But bread can be healthy if it’s made with real food ingredients, for instance fermented organic sourdough.

A key marker of longevity and aging is the quality of mitochondrial membranes: studies show animals with more saturated fat/peroxidation-resistant membrane composition live longer.[2] This is in stark contrast to the conventional advice we are given to avoid saturated fats and opt for factory made vegetable and seed oils instead.

PUFAs (sunflower-soy-vegetable-canola-corn...oil) on the other hand are highly susceptible to oxidation which creates toxic byproducts and inflammation. These oils cause oxidative stress at a cellular level.[3] If you consume cheap, highly refined, toxically-processed seed and vegetable oils, it will show both above and below the skin.

The breakdown of cheap seed and vegetable oils into carcinogenic components and inflammatory byproducts makes the consumer more prone to cellular degradation. PUFAS have also been shown to suppress the T Regulatory cell-mediated immune reaction which can impair anti-tumor immune reactions, which essentially means these oils may hinder your ability to resist cancer.[4]

Eat like it’s 1859

What is Ancestral Eating?

Biohacking nutrition is more than just following a trending diet. We must establish what ancestral eating even means in the first place. Let's dive into what an ancestral-based diet really looks like:

- Seasonal: what grows this month where one person lives is going to be different from what is growing where another lives! Eating seasonally connects you to the rhythms of the earth.

- Local: Our ancestors were eating off the land where they lived. In today's world, this can be having your own garden, foraging, or supporting your local farmers at the farmers market.

- Nose-to-tail: ah, the one people like to skip over! Eating ancestrally = eating nose-to-tail. Utilizing the ENTIRE animal. It's about respect as much as it is about nutrition & economics.

- Beyond organic: our ancestors were eating organic, grass-fed, pesticide-free, hormone-free, antibiotic-free, free-range... you know, all those other buzzwords we had to invent to mimic what was once the *only* way.

- Cooking method: while research on the way that microwaves affect the micronutrients in food is lackluster, there are several studies which find degradation of nutritive value. They also are very high in nnEMF. Our ancestors ate food raw, slow cooked, or heated over a fire.

Examples of biohacking nutrition: Support local farmers at your farmer's market, there you'll find food that's in-season for YOUR climate and connect with foods imprinted with the energy of the land where you live. To be certified organic is expensive, not all small farmers who grow organic will have this certification. Talk to farmers, ask about how they deal with pests, etc.

Try your hand at ancestral food preparation and preservation methods like making bone broth and fermentation. If you can chop vegetables & work a crock pot, you can ferment & make broth! 

Cook wear to be avoided always includes aluminum and any and all non-stick (yes, this includes greenpan/always pan/other non-stick coowear claiming to be "green" or "non-toxic"). Studies have shown that PTFE-coated cookware releases various gases and chemicals that present mild to severe toxicity even when used at normal cooking temperatures.[5] Plus, soon as they chip or scratch, the [aluminum] core is exposed and  the coating can flake into your food, rendering them no longer safe to use. Guilty until proven innocent.

Cast iron, stainless steel, and ceramic cookware are all great options to cook food on the stove or in the oven. A toaster oven or a pot on the stove are very easy to use and way worth the few extra minutes when you start to look into the consequences of using a microwave...[6]

A Rewilded Lifestyle: Natural Biohacking Solutions for Modernity

There’s no denying that our modern society has made many advancements that are of great benefit to us, such as life saving surgeries and access to all of mankind’s information (cellphone) which fits in our pocket. But on the flip side of the coin, there are some areas in which we’ve gone too far for our own good. Some things that may have started out as well-intentioned have become a convenience to the point of our detriment. 

Clothing & Footwear

Clothing

Just as we know it is important to carefully consider the quality and sustainability of the food we eat, we should do the same with what we wear: What is it made of, where did it come from, and is it beneficial for the land and our bodies?

We avoid plastics in tupperware and water bottles, yet many of us are wearing plastic every day. Synthetic clothing is like wearing a ziplock bag. As your body or the sun warms up the fibers (e.g. polyester), the heat can't escape, absorption of these plastics and any chemical dyes is enhanced. These materials tend to have a shorter lifespan and end up in the landfill.

In one study, men who wore a polyester sling around the scrotum were rendered completely azoospermic. In other words, polyester sterilized them.[7]

Check the tags on your pants and underwear, the contents most likely includes polyester or similar synthetics. Cradling your family jewels with plastic fibers generates an electrostatic field effect and a disordered thermoregulatory effect which can render fertile men sterile.

Phthalates are a group of chemicals which includes polyester, which we know are endocrine disruptors and suppress testosterone. (Another study showed men who wore polyester underwear had less sex.[8])

Even if you are not wearing a polyester scrotum sling day and night (bc who is), if you are spending a large amount of time with plastic up against your manhood, well, there won't be as much manhood.

When it comes to what you wear, look for natural fibers: (organic) cotton, hemp, linen, wool, leather. These are the fibers our ancestors wore and have supported healthy humans for all of time, up until recent times when we ditched quality & health in favor of cheap & disposable. Natural fibers are healthy for you and the plant, as well as being temperature regulating, biodegradable, and durable.

Of course there are exceptions for performance materials, such as waterproof jackets and durable socks. By choosing healthy materials 90% of the time, we can feel good about utilizing the best of modern materials the other 10% of the time.

Footwear

Biohack your feet: What if you could improve brain function, enhance your strength and balance, and reduce inflammation all by choosing the right shoes? Because you can!

Most modern shoes prevent natural movement of the foot, which causes the lower body to atrophy and deadens proprioception. Minimalist footwear uses less assistive technology and provides ample foot freedom and biofeedback, allowing for more natural movement and development of the feet.

In addition to being minimalist footwear, Earth Runners sandals are also GROUNDED! While most modern footwear feature insulating soles that keep you separate from the ground beneath your feet, Earth Runners keep you connected to the electric heartbeat of the earth: the Schumann Resonance. 

1. Minimal soles allow ample biofeedback (sensory information) to make its way from the soles of your feet, all the way to your brain![9]
2. A wide toe box allows for unrestricted toe splay, which promotes inherent stability and support for a strong and balanced body.[10]
3. Conductive footwear allows for the body-earth ion exchange effects of earthing, which is anti-inflammatory.[11]

Rather than choosing unnatural, stiff, narrow, insulating shoes, look for footwear that allows your feet to move, splay, and connect naturally. Your feet affect all of your other moments and are the lowest hanging fruit to leverage a healthy lifestyle. 

Bras

3 reasons to ditch the bra: 

Many women grew up hearing that wearing bras prevent breasts from sagging later in life, come to find out that this is completely false!

Spending a lot of time in bras makes your chest muscles weak and things start to depend upon that support–without it, boobs will sag.[12] (Kind of like shoes with arch support weakening your foot's arch muscles!) 

When your muscles are able to do their job (AKA, no bra), the inner workings are engaged to keep things tight & lifted.

However, sagging is the least of my concerns with bras...

Researchers have linked bras to breast cancer. The tight bands can restrict lymphatic drainage, quite literally preventing toxins from leaving the body, increasing risk of cancer. 

Additionally, metal underwire acts like an antenna which attracts electromagnetic radiation, causing molecular changes in cells (like the development of tumors). ️PSA: if you're still keeping your cellphone in your bra, please don't!!!

Best: no bra. And never while sleeping. Otherwise, a loose bralette is the best choice. If you choose a sports bra, look for one that is not super tight (unless it's necessary for a short time, like while running). If you find a bralette that you like but the elastic band is too tight, you can always stretch it out by pulling.

Light and “Sun Protection”

Modern life does not allow for much sun time, and when we do spend time in the sun, it’s often coated in sunscreen & with sunglasses covering our eyes.

Sunglasses are used for both utility and accessory– which may make this information a hard pill to swallow. BUT it’s important info (don’t shoot the messenger…) 

– Our eyes have photoreceptors that communicate with our brain, which communicates with the rest of the body. Wearing sunglasses confuses the body because your eyes aren’t able to accurately sense the light environment.[13]

– Sunglasses screw with your circadian rhythm, which can make you tired during the day & have insomnia at night. Long term sunglasses usage can make you depressed & increase rates of SAD (seasonal affective disorder).[14]

– We didn’t evolve with sunglasses, we evolved with sunlight. When you block this vital information from entering the eyes as it should, it can affect hormone production and mood.[14]

– Sunglasses may negatively impact vision, strain, or even burn the eyes. For example, wearing dark sunglasses can cause the pupils to dilate as if in dark conditions, but this can expose the inner eye to more UV radiation than it would be exposed to without sunglasses.

– Sunglasses aggravate light sensitivity, which essentially creates a reliance on them.[15] If you are someone who can't leave the house without sunglasses, you can work on your sunglasses-induced light sensitivity by transitioning to a wide brimmed hat to help shield the eyes in a natural, safe, and healthy manner.

If you’re going to be in intense light for a long period of time (like skiing), then sunglasses may be warranted. But for the average daily user, hats are a more natural form of aperture control that can prevent the need to squint, without blocking the sunshine nutrient. 

Indoor Lighting

Some experts call indoor lighting one of the worst things of today’s age for human health.

Windows do not provide us with the benefits of sunlight. Glass blocks infrared (healing) and UVB light (vitamin D). The best thing you can do while indoors is open nearby windows to allow full spectrum sun inside.

The spectrum of light we are exposed to most of the day is not only unnaturally skewed blue, it's also static. Outdoors, the light (color + intensity) is constantly changing from sunrise to sunset. But when we sit under indoor lighting and look at our LED screen devices (cell phone, laptop, TV, smart watch, etc.) all day, we're sending our biology really confusing signals... the light information our eyes and skin are taking in says it's mid-day, all day....

You probably know that bright artificial light in the evenings is unnatural. Well, indoor lighting is also often too DIM in the morning and early noon! The luminosity of indoor lighting doesn't even come close to that of the sun. On a clear day, outdoor light is approximately 10000 lux. However, indoors, the area CLOSEST to the window still may barely get 1000 lux, white average luminosity in offices and classrooms is often only 300 lux. [16]

Additionally, artificial lights flicker; the light rapidly turns on and off, (usually) un-perceivable to the human eye. This is a phenomenon that you can observe for yourself by recording a video of your light in slow-mo mode and then watching it back. While the naked eye may not detect it, it has an effect on your biology and is a hidden cause of fatigue, headaches, and concentration difficulties.[17]

Be sure to spend time outside first thing in the morning as well as in the afternoon, and open windows whenever possible.

Modern Conveniences 

Biohacking Technology

The EMF sensitive among us are the canaries in the coal mine. 

In the modern world we are bombarded by EMF day and night. If some of these symptoms sound familiar, and get better when you're deep in nature, and worse when you're using your wifi devices/bluetooth earbuds, then you may be part of the EMF-sensitive 'canary in a coal mine' club. Welcome!

There's no doubt that unnatural man-made electromagnetics have a negative effect on biological life, so even if you are lucky enough to not experience these symptoms (or are unaware of the connection), consider taking steps to reduce your EMF exposure for the sake of your biology. These symptoms can be easily observed, but long-term effects are more serious: leukemia, infertility, adrenal fatigue, tumors, thyroid disease, birth mutations, cancer.[18,19] As a species, this level of EMF exposure is still new. It may take a few generations for us to fully recognize the cost of our high tech world.

Airplane mode is one of the easiest ways you can reduce chronic EMF exposure. It's quick & easy to turn on and off, and doesn't require turning your phone completely off. It's a near perfect solution for not only reducing EMF during the day– but improving your concentration & productivity, too!

Of vital importance for life on earth is connection to earth. When we go barefoot in nature or wear earthing shoes, we share the same electrical potential as the Earth and therefore submerge ourselves in the harmonizing rhythms of the Schumann resonance. This helps offset the damage done by the non-native EMF we are constantly surrounded with in modern life.

Sedentary Lifestyle

Movement isn't a chore, it's a part of life! Exercise is an organized activity, such as participating in sports or going on a run. Crossfit is exercise, crouching to talk to a child is movement.

As biomechanist Katy Bowman says, “Movement is simply a change in geometry, so it also includes all of the human movements that don't burn calories.” Like stepping on a tune-up ball to mobilize your foot, or using the foam roller on your leg. Such movements don’t quickly or clearly link to weight loss, but you have altered the position of your anatomy, acted with and upon your body.

From the cosmos to the microcosm of our biology, life is movement. Planets orbit, seasons change. We move our bodies, and our bodies are always in movement.

Our societal ideas around "exercise" have turned the human biological need for movement into a to-do list item, like a supplement you have to take.

Clinically speaking, exercise is moving the body to extract the health benefits of that particular bout of movement. We isolate particular movements into structured repetitions we take time out of our day to do. 

As an example, deadlift or squatting at the gym is exercise. You take time out of your day to schedule in a session with the weight rack. Movement, on the other hand, is a mindset shift. Put your frequently used dishes in lower cabinets and you'll naturally be moving, squatting, kneeling, raising and lifting multiple times per day.

While it's certainly advantageous for your health to exercise -vs- live sedentary, there's also a difference between living a sedentary life with a 60 minute exercise session scheduled in, versus a lifestyle where you set yourself up to move dynamically throughout the day.

A few ideas to spark inspiration for how you can incorporate more movement into your lifestyle:

- Utilizing lower cabinet space for frequently used items
- Provide floor cushions & other dynamic 'seating" options like low tables or tree stumps.
- Manually open your garage instead of using the remote.
- Standing and squatting workstations.
-Walk or ride your bike if you're traveling in moderate proximity to your house 👣

Toilet: Liberate Your Bowls

Even something as intimate as doin’ yo’ business has been shaped by society. When you sit to eliminate, there is an obstruction at the entrance to the rectum, which can cause blockages and requires extra strain.

Squatting on the other hand relaxes the puborectalis muscle, which straightens the bowel, allowing for a quick and complete elimination.

Squatting is how we pooped for millennia, and several countries, particularly across Asia, still use squatting toilets to this day. In our Western culture, you can adapt your throne to promote a squatting position with the addition of a stool underfoot. 

OR, skip the stool and instead perch your feet on the edge of the toilet bowl itself (with the toilet seat up of course--be polite) to achieve a full flat footed squat. This is only recommended for more coordinated and nimble Earth Runners.

Hygiene & Cosmetics

Our ancestors certainly did not bathe every day, but did they smell?

Well, I mean yes, but people always smell. Where the distinction is, is whether people smell "bad" when they don't shower.

In our modern society, natural smells are covered up with synthetic fragrance, and our perspective has become warped. In Elizabethan times, women would cut up slices of apples and keep them in their armpits to later present to suitors!

We do not need to wash our hair every day, and we certainly do not need to scrub down with body wash every day.[20] The skin has its own biome and natural regulating processes. When we bathe too often, we dry out our skin, which can lead to oily hair and an oily face, and dry legs, elbows, and knees.

Fragrance: The New Secondhand Smoke

Have you ever walked into a store with candles, bathbombs, or other cosmetics and left with a headache, sore throat, or itchy nose? Those of us who are more sensitive may have already connected the dots between artificial fragrances and feeling foggy. While fragrances have become quite normalized, many haven't considered the consequences or made the connection between the checmicals in their products and "allergies" or migraines. But for the more sensitive among us, reactions can be immediate, but we are all at risk for the long-term effects of toxic fragrances.[21]

“Fragrance” (or “parfum”) is listed as an ingredient in practically everything these days: body wash, shampoo, soap, perfume, laundry detergent, fabric softener, hairspray, dish soap, household cleaning products… the list goes on and on. While any of these may list the ambiguous “fragrance” as an ingredient, they all have very different scents. Which leads us to the question: what exactly does “fragrance” mean?

Seeing the word fragrance or parfum on an ingredient list indicates a “trade secret” recipe that can be composed of hundreds of synthetic chemicals, selected from a database of 5,000 various components. Not only are companies not required to disclose which chemicals they use, none of these thousands of chemicals has to be tested for safety. There are some that have been studied, and the health effects are seriously scary. Reproductive harm, respiratory issues, and some of these fragrance chemicals are known neurotoxins. [22,23,24]

"Fragrance" has been linked to: 

• Endocrine disruption
• Hormone imbalance
• Brain fog
• Memory and concentration issues
• ADHD
• Headaches and migraines
• Allergies
• Respiratory problems
• Birth defects
• Damaged sperm

Rather than exposing yourself and everyone around you to the new secondhand smoke, consider switching to natural alternatives: pure essential oils, plant essences, and hyrdrosols. Once you step away from artificial smells, you'll find your nose recalibrates and you may even detest the smells you once thought you "needed"! Further along your rewilding journey, you might even go completely fragrance-free.

Shaving

Shaving is part of the war on women​ (and men)​- not just psychologically, but physically. (The campaign ​for women ​to ​have bald child-like bodies is only about 100yrs old!)

Shaving creates micro-abrasions, which open the door for toxic chemicals to enter directly into ​the bloodstream. Whether your pits, face, or nether regions, it's time to re-think not only the shaving products we use, but the very tools themselves.

Razors typically feature some version of a moisture strip. Have you ever looked at the ingredients? Here​ are just a few ingredients ​found in most popular brands:​ ​Sodium Stearate, Propylene Glycol, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Titanium Dioxide, PEG-90M, PEG-45M, Fragrance, PEG-7M, Polyquaternium-10, Tetrasodium Etidronate, Pentasodium Pentetate, Phenoxyethanol, BHT, Red 33, Red 4, Yellow 10.

​Many of these ingredients are known or suspected carcinogens, and some, like Polyethylene Glycol​, enhance permeability and are specifically outlined per the MSDS sheet ​as potentially harmful if absorbed through the skin.[25]

Ethylene oxide is a known human carcinogen; PEG compounds have shown evidence of genotoxicity, and if used on broken skin (like microabrasions​ ​caused by shaving) can cause​ ​systemic toxicity.​[26,27] ​Titanium Dioxide​ is ​​of concern for cancer, organ system toxicity, ​& is classified as toxic or harmful.[28]​ ​Fragrance​ is a blanket-term for a "trade secret" chemical cocktail, the contents of which are not required to be disclosed.​[29]

Companies can make a razor sound nice (“aloe moisturizing strip” or "made with shea butter") but this is just greenwashing, the ingredients list is likely to look a lot like the one listed above.​ ​So what to do? Sugaring is a non-toxic alternative to waxing that you can DIY with a couple organic ingredients; you could also go for a metal safety razor. Or, you could embrace your adult human physiology and go all-natural.​

Menstrual Products

Conventional pads & tampons are made of cotton (one of the most heavily sprayed crops in the world [30]) and sometimes polyester (plastic derived from crude oil) or rayon (man-made, cellulosic fiber).

Menstrual products are bleached to get them bright white; a process which creates dioxins as a byproduct, of which the EPA says there are NO safe levels.[31] Dioxins are know as "persistent organic pollutants": they don't break down; instead, they accumulate with repetitive exposure (like using tampons every month).

Not to mention, many brands use additional chemicals in the forms of artificial fragrances and deodorizers which are toxic enough when you're exposed to them in the air, let alone when they are being inserted into the body.

Using a tampon means inserting glyphosate, dioxin and chlorine directly into one of the most porous and absorbent mucous membrane's of the human body, for several days or even a week at a time.

Due to their categorization by the FDA as a ‘medical device’, manufacturers aren’t required to adhere to the (loose) chemical or labeling regulations that are in place for foods, drugs, or cosmetics.

Safe alternatives:

🩸100% Organic cotton tampons - a conventional option with healthy materials.
🩸Menstrual cup - not only safer, but a lower waste and budget-friendly option as one cup can last you a decade.
🩸Period undies - good for light days, or pair with a cup if you need backup.
🩸Reusable pads - you can find these made from organic cotton, they are non-toxic & save money!

Rewild your bathing process:

- Invest in a shower filter. When you're showering, you absorb the water contaminants (especially if you do hot showers, which enhances skin permeability & absorption).

- Progressively add an extra day between hair washes. Your hair type will play a large part in how often you "need" to wash it, but in general, going 3 days between washes is a good starting place.

- In general, soap should only be used on pits & bits. Choose a mild unscented soap, like Dr Bronners castile soap.

- Wash your face with warm water and a washcloth. If you need to remove makeup, instead of using biome-disrupting soaps (that typically contain a host of other unhealthy ingredients), use something like organic jojoba oil.

Body Care 

Body care is more than just what you put ON your body. Body care is what you put IN your body and how you USE your body, too!

Stop scrubbing yourself clean of a good biome.

Not only is society’s infatuation with sanitizer NOT associated with GOOD health, it’s actually associated with POOR health.

Antimicrobial soaps and sanitizers don't discriminate– they kill off the good and the bad. The Earth is losing about 1,000 species per year–much faster than is natural. Similarly, we much less gut biome diversity than someone in the Amazon that has not been introduced to Western medicine, diet, and lifestyle.[32]

That's not even to mention the nasty ingredients in most detergents, sanitizers, and soaps. About 75% of liquid antibacterial soaps contain a chemical called triclosan– this active ingredient is thought to be partly responsible for the global increase in antibiotic resistance. Bacterial resistance is first on the list of health effects linked to this chemical.

Triclosan is released directly into domestic wastewater systems, and being a poorly soluble chemical, it accumulates in the environment–like in agricultural soils and surface waters–and is difficult to remove.

This stuff is invasive– researchers have even found triclosan in human breast milk (one study found it in ~60% of breast milk samples), urine, and blood plasma.🤱 Further studies have explored a link between triclosan and endocrine disruption.[33,34]

Biohacking For Beginners: Where to Start

Once you start seeing how disconnected and sometimes toxic modern society has become, it can feel too overwhelming to know where to start. We've broken down some biohacking for beginners steps, starting with what is easiest and cheapest (or free) to implement and working up from there.

Phase 1 of rewilding is the cutting out and free swaps phase. Examples of biohacking in Phase 1 include tossing home and body products that contain toxic chemicals (antiperspirant, antibacterial soaps, dryer sheets, cleaning products, etc.). We can look around our home for “free” alternatives that we already own, like using baking soda & vinegar to clean with, and coconut oil for cooking & for skin. This is where we wean ourselves off of toxic products and unhealthy habits. We spend a few minutes barefoot in the backyard in the mornings. The low hanging fruit.

Phase 2 rewilding takes a deeper dive into lifestyle. Here, we take a look at what makes a truly healthy human: a life of movement, ample sunshine, living water, clean air, a real food traditional diet, and meaningful relationships. As you progress down your phase 2 rewilding journey, you may find yourself using less and less "body care" products as your body finds symbiosis, and discover that you can really tell the difference when you forget to turn the wifi off at night or when a day passes and you miss the chance to connect to the sun.

And maybe, if you're the hardcore among us, you may even enter phase 3. Full primal (wo)man status. Legs unshaven, beard untrimmed. Bathing? Only if you count cold plunges in the river! You squat to poop, are fully in tune with your menstrual cycle, wear all natural fibers, and full-heartedly believe your earthing sandals are appropriate for every event!

Takeaway: The Biohacking Lifestyle

As epigenetics has shown: you are partly what you inherit, but you are also what you input. Genes not only control, but are also controlled. Your genetic template is flexible; your environment plays a leading role in gene expression, and with natural biohacking solutions in your toolbox, you have the power to optimize your biology.

 References

1. Blue Light has a dark side. Harvard Health. (2020a, July 7). https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/blue-light-has-a-dark-side
2. Hulbert AJ. Explaining longevity of different animals: is membrane fatty acid composition the missing link? Age (Dordr). 2008 Sep;30(2-3):89-97. doi: 10.1007/s11357-008-9055-2. Epub 2008 May 31. PMID: 19424859; PMCID: PMC2527634.
3. Ayala A, Muñoz MF, Argüelles S. Lipid peroxidation: production, metabolism, and signaling mechanisms of malondialdehyde and 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal. Oxid Med Cell Longev. 2014;2014:360438. doi: 10.1155/2014/360438. Epub 2014 May 8. PMID: 24999379; PMCID: PMC4066722.
4. Ip C, Carter CA, Ip MM. Requirement of essential fatty acid for mammary tumorigenesis in the rat. Cancer Res. 1985 May;45(5):1997-2001. PMID: 3921234.
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