This is the Art Beauty podcast where we tell the real truth about the fake shit. Hi everybody. I'm ever today my fabulous co-host is friend of the show Jennifer Hanway. She's a board certified holistic nutritionist and just my go to expert on pretty much everything these days.
I feel like welcome, babe It's good to see you. Back at you. I feel like we should publish our text messages, some kinds of all the stuff that we get to chat about. It is so great.
And I got to say, you are just such a fan favorite. I know everybody listening just loves your advice. I just can't get enough of it.
And today we've got a really cool topic that we're talking about. I feel like that I've seen really trend on my podcast and it's just idea of biohacking for people who might not be familiar. We're going to be talking specifically about biohacking devices that you use and love. So before we get into sort of the fun tech gear, can you explain to everybody a little bit what biohacking is? Right. Yeah. So there's no definition, there's no Wikipedia definition.
But really what we're thinking about when we're thinking about biohacking is tools and devices that can help optimize our health to facilitate a specific response or a specific change in the body. So it's not supplements, products, skin care. It's like that next level.
And it's that technology and those tools. Okay, cool. So in terms of the tools and the gear that you're liking, because I know now there's these giant conferences like everybody's talking about biohacking. And it's interesting that you're saying it's not the supplement, It's not this because we've had some people on there who who say that, you know, by doing anything where you're changing your biology is technically biohacking, but you kind of disagree with that. Exactly.
I mean, you can think about the term in bio relating to our body, to our biology. The towel hacking actually means using something for a different purpose, but it was originally intended. Oh, okay. That actually is.
But I don't see that so much in the biohacking space. So yes, you can think of supplements, even tweaking your nutrition, doing something like fasting. All of those things could be considered biohacking. So me, I always think it's about next level of, all right, what is it that we can add in to our daily routine that might involve a piece of tech or just something a little bit different? I love that. Okay, so let's get right into it because you've got five devices that you are that I find are very fascinating. So why don't you just well, I'm going to let you spill the tea.
Go right ahead. So my first one and it's on my desk here and this is oh, it's not plugged in, but this is a daylight light. So what this does is this gives us the same type of rays that we would get from normal sunshine.
So you're based in New York and based in Boston. When was the last time we saw the sun? I mean, I make a point in in either like late January or February to always do a vacation somewhere because I am somebody who gets seasonal affective disorder in the sun, not being outside, not having the light. I get very just depressed. So I so for me, I saw the sun not so long ago. But I will tell you recently I've been really kind of like how quickly that that optimism goes away. And I've just been kind of like mopey dopey because I realize that they're dim like I'm not outside.
We need it for our souls. And even right now, even on the East Coast, I mean, we've been relatively lucky with the weather touch wood, but I can't think in the last couple of weeks we lost all the sunshine. Did you just say touch wood? Is that I'm saying is that the word that, you know what, ten years in the U.S.. Yeah.
That's really that that's great. Is that like, you know, like something lucky. Yeah, exactly. I love that. Thank you for that. Okay, great. And the things we learn here.
Okay, so I'm going to just, like, touch wood, everything, right? Kirby Right. So we have been lucky. We you know, it was it was a fairly mild winter, but still too cold to be, like, outside doing your, like, walks.
Yeah. Enjoy the sunshine. It is. It's good. Two things, as you say, it's it's good for mental health.
Seasonal affective disorder is real. It affects so many people. But I think even if you haven't been diagnosed a seasonal affective disorder, we still know that sunshine is good for us. So. Right. And the other part is it's good for something called circadian rhythms. This Akkadian rhythm governs your sleep wake cycle, your energy when you feel energized in the morning, when you feel sleepy in the evening.
And if we're not getting that daylight or we're stuck in our offices, we're not going to be able to regulate our circadian rhythm, which is the regulation of everything, including our hormones. So I have a daylight lamp on my desk. When I wake up in the morning, I pop it on for little while, maybe half an hour. You can also do the same with an alarm clock so you can get daylight alarm clocks that wake you up naturally with that natural light.
And this is on my desk. I have it on for half an hour in the morning when we would normally be finding that sunlight. And it can just help with mood and mental cognition and your energy levels. And for me, with biohacking devices, I want things that are just going to be easy and I can incorporate into my life.
Amen to that, sister. I mean, when you get some of these devices that are just like super complicated, you basically need to be like a neurosurgeon to operate them. No interest. Interesting thing about that. So you're only leaving this on for a half hour day.
So this isn't something that you need to leave on from roughly like 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.. Okay. I just I got mine on first thing in the morning. Maybe if it's like a really dark day and I haven't got any daylight and I've got to push through in the afternoon, I might pop it on for a little bit after lunch.
So I think that always is like the better for you coffee and so what it's going to do, it just gives you that little boost. You know, as humans we are meant to be energized when the sun is out. So. So I am so relating to this now. First of all, I'm not ever giving up my morning cup of Joe Tomato, which is not going to happen. But I have been trying to propagate plants and it's the worst time to do. I started in February because one of my plants was not doing well.
I needed to cut it, trim it. I don't want to digress too much. The propagation was not going well.
I bought a a daylight lamp for my plan to grow light and they have been doing so incredibly well. No change in the environment other than the fact that I run this lamp for them. So, you know, they're kind of feeling like it's spring because they're getting that light that they need from, you know, and I keep it on for them, like 88. I'm really afraid, though. I'm like, Here. You go, babies.
So, yeah, So we know that light is really important for life. Exactly. So and what I love for me, all of these tools and gadgets, they have to fit into my everyday life.
I love to do something that can benefit my health while I'm doing something else. So this doesn't mean that I have to step away from my desk and sit in front of it for hours or do anything. I can just put it on my desk when I need a little boost. And I really think it's a game changer.
And I'm going to make sure that I take all of your links, because I also know that you get you've got some interesting promotions for some of these brands. I want to make sure to put those into the show notes. So if you want to see the specific ones that Jennifer's using, I'll make sure to include that.
Okay, what's the next thing? Okay, so the next one is this guy here. This is an ring. Now. Mine is the ugly version.
Okay? You can get them to look like better jewelry, but I have such small hands, I had to get the most fitted one. Okay. Let me see you put up close. So, yeah, it's not very. I don't think it's.
Very nice, but I know now that they really look like just kind of like a gold ring. They look like. I mean, they even have they have one that has a collaboration with Gucci. I mean, if they're listening, I need to wear that one for you. Yes, you have.
I think it's at $2,000. Yeah. We want to drop the big bucks on one. But this is a most people will consider this a tracking device. So it tracks my sleep, it tracks my workouts, it tracks my body temperature, it tracks my heart rate variability, it tracks my beats per minute, my heart rate.
And I went back and forth and back and forth on track is until I used a good one. Right? And my thing with any tracking device and we talk about this when we talk about continuous blood glucose monitors as well, the only helpful if they facilitate behavior change, right? So we would call it in the UK. And here's another one for you.
All the gear and no idea. I mean, yeah, I mean, and I know exactly what that means because I feel like I used to have a closet for every one of these things that I would pick up and I'd be like, I'm going to buy all the stuff. I'm going to buy boxing gloves and boxing wraps. And then it'd be like two weeks later it just sits. And so. Exactly.
So my thing is only track something if you are willing to change it, because tracking doesn't take tracking doesn't make me benefits. But if you're willing to change something, if that data gives you that impetus, which for a lot of people it does, then I think it's really helpful. So for me, it was really helpful in the things that I my step count. For example, you know, now this 10,000 steps, it's a bit of an arbitrary number.
It's not really based in any kind of health, but it shows us how much we're moving our bodies. Yes. In New York. So I have an apple Watch.
Now, I will say I've heard amazing things about the aura ring. I have not yet taken the plunge because they're not inexpensive. One of the things that I love about the aura ring, though, is I don't wear my watch at night. I know you can, but like. Yeah, right. That's what I'm charging it.
And I don't want that cumbersome thing on my wrist with the ring. It's very, you know, I wear my I wear my wedding rings at night, so it seems like a way more user friendly. Once you won't have to make you're fine hiking to feel weird when you're not wearing it.
Okay. Now, just like anything, it's not going to be 100% accurate. Sure. But we want to look at trends. So we want to look how is my sleep improving? How is my resting heart rate? How is my heart rate variability? So it helps us identify trends and then it also helps us to know how ready we are the next day. Oh, does that mean So what that means is it looks at our sleep, so it's going to track our sleep and we'll know whether we've had that deep sleep, that REM sleep, how restful we were not sleep really tossing and turning, but also by tracking our resting heart rate and our heart rate variability. Those are two measurements that show us how well our body deals with stress, how we are.
And then how well we can deal with stress the next day. So if you've had a really great night's sleep and your heart rate variability is higher or high and your resting blood rate, your resting heart rate is low, you're good, you're good to go, you can go push it in that workout. However, if your resting heart rate is a little bit higher, your body temperature is a little bit higher and your heart rate variability is lower. This is when your body might be under a little bit more stress and it might be just like, let's just skip the pelvis on a go for a walk. Wow. Interesting. So this kind of can give you some insight because sometimes I'm like, just push it through.
You know, we've talked about exercise so much on this, and there are days when you're just like, I don't want to do this, but I get in there and I do my weights. But interesting, there might be days where you're like, Let's take it a little easier because physically we're just not up to the task. Yeah, exactly. Great. Okay. Interesting. Very interesting.
You know, the new beauty editors love this device. And I know there's been many iterations of it, but it's one of the ones that it's one of the ones that I'm still on the fence about. But I'm I'm gearing more towards this just because I love having that data. It's it's it's so helpful especially if you that person that tries to push through. Yeah. And obviously again it's just a guide. You know for example, you might sleep badly one night, but you wake up in the morning and you still feel great.
Go for it. Right. But it just gives us about a little bit more data. And to me, you know, my diet, diet and that's my job.
My fitness is down and that's my job. I'm pretty good at sleeping, just like most of us. My stress management is really challenging. So for me, the variable that I was trying to change on there, the number that I was trying to change, is my heart rate variability and HIV and that is a measurement of how well our body responds to stress, how resilient we are, what our 2023 buzzword is going to be. Resilience. Oh I like sure.
It. Yeah. Hey yeah. So because we all know that we have we all know that we have stress in our lives. Yes we do. And we can't take away the stress. But what can we do to mitigate that stress and help our body manage it? So we're going to be seeing a lot more devices that help regulate on nervous system.
So that'll be the next thing that we talking about. But heart rate variability, the higher it is, the better your body is able to deal with stress. Oh, nice. I'm glad you explain that to us. I would have thought that a high h RV would be like not a good sign.
But this is good. This is good. Yeah. So you want the lower your resting heart rate, the more healthy you are. Right? I'd like to say I'm actually in the athlete category for my age. Just nice.
Yes, but Harry, variability. You want more heart rate variability. Okay. Okay. So this is a great device and I love that you said before we're going to be looking at trends.
It's not an exact science, but certainly going back to my Apple Watch, some days it'll be like you walked 20,000 steps and then there are days where it's like you walked a thousand. And I'm like, Oh dear God. But at least is buzzing at me like every couple hours to stand up. So, yes, using these devices and more. And as you said, if you're going to use it to make a change, what's third on your list? Okay. So we were talking about tracking.
Yeah. Now we've talked about external, we've talked about wearables. Now the next one we'll talk about is the continuous blood glucose monitor. This is so freaking cool.
Okay. Yes, I was looking into this. It seems really. Cool. So this is when we're talking about accuracy. This is pretty accurate.
Now, when I work with my clients, we do a ton of lab testing because I always say Test, don't get your blood doesn't lie, right? And what a continuous blood glucose monitor does or you'll see them called CGM is that they actually insert a sensor into your skin. Sounds painful. It's really not. And that is constantly monitoring your blood glucose or your blood sugar. And so it's feedback.
So you have you insert into your arm. It's not painful at all. And those tiny, it's about the right. Then you put a little patch over it. If you've ever had that kind of kinesiology, take one of these patches, goes over them once. So now you don't really think about it. Right.
And what it does is, is a tiny sensor and it's like have the hair thin filament that goes into the bloodstream that is constantly measuring your blood sugar levels, sending the data to an app on your phone, and that can tell you how your body is responding to the food you eat, too, the exercise that you're doing, and even your stress levels. Now, this is probably based on I'm going to make a giant assumption here. But, you know, and since you mentioned Peloton before, people who are familiar with Peloton, people who know Robin, they've seen her wear that device.
That is a glucose tracking device, Correct. I mean, for because she's diabetic. So so that's why I'm bringing that up is essentially that this is safe technology and it is proven technology because people who whose lives depend on this type of a tracking.
Exactly. So that's how it was. It was developed for type one diabetics. So they didn't have to keep doing the finger prick every morning to measure that. And so that was what has now happened, is that the FDA has now approved this for consumer technology. So these have been around for a long, long time.
Okay. And it's not the other thing is it's not putting anything into your body. It's just measuring something. There's nothing else about that. So this is very same technology that's been around for such a long time. And now it's moving more into the consumer market so people can use it to measure their blood sugar level.
And we know we've heard so much about blood sugar balance over the last few years. We know how important blood sugar balances for so many parts of our lives. And this is a great way to find out what is spiking your blood sugar, because we know it's added sugar and pastries and alcohol and wine and all of those things. But you and I might respond very differently to a sweet potato or a piece of pizza. Right.
Also, you know what? There's also sneaky we've talked about this before, but they're sneaky sugars that they put in things that are seemingly healthy. Right. I got a college in supplement and when I looked at it, I was like, wow, there's a lot of sugar in here. You know, something that is supposed to be good that I immediately threw in the trash. I mean, let's let's talk about now another time, because collagen supplements with sugar, it's sugar destroys with collagen in your skin.
Yeah. So you're just at why why. Should be. So silly right now but all these but it's good to you know when we're talking about these devices too it can be really helpful if you are somebody who's tuned into your health to to kind of for accountability of some of these things that we're doing and taking.
One 100%. And also just how your body responds. So we obviously know what foods are going to spike our blood sugar, but because of our different physiology, you might respond very differently to something that I respond to.
I think also positive feedback is really great as well. You know, I, I know the science behind food. I know the science behind what food does to all bloodstream. But actually being able to see that in real life is super helpful, right? I love seeing my blood sugar go down after I've worked out because we know, you know, again, it's is positive reinforcement.
The thing that I found fascinating is how my blood sugar spikes when I get stressed. Wow. Okay. So scientifically, I know that this happens. I know the mechanism behind it. But to see it happen and it happens like that, it's so, so quick because it's a fight or flight response. So when we are stressed out, our body releases glucose to give us quick fuel.
Yeah. Now that's great if you're running fighting a CVT tiger, if you're just checking an email. But I would look back at my blood sugar knowing exactly what I'd eat and I'd see these spikes and I'd be like, What was that? And I was like, Oh, that's when this thing happened. That's when nothing happened.
So that was such a takeaway for me of blood sugar and stress. Now this is something that I so, so so the ordering is is interesting. But I got to tell you, when I was looking into this is by Cygnus, right? This one. Yeah. So there's there's a number of companies in the U.S. The one I use is by Cygnus. Yet I was like this This to me is where I think I might do my investment because diabetes also runs in my families and my father was pre-diabetic and a person.
I've never had any blood sugar issues, but it's really good to kind of be on top of that sort of thing. Exactly. And you don't have to wear it all of the time. Okay. Wear it for a month. Find your trends.
Right? Right, right. Yeah. So it doesn't have to be all of the time. Great. Okay. All right. Loving this. And then, of course, you know, they have I feel like when I was looking on, you know, people are using this for weight loss management. Certainly, as you said, it's a good indicator of stress.
So, so many benefits here. I mean, high blood sugar doesn't necessarily have to be for just weight loss or just mental. I mean, metabolism is such a broad term and we think it period, times of calories and calories out. But also when we have it, we could be a normal, healthy weight and still have disregulated blood sugar. Right. And these things don't just affect our metabolism.
It affects our mood, It affects our mental health effects on aging, inflammation, skin, aging. So there's a lot more to blood sugar balance than just weight loss, not it. Okay. So we have, I believe, two. More divided of. Okay, now.
All right. Now this is where they get fun. So I brought one with me. One of the other ones is a little bit teabag that this beautiful contraption I was, but this is my LSD, red light mask. And this is, as you and I have talked about before as well, because there are so many devices available for skin care.
And you and I are been back and forth like, what do we like? What do we think is worth spending our money on what isn't? And I honestly think I've had one of these for a couple of years now. And I think red light masks are game changers for us being changers. We did it. We did entire podcast on that about the benefits. So if you haven't heard that, I highly suggest you do.
We also talk about some of the different devices and and really more in a broad spectrum of what you want to look for in a device. The things that you know are kind of signals that maybe it's not the best device out there. But I will tell you, I was doing red light this morning. It's something you need to do consistently, but I've really incorporated it because it's not a giant, massive trend.
But there's just a difference. I can just I feel like I've got my skin looks better. I again. I think it's short term and long term, so it's great in the short term, but I also see in the long term as well. So clarity glow. Just general youthfulness. Yes.
If I don't use it, I see a difference. And you know, my friends will always be like, all right, you know, what's what's the what's the reasons behind all of these things? And I say to them, if you're going to spend money on anything, any tool, it's the red light mask. The red light mask. I am I'm in agreement.
It's the one thing that I do religiously have incorporated and it's religious. Okay. So you like the higher dose one? I like this one. And and I got to say to the one that I'm using right now is the DPL to a you have to hold it like a book. Very powerful lights it has three minute.
So so we talked about this in the podcast. I want to go too much into this because you can listen to that one. You know, I spoke with a doctor who is not affiliated with any brand, but she thought that, you know, the 15 minute range is really what you need to get to.
DPL says, nope, three, three minute treatment throughout the day works. Sometimes they just do it for 3 minutes because I can sit for 3 minutes and do anything for 3 minutes. And I'm telling you, I do notice a difference when I'm doing it. So but I think that's yeah. 10 minutes and I meditate at the same time.
And those are so easy too. I have a version of that where you can strap it on as well. It does make it so easy. Yeah. The issue for me is when I have the one that straps on, I want to open my eyes and like it's safe.
It you probably don't want to do it for a long time now. So. Okay so, so pick your poison. But we are both in agreement. The red light is worth it. Yeah.
And then the last thing. And then the last one is the infrared sort of blanket. Yeah. So you have talked about this before? Yeah, mine's from higher dose, but there are a number brands out there.
This is who I used to do pre-pandemic. I used to go out and do my salty workouts and then I would go a few doors down and then I would do an infrared sauna. And I love it. I have had higher heavy metal levels in the past, so that's one of the reasons why I did infrared.
So what is in front of those have so many benefits they can be really helpful for heavy metal detoxification. Wow. Okay. I thought it was just kind of like a feel good sort of a. All of those. It does. Yeah, that it does.
But yeah, but infrared sauna is do have some benefits for helping your body naturally detoxify heavy metals. Wow. Okay. And you've actually because I know that you know your blood.
So you've seen a difference at this. Yep. So I two, I tested mine a lot and we're not talking about mercury poisoning. That's a whole different thing. It just higher, higher levels of heavy metals. And honestly, we see this when we do the work with them. Doctor Zach in the clinic that we see this in, 99% of our patients have, right, because of environmental toxins living in the city, etc., etc..
So anything that we can do to help regulate our bodies, natural detoxification pathways. So there's a couple of phases to detoxification, but in a nutshell, we want to get the toxin out of the cell and then we want to excrete it from the body. But the way we excreted are peeing, pooping and breathing and sweating, right? So what infrared sorters do is that they help to one release of toxins from the cell, but to get them out of the body. And then also they have these wonderful repair and anti inflammation and collagen boosting effects as well.
So I would do this religiously two times a week. I would go to the infrared base and then I'll see panned out. Okay. And it closed down and I really missed it. So I got the sauna blanket and have been a convert ever since because it slides under my bed.
It's super easy to clean and I can lie in that. I can wear my red light mask. The cats are like, What's going on? My husband's so used to it, he's like, Hi, what's it in it? But I love it because it's it's it really does make a difference and it feels like a really big piece of kit. But it's I think they're like $500 to buy. Yeah. Yeah.
I mean and it's it's an investment and they're going to last a long time. You know, I just have to give a shout out to the husbands right now and anybody I know when I do my red light, my husband loves it because he calls me Doctor Doom. I guess Dr.
Doom was like a some sort of comic book character or something, but he's like, You look exactly like doctor. You you're wearing your doctor doom mask. But I do the strap on. Yeah, but God bless them, right? Because they're like, Oh, boy.
Yeah, whatever. Whatever you need, babe. You know? Yeah. I warn my husband when I'm wearing it because it freaks about a little bit. Yeah, the cats don't seem to notice. I'll just climb of by chance when I'm wearing it. But.
But they can use them too. Yeah. No, no, no. I mean, he's tried, but, you know, it's not his thing, but I. Think he gets a good kick every time I wear it. Because you. You.
You do look a little. Silly, but, hey. You know. Whatever it takes, whenever it takes. Yeah. Okay. I want to thank you so, so much for being on here. You know, if people want to know more about your services, where can they go? Best place to come and find me is on Instagram at Jennifer Hanway or www.jenniferhanway.com Very easy to find.
And I hope it's okay because I know I signed up for your newsletter. I love your newsletter and that's where I first learned about these biohacking devices. Are you okay if I share your links in there because we. Do out of them. Yeah.
And I will send you I'll send you some updated ones as well, because, you know, we know that stuff gets expensive. Yeah. So, So wherever. We can. Save. Exactly. Oh, Jen, it's so great to have you on here. I just absolutely adore you.
If anybody has questions that they want me to pass on to Jennifer, I'm always happy to do that. You can email me at hello@artbeautypodcast.com find us on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube @artbeautypodcastt.
And as always, we will see you next Tuesday, hopefully looking and feeling just a little bit better by right.
2023-04-10