Biohacking and self-development

2022-02-10 23:52:21 Factors Leading to Micronutrient Loss in Food

Healthy foods not only need to be prepared properly, but also stored correctly so it gives the most benefits to your body!

To do this, you should avoid:
Long-term storage of foods.
More than 50% of micronutrients are destroyed after three days of storing cooked food.

Inappropriate food storage.
Vitamin B2 in carrots, e.g., is destroyed by light. Vitamin B15 breaks down in water. It is also not recommended to store food in plastic.

Improper production and preparation.
Peeling fruits and grains from their shells and refining them. Also vitamins are destroyed by overly high temperatures, reheating. Open / Comment

2022-02-09 23:52:43 Development of neuroplasticity

Such a phenomenon can be compared to yoga, where we are frozen in unaccustomed, uncomfortable asanas all the time. In the same way, the brain needs to be placed in new conditions: visiting new places, solving crossword puzzles, reading books, learning to dance and mastering unfamiliar sports.

You don't even have to devote loads of time to this. Even your daily routine can be woven into useful habits that force your brain to form new connections. Such as:

Sometimes change your route from work to home.
Instead of the common TV shows, switch to documentaries and educational videos.
At times watch TV without sound and try to lip-read what the characters are saying. This same exercise is great for developing empathy.
Eating with your left hand instead of your right one and vice versa.

Frequently the brain performs unfamiliar tasks, the more connections its cells will form, the more plastic and adaptive it will become. Open / Comment

2022-02-08 22:31:51 Replaying the past day

There is one pretty simple but effective "trainer" for improving memory. Every day before going to bed, scroll through the past 24 hours like after watching a feature film.

Recall all the details of the day from waking up to the current moment. The more details you spell out to yourself, the better. Recollect everything down to the tiny detail. What you ate, who you talked to, who you paid attention to, etc.

In addition to pumping up your memory, this method can help you analyze your habitual actions and possibly change things for the better. Open / Comment

2022-02-07 21:43:39 Getting rid of stress with chicory

Caffeine, as the most active ingredient in coffee, can aggravate the state of stress — it contributes to an even greater production of adrenaline and cortisol.

The problem is often not the situation, but the reaction to it. We don't even notice how we over-stimulate our own nervous system both physically and chemically.

Chicory contains no caffeine and helps balance your condition throughout the day.

Keep in mind that the healthy fiber it contains feeds the peaceful inhabitants of the large intestine. The beneficial bacteria love prebiotics, so they synthesize the relaxing neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid.

If you drink lots of coffee, observe your neuro-emotional background. Then switch to chicory-the difference will impress you! Open / Comment

2022-02-06 23:59:06 Biohacker Devices: Fitness Ring

Lots of my companions keep track of the appearance of novelty gadgets for advanced biohackers. No longer a novelty, but a handy thing nonetheless.

Such a ring is essentially a compact version of fitness bracelets. They track:

heart muscle contraction rate;
the intensity of physical activity;
the number of steps walked;
the number of calories burned.

As far as I'm concerned, bracelets are just as great. Yet for those who value compactness and convenience, these are the best option. Open / Comment

2022-02-05 23:48:56 Biohacker's tools: nootropic drugs

Another controversial and ambiguous issue.

These drugs are taken to improve cognitive abilities, increase attention and concentration.

They've gained particular popularity even before with students, taking them to boost productivity in their studies.

Despite the existence of reviews on the effectiveness of this or that drug, there are no major scientific studies on the effects of their longterm use on the body. We'll revisit the subject later. Open / Comment

2022-02-04 22:31:03 "Miracle Berries" Goji

When you are presented with another superfood, it is worth to figure out whether it's truly healthy or just another marketing ploy?

The well-known Goji berries are attributed a fat-burning effect. But that's not true.

Today no such substance has yet emerged with a proven fat-burning effect.

In dried form, goji berries do reduce body weight, but this occurs due to the diuretic effect — not fat leaves the body, but extra fluid.

The same property has, let's say, dried rosehips, which, unlike goji berries, no one advertises, but the effect is almost the same. Open / Comment

2022-02-03 23:24:46 Cocoa reduces blood pressure

Such a familiar beverage, besides the taste, has health benefits.

Consuming as little as 1.4 to 10.5 grams of cocoa daily, helps lower blood pressure by about 2 units. In studies, the greatest "difference" in readings was in people with high blood pressure and the elderly.

It is scientifically proven that after consuming cocoa, the amount of nitric oxide in the blood rises. This effect is achieved due to the presence of flavonoids that improve the circulatory system.

With this in mind, why not replace coffee with healthy cocoa ? Open / Comment

2022-02-02 21:09:04 Superfoods to boost memory

No doubt, you cannot pump up your memory with only foods, but they work great as an aid!

Include in your diet foods with antioxidants. Some research confirms that 3 months of regular consumption of antioxidants betters your memory.
For instance, with blueberry juice, you'll get your daily quota:

vitamins A, C and E;
copper;
zinc;
selenium.

Antioxidants are also found in liver and seafood, greens, nuts and fruits. Boost your memory in a delicious way! Open / Comment

2022-02-01 22:59:50 Developing verbal intelligence

A real biohacker "hacks" not only the body, but also the brain! Here is one exercise for this purpose.

Its main component is reading.
It engages your verbal and conceptual self, but reading mindfully, not just for fun. What does it entail?

As you read the text, imagine the author's voice in your head.

Visualize yourself as one of the characters in the narrative, turn on all your senses so that the feelings are most vivid. This helps improve memory and verbal style — the ability to verbally reproduce information. Open / Comment