I wouldn’t say I like the word biohacking.

For some reason, it feels harsh; it sounds like we are breaking some natural law to create a change in the body.  However, they don’t do this when I speak to doctors and researchers in the biohacking community.  I think that the word bio-harmonizers would be more fitting. With this in mind, I recently had the pleasure of speaking to Dr. Olivia Lessler on my podcast about her journey into medicine and her current approach to optimizing people’s wellness through psychoneuroimmunology. 

Rather than simply prescribing medications, Dr. Lessler looks for the root cause of her patients’ ailments and empowers them to take an active role in their healing. When she was at medical school, this shift in perspective went against the trend. Still, it led her to delve deep into the science of the mind-body connection, exploring how our thoughts, emotions, and lifestyle choices can profoundly impact our physical health.

The Limitations of Traditional Medicine

Like most doctors, she is curious about the cause of disease rather than how to treat its symptoms. She noticed that the conventional medical approach often falls short when it comes to addressing the complex, multifaceted nature of chronic conditions. Frustrated by the “guidelines to write prescriptions,” she recognized the need for a more holistic, personalized approach that goes beyond treating symptoms.

The rise of functional medicine and, to some extent, biohacking has brought a wealth of new testing and assessment tools to the table.  Some functional medicine Doctors live by the mantra of “test don’t guess,” but others say that testing can lead to over-prescription, even if the prescriptions are more natural remedies.  Dr. Lessler is in the latter camp, emphasizing the importance of first addressing the fundamental aspects of health – sleep, diet, movement, and mindset – before diving into extensive (and expensive) testing.

Unlocking the Power of Psychoneuroimmunology

Psychoneuroimmunology is the science of how the mind can influence the body’s immune and nervous systems. This field of study reveals the intricate connections between our psychological state, physiological responses, and overall health.

For example, inflammation can be a double-edged sword. It’s a necessary protective mechanism in the acute stages but can become chronic and harmful if left unchecked. Dr. Lessler helps her patients modulate their inflammatory processes through lifestyle interventions rather than relying solely on anti-inflammatory supplements or medications, which can create a sense of helplessness and mistrust in the body. 

The Importance of Epigenetics and Lifestyle Factors

Contrary to the common belief that our genes dictate our destiny, Dr. Lessler agrees with Dr. Levine, a Yale geneticist whom I interviewed back in Episode 6. She emphasizes the power of epigenetics—the way our environment and lifestyle choices influence gene expression. She cautions against overreliance on genetic testing, which can often lead to a deterministic mindset and unnecessary interventions.  

For those of you who are new to epigenetics, I’ll give a quick, personal example.

My mother has diabetes, as did her aunt.  This means my genetics might predispose me to being diabetic. However, if I choose not to eat the same way my mother did, I wouldn’t have the same environmental triggers acting on my genes. Thiswould mean that even though I have the potential to be diabetic, my lifestyle wouldn’t encourage it. The same applies to many situations in which we think that it’s inevitable that we will develop something our parents or grandparents had, but actually, nature is giving us a massive clue and telling us exactly what to do or not to do to avoid what most would consider fate. 

Dr. Lessler encourages her patients to focus on the fundamentals: optimizing sleep, nutrition, movement, and mindset, as all these things have a positive effect on our DNA. By addressing these core aspects of health, she has witnessed remarkable transformations in her patients, even in those with complex, chronic conditions.

Practical Tips for Optimizing Health

When it comes to specific recommendations, Dr. Lessler offers the following insights:

Sleep

• Aim to align your sleep-wake cycle with the natural rhythms of light and temperature.
• Limit exposure to blue light in the evenings and consider using blue-light-blocking devices. I wear Swannies and think they are great.
• Incorporate relaxing rituals, such as a warm bath, to help signal your body that it’s time to wind down.

As I live in a hot country, I do the opposite and go into cold water. It works a treat!

Nutrition

• Focus on nutrient-dense, whole foods that align with your cultural and personal preferences.
• Avoid processed, oxidized oils and prioritize healthy fats like those in olive oil, nuts, and avocados.
• Pay attention to how you eat, not just what you eat – mindful, parasympathetic-dominant eating can make a significant difference, or in other words….chew your food!

Movement

• Incorporate incidental movement throughout the day, such as walking, stretching, and light activity.
• Engage in forms of exercise that you genuinely enjoy and find sustainable. If you never use it, there is no point in having the best gym routine mapped out for you.
• Recognize the importance of the lymphatic system and how movement can support its function.  This means gentle rhythmical movements that help move this fluid around the body.

Mindset

• Cultivate emotional awareness and learn to process difficult emotions healthily.
• Reframe challenges as opportunities and cultivate a mindset of resilience and adaptability.
• Explore practices like mindfulness, gratitude, and visualization to promote a parasympathetic state. Many apps can help with this. One I use is Calm.

By embracing this holistic, personalized approach to health and wellness, you and Dr. Lessler’s patients can experience remarkable transformations, even in the face of complex, chronic conditions. Sometimes, you need a coach to help set you up on the right path.

If you want to discuss your specific situation with me, please contact me via the Contact Us page. We’ll see if we can make ‘your lifestyle your medicine’.

Osteopath and Lifestyle Medicine Coach Ed Paget shares his expertise on how to avoid – or reverse – the midlife health slump and weight gain. 

I’m now firmly in middle age.

From the little hair I still have, I can see it’s gray; there are a few wrinkles around my eyes, but I’m the same weight as I was when I was 21, maybe even a little lighter. The same is different for my friend group. The ‘spare tire’ seems to get bigger yearly, and the health complaints keep mounting. Most think it is an inevitable part of aging, but, as I’ll explain below, it isn’t inevitable; it isn’t due to genes, falling testosterone levels or getting older. 

What happens as we get older? 

From a physiological point of view, our ability to gain muscle decreases as we age.

If we don’t actively seek to keep them, our muscles will tend to waste, and the scientific term for this is sarcopenia. Decreased muscle mass means we need less energy, which can also change our body’s ability to handle sugar. Muscles are a great way to use sugar quickly; less of it means excess sugar will be converted to fat. We will gain weight if we don’t match our caloric intake with our caloric needs. As we discover, extra fat can produce hormones, and the added stress of middle-aged responsibilities can dysregulate our normal hormonal rhythms. These are the confluence of factors that lead to the “dad bod.”  

Simply put: Decreased muscle from inactivity plus no change or increased calories consumed equals more fat storage.Add to this the stresses of middle age, and we have hormonal dysregulation, high blood pressure, decreased mental well-being, and a host of other physical and psychological problems that affect men in their 40s, 50s, and 60s.

But there is good news—these five tips have been well-proven to reverse these physical and mental changes; we need to follow them.

 

1. Get Moving and Stay Active

A sedentary lifestyle significantly contributes to weight gain even when we don’t lose muscle. Put bluntly, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that physical inactivity is responsible for around two million deaths annually. It warns it could be among the top ten leading causes of death and disability worldwide. Regular physical activity reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, obesity, and mental health disorders.

Actionable Tip: Start with small, achievable goals to incorporate more movement into your daily routine. Simple actions like doing one press-up or squat a day or taking a five-minute run to build a habit of regular activity. 

The 19th-century athlete Walter George spent long hours working as a pharmacist and, as a result, couldn’t train. Instead, he started running on the spot between customers. He attributed this training method to his success. He held the world record for running the quickest mile, which wasn’t beaten for 30 years!

 

2. Embrace Strength Training

To counteract muscle loss, we need to do something involving resistance. That means moving something that isn’t easily moved, like a weight or band. Not only does it help with weight management, but it also improves balance and coordination and keeps the hormones running just fine. Compared to men in their 20s, only a tiny percentage of middle-aged men meet the recommended guidelines for muscle-strengthening activities. This can be due to the busyness of work and family commitments. However, I always questioned people about how busy they were, and after 20 years of coaching, I usually found a time that people could exercise.  

Actionable Tips:

• Incorporate strength training into your daily routine without needing a gym.
• Keep weights around your home and lift them during phone calls or whenever you pass by.
• Lift your children or someone else’s…ok, maybe not, but you get the idea.

Simple exercises like squats and lunges can also be done at home; make it a habit. Strength training just twice a week can significantly improve muscle mass and overall health.

 

3. Moderate Your Alcohol Consumption

Many middle-aged men shift from binge drinking in their youth to more consistent, daily alcohol consumption. In a recent interview on my podcast, Your Lifestyle Is Your Medicine, I interviewed Kevin Smith (45), who was drinking five days a week and feeling the spread of middle age. He had an epiphany about two years ago when he realized his groggy mornings were why he was seeking out bad food and not going to the gym. Once he cut back and stopped drinking, he had the energy to change his diet and go to the gym. He joined a Cross Fit gym, and he’s been there ever since. Now, he’s the strongest he’s ever been while rocking the body of a 20-year-old.  

Actionable Tip: What Kevin did is not for everybody. Many people believe that giving up alcohol may seem like social suicide, but the group “One Year No Beer” advocates a more moderate approach, limiting your alcohol intake to special occasions and avoiding making it a daily habit. They are also an excellent resource for those wanting to re-examine their relationship with alcohol. Also, with the advent of decent-tasting non-alcoholic options, not drinking doesn’t mean not socializing.

 

4. Pay Attention to Food Labels

Like my old science teacher told me, this is boring but important. The modern food environment is filled with ultra-processed foods (UPFs) high in fat, sugar, and salt. These foods might lie at the core of our current obesity and heart disease epidemics. Our brain is wired to seek sugar, salt, and fat. When we were evolving, these foods were in short supply but provided essential calories and nutrients for survival. We still have the legacy of our more primitive brain coupled with our ingenious ability to satisfy it…and turn a profit at the same time. Unfortunately, these highly addictive foods are marketed aggressively and can contribute to weight gain and other health issues.

Actionable Tip: Make a habit of reading food labels and choosing whole, minimally processed foods. Prepare meals at home using fresh ingredients, and be cautious of foods with long ingredient lists or those high in additives. Prioritizing nutrient-dense foods over convenience options can significantly improve your diet. It might sound a little preachy, but finding time to cook with fresh food is one of the best things you can do for your body. If you genuinely have no time, there are some great resources to become more efficient, with companies like ‘Hello Fresh’ in the UK, delivering fresh food to your house or ‘Dashing Dishes’ offering meal kits for pick up in Canada.

 

5. Maintain Mental and Social Health

A study in the British Medical Journal found that cognitive decline can begin as early as 45, meaning that we have to keep our brains active as we age. Interestingly, the better we are at something, the less we use our brains. For example, a 2003 study in NeuroImage agreed with other studies when it showed that professional musicians used a smaller area of their brain than amateur musicians to play music. This means the mental effort it takes to learn music or even a language is more significant than playing or speaking when you are fluent. The act of leaning stimulates the brain. 

Actionable Tip: Engaging in mentally stimulating activities like puzzles and board games will help but as Dr Tommy Wood, associate professor of Neurology at Washington University, recently said on my podcast, it doesn’t compare to learning something new like a language or dance. Along with training the brain, we should maintain social connections by scheduling regular meetups with friends or joining clubs and community groups. Activities that combine physical and mental engagement, such as playing sports or attending classes, are particularly beneficial. I’ve noticed a massive uptake in a game called Pickleball in my community. I’ve seen people who had a myriad of health complaints, from high blood pressure and reflux to high cholesterol, get the medical all-clear by losing 10lbs and running around a bit. 

Middle age doesn’t have to mean inevitable weight gain and physical decline. By staying active, incorporating strength training, moderating alcohol consumption, making mindful food choices, and maintaining mental and social health, men can defy the myth of unavoidable middle age spread and enjoy a healthier, more vibrant life. Remember, the key is consistency and making sustainable lifestyle changes.

References

1. World Health Organization. “Physical Inactivity: A Global Public Health Problem.” WHO.
2. Britton, Annie, and Steven Bell. “Alcohol Consumption and Health Outcomes: Evidence from the UK.” University College London, 2023.
3. Singh-Manoux, Archana, et al. “Timing of Onset of Cognitive Decline: Results from Whitehall II Prospective Cohort Study.” British Medical Journal, 2012.
4. Kleber, B., Birbaumer, N., Veit, R., Trevorrow, T., & Lotze, M. (2003). The musician’s brain: Functional imaging of amateurs and professionals during performance and imagery. NeuroImage, 20(3), 1817-1829
5. Podcast: your Lifestyle Is Your Medicine