Ever grabbed a coffee to sharpen your thoughts before a meeting? Or soaked in a hot bath to soothe your bones after a long day? Then—whether you call it that or not—you’ve already dabbled in biohacking.
It’s a buzzword, yes. But beneath the neon lights of tech conferences and “superhuman” podcasts, there’s a deeper question humming: What does it mean to be well, to thrive, to live with vitality and intention in this human body we’ve been given?
As a physician rooted in osteopathic tradition and soul-informed healing, I want to explore this trend—not to dismiss it, but to discern it. Let’s walk together through what biohacking is, what it might offer, and where it might lead us astray if we forget who we are at our core: whole beings of body, mind, and spirit.
The Spectrum of Biohacking
Biohacking spans everything from practical lifestyle tweaks to high-tech enhancements that nudge at the edge of sci-fi.
On one end: blue-light glasses, cold plunges, breathwork, intermittent fasting. Familiar, often ancient, grounded in science and ritual.
On the other: microchip implants, brain stimulation, and gene editing—all driven by a desire to extend life, increase output, and, in some circles, transcend the body entirely.
There’s a seductive quality to it. The idea that we might control our biology, master our destiny, maybe even outwit aging altogether. Who wouldn’t want to feel sharper, stronger, more vibrant?
But here’s the rub—when our quest to optimize becomes a war against our own nature, we risk bypassing the very healing we’re meant to walk through.
Mind Over Machine? Maybe.
Dave Asprey, dubbed the "father of biohacking," calls it the art and science of changing the environment around and within you to take control of your biology. At its best, that sounds like empowered living. But “control” can be a slippery slope.
There’s a kind of anxiety under the surface of much of modern biohacking—the fear that we’re not enough as we are. That our energy, memory, beauty, or even longevity must be manipulated to be worthy.
But healing, real healing, doesn’t come from domination. It comes from relationship. From listening. From reclaiming the body as ally, not adversary.
The Soul of Optimization
I want to be clear: I’m not anti-technology. I use genomic testing, DUTCH hormone panels, Boston Heart diagnostics—all modern tools that provide meaningful insights. They’re not shortcuts—they’re conversation starters.
Where biohacking aligns with osteopathic and integrative medicine is here: in the curiosity to understand and support the body’s innate capacity to heal. That’s ancient wisdom in modern language.
Where it diverges? When it becomes about bypass. About suppressing symptoms instead of hearing what they’re asking for. About “upgrading” at the expense of embodiment.
Because let’s be honest: you can cold plunge and microdose all you want—but if you’re not sleeping, grieving, digesting your emotions, or breathing all the way down into your belly… something’s still missing.
Transhumanism and the Body as Burden
A subculture within biohacking circles is transhumanism—the idea that human limitations (death, disease, even emotion) are obstacles to overcome with tech. Think Elon Musk’s Neuralink or the grinder movement of DIY body implants.
Some of it sounds thrilling. Some, deeply unsettling.
Here’s the truth I hold close: the body is not a design flaw.
It is not something to escape. It is not a cage to transcend. It is a temple, a teacher, a storyteller. One that deserves reverence, not retrofitting.
I’ve seen patients heal in ways no device could promise—not because they hacked their mitochondria, but because they finally felt safe enough to rest. To weep. To be.
What Works: The Grounded Biohacks
There are ways to “biohack” ethically, holistically, and in harmony with your soul. Some of my favorites include:
- Intermittent Fasting: Rooted in ancient traditions, this practice supports metabolic health and gives the digestive system time to rest.
- Breathwork: Enhances vagal tone, reduces anxiety, and brings us back to our body’s wisdom.
- Cold + Heat Therapy: From ice baths to saunas, these practices activate hormesis—a stress that helps us grow stronger.
- Functional Mushroom Blends: Like MycoVim, our custom formulation supports energy, clarity, and nervous system balance without overtaxing the body.
-
Earthing + Nature Exposure: Regulation isn’t just about the brain—it starts with the soil, the sun, and our own bare feet.
But these tools don’t replace the work. They support it. The real medicine is your attention. Your willingness to be with what’s real.
Ethical Questions Worth Asking
Before trying a new “hack,” I invite you to ask:
- Is this rooted in fear or curiosity?
- Does this bring me closer to my body or pull me away?
- What am I trying to control or avoid?
- Is there evidence for this practice, or just hype?
-
Am I making choices from love—or from the illusion of lack?
Biohacking is not inherently bad. But without discernment, it becomes spiritual bypass dressed in silicon.
A Call Back to the Body
If you’re feeling burnt out by all the “fixes” and formulas out there, you’re not alone.
Sometimes the most radical act of healing is not to do more—but to listen more deeply.
To know that your body, even now, is not broken. That vitality is not earned—it’s remembered. Cultivated. Nourished by connection, community, ceremony, and slow breath.
This is not an anti-tech stance. It’s a pro-soul one.
It’s an invitation back to the inner knowing that no app or implant can replicate.
Where I Land, As Your Physician
Here’s what I believe, after 30+ years of walking with patients:
- True healing isn’t about optimization. It’s about integration.
- Science and soul are not at odds—they’re in conversation.
- The nervous system is the new frontier—and the most powerful "hack" is regulation.
-
You are not a machine. You are a miracle.
So, go ahead—drink your mushroom coffee, sit in the infrared sauna, track your sleep. But do it as a sacred act. Do it with reverence. Do it knowing you’re already whole.
If you want to explore grounded, ethical biohacking that supports your full self—body, mind, and spirit—this practice is here for you.
Our membership plans include personalized tools, data-informed insight, and deep listening. We use both modern science and ancient wisdom to walk beside you—not to override your biology, but to honor it.
With heart and humility,
Mary Louder, DO