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How to Biohack Like a Girl

Hola. This week’s send is all about longevity. And while mentally I sometimes think I’m a teen mom, my body constantly reminds me that I’m indeed in my 30s. It’s fine, I’m fine — I just don’t want to get caught up in the obsession with looking young. Instead, I’ll focus on things that could help me live longer and happier, like:

— Claudia Rupcich / Writer / Richmond, VA

Well, Well, Well...

An elderly woman and a younger woman with her head on the elderly woman's shoulder

News, tips, and trends to help you live longer and healthier.

If you’ve ever wondered how some older people have great memories, look inside the brains of these “super-agers.” For them, age really is just a number.


A drug for transplant patients has helped animals live longer — but can it work on people, too? If not, maybe this longevity secret hiding in our own bodies will.


Why experts say you shouldn’t take health advice from centenarians. Spoiler: There’s no silver bullet to a long life.


Despite your 12-step skincare routine, crepey skin is an inevitable part of getting older. Here’s why that happens — plus three ingredients to help prevent it.


Delaying menopause could have a major impact on women’s lifespans, but just how feasible is it?

We Have To Talk About…

A woman working out on a weight machine at the gym

How to Biohack Like a Girl 

Biohacking, or optimizing your wellness habits to improve your health, often with wellness gadgets and wearables, has always had a particularly *male* energy to it. Women have been — checks notes — almost nowhere in the conversation. Yet they, too, would like to live longer and healthier. So how should women approach biohacking?

It’s not about the tech

Sure, you could spend $$$ on a red-light therapy bed or inject the blood of youths to try to maximize your years. But it’s more effective to look at biohacking as a tool to stay well at every age, says Shoshana Ungerleider, MD, a physician and founder of End Well Project. So for those of us whose health is often set aside or dismissed, biohacking can mean simply getting ahead of the health conditions women are particularly at risk for, including:

Osteoporosis

One in three women over 50 have it, according to the International Osteoporosis Foundation, compared to one in five men — and perimenopause may contribute to it.

The biohack: Resistance train and get enough vitamin D, calcium, and protein in your diet to help strengthen your bones.

Heart disease

The no. 1 killer can be trickier to diagnose in women since it often develops in the smaller arteries, and women may have different risk factors than men

The biohack: Monitor your cholesterol and blood pressure, discuss risk factors like family history with your doctor, and maintain healthy lifestyle habits. 

Dementia

Women are almost twice as likely to get Alzheimer’s than men. There’s still a lot unknown about it, but some experts think it might be related to women’s longer lives or that they may be prone to developing extra amyloid plaques in the brain (the typical marker of Alzheimer’s). 

The biohack: Ungerleider says eating a brain-healthy diet, getting 150 minutes per week of moderate exercise, maintaining a social life, reducing stress, and getting enough sleep can reduce your risk. 

Autoimmune diseases

It’s not clear why women are much more likely to develop an autoimmune disease: Some research links it to major hormonal changes like puberty, postpartum, and perimenopause. Another study linked it to women’s extra X chromosome.

The biohack: Exercise, a nutritious diet, reducing stress, and getting enough sleep may help prevent or reduce the severity of autoimmune diseases. 

Your move

You don't need to invest in outlandish (and sometimes unproven) "treatments." More important is having a primary care doctor you trust, and can build a relationship with, to listen to your concerns as you age, says Ungerleider.

Ask An Expert

A pregnant woman pouring supplement pills into her hand
Design: theSkimm | Photo: iStock

Last week, we asked you to vote on a question to answer. The winner was:

Does taking multivitamins impact my longevity?

FEATURED EXPERT:

Vanessa King, RDN

Vanessa King, RDN

Spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics

“Healthy adults who have balanced diets without deficiencies may not get much of a longevity benefit from a multivitamin,” says King. But multivitamins could be beneficial if you:

  • Have malabsorption illnesses (like celiac disease and IBD)

  • Take certain nutrient-depleting medications (like some antibiotics or allergy and cholesterol meds)

  • Don’t eat a nutrient-rich diet

  • Are pregnant

Think you could benefit from a multivitamin? Here’s how to find the right one.

Well, Actually

A woman sitting in an armchair holding her elbow in discomfort

We’re here to fact-check health trends, wellness assumptions, and myths. Such as:

Do I need to worry about inflammaging?

Well, actually, probably not. 

Inflammaging is chronic inflammation that can build up in your body, usually as you age. Rather than something you always see or feel directly (like an injury), inflammaging is “more of a kind of noise going on in the background,” says Linda Herrmann, PhD, from Rutgers School of Nursing. That noise is associated with age-related conditions like kidney problems, high cholesterol, heart disease, cancer, or a weakened immune system.

Like aging itself, there’s no way to avoid inflammaging completely. There’s ongoing research on slowing it, but for now, Herrmann suggests focusing on your physical and mental health overall to reduce your risk of these conditions.

Quote of the Week

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"Glutathione"

A celeb- and influencer-favorite anti-aging IV drip also known as the "master detoxifier." Anything that sounds too good to be true...probably is.

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