Let's Call BS on Biohacking Over 40
Let's Call BS on Biohacking Over 40
I'm going to say something that might surprise you.
I'm actually a big fan of health technology.
I'm a Certified Health, Wellness & Nutrition Coach, I own a clinic in Manchester offering HBOT and PEMF, and I also manage a new medspa in Warrington.
So no, this isn't me jumping on the “all biohacking is rubbish” bandwagon.
Quite the opposite.
I think there is a genuinely exciting place for technology and evidence-informed health modalities in modern wellness.
What I don't like is the absolute bullshit that sometimes gets attached to them.
It's the claims.
Every week there's another “game-changing” hack apparently capable of:
reversing ageing
fixing your hormones
detoxing your body
burning fat while you sleep
curing inflammation
transforming your mitochondria
and probably making your ex regret leaving you.
Okay. Maybe that last one hasn't made the marketing yet.
But you get my point.
There's a massive difference between saying “this modality may have a useful role” and telling people it's going to fix everything that ails them.
That's where I start to have a problem.
There is a place for these modalities
I'm absolutely not suggesting there isn't.
There are some fascinating technologies and modalities being used in health, wellness and performance.
HBOT. PEMF. Red light. Recovery technologies. Diagnostics. Wearables.
There is plenty worth exploring.
But context matters.
How is it being used?
For whom?
Why?
What does the evidence actually say?
What are the limitations?
And perhaps most importantly:
Who is delivering it?
I want someone who knows the “why”
This is the bit that matters to me.
If I'm going to use a health modality, I don't just want someone who has learnt the Instagram version of it.
I want someone who understands the why.
Someone who understands the technology.
Someone who knows when it may be appropriate.
Someone who understands contraindications, limitations and the difference between evidence and anecdote.
Credentials matter.
Training matters.
Experience matters.
And knowing when something isn't appropriate matters just as much as knowing when it might be.
Biohacking shouldn't mean buying everything
This is where I think people in their 40s and beyond can get particularly sucked in.
We're told our bodies are suddenly failing us.
Our hormones are “broken”.
Our metabolism is “damaged”.
Our cells need “resetting”.
We're apparently one supplement, gadget or protocol away from becoming a completely optimised human.
No.
You're ageing.
That's normal.
And looking after yourself is a brilliant idea.
But you don't need to panic-buy your way through your 40s.
My approach is pretty simple
I'm interested in science.
I'm interested in emerging technology.
I'm interested in understanding what might genuinely help people.
But I'm equally interested in not being sold a load of gumf.
As a health, wellness and nutrition coach, I want people to understand the basics first.
Move your body.
Build strength.
Eat well.
Get enough protein and fibre.
Sleep.
Manage stress.
Have relationships.
Laugh.
Get outside.
Live your life.
Then, if there are modalities or technologies that might complement that foundation, let's have an informed conversation about them.
Not a sales pitch.
Your health isn't a marketing opportunity
This is probably the bit I'm most passionate about.
There are some brilliant practitioners and clinics doing genuinely interesting work.
And then there are people throwing around enormous claims because “optimisation” sells.
If someone tells you a treatment will cure everything, reverse ageing or completely transform your health, ask questions.
What is the evidence?
What are the limitations?
Why is this appropriate for me?
What qualifications does the person delivering it actually have?
And if they can't explain the why without disappearing into a cloud of wellness buzzwords...
I'd probably walk away.
Your Next Chapter doesn't need to be “optimised”
I'm in my 40s.
I'm a professional, a partner, a friend, a daughter — and a human being with a life to actually live.
I want to feel well.
I want to stay strong.
I want to age well.
And yes, I'm interested in the science and technology that might support that.
But I don't want to spend my entire life optimising myself.
I want to live.
That's the Next Chapter approach.
Curious, informed and open-minded — but never gullible.
Because there is absolutely a place for health technology.
Just make sure the person selling it to you knows the science, understands the limitations and can explain the why — not just the gumf.
Love Gem x - Founder of NCS
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