Genetic maximum

In the IT sector, hacks are interventions that have an impact on the entire system. If we look at the human body as a machine that can be optimized, we talk about biohacking. It sounds very technical, but it's basically a modern twist on old techniques such as fasting, Kneipp and meditation. Regular cold showers or ice baths, for example, help reduce stress and start the day with a surplus of energy.

The toughest among us kickstart their nervous system with an ice bath in nature. © Shutterstock

The low temperature of the water stimulates the hormone noradrenaline, which works similarly to the related adrenaline. In addition, the cold has an anti-inflammatory effect and stimulates the body to produce heat. It also speeds up the metabolism. Science is currently doing more research on how brown fat is produced, which is all the rage among biohackers. Mitochondria are considered the power plants of the body that want to be activated – but in order to do that, you'll have to leave your comfort zone.

Related: Trend Watch Biohacking

Contemporary detoxing is no longer a renunciation, but a return to the essentials. © Aman

The inventor of the term is the American lifestyle guru Dave Asprey. He has set himself the goal of living to at least 180 years old. To achieve this, he injects himself with his own stem cells, spends time in a pressurized oxygen chamber and takes around 100 nutritional supplements a day. His entire life revolves around biohacking tricks. Asprey's radical anti-aging concept – developed in 2005 to become "super human" – is, of course, merely a more rigid version of a lifestyle that has long since arrived in mainstream society.

Hollywood star and wellness guru Gwyneth Paltrow also swears by detox juices with celery. © Shutterstock

Biohacking is quite suitable for everyday use when it comes to finding and eliminating weak points in the body and mind in order to get the "genetic maximum" out your genes. This includes banal things like an undisturbed place to sleep, which should be a phone-free zone, or regional, seasonal, high-quality foods, fresh vegetables and nuts, and few carbohydrates in your diet. Intermittent fasting is also said to help cells regenerate: it boosts fat burning, lowers insulin levels, and rebalances hormones. Biohackers claim that it has a life-prolonging and rejuvenating effect – and releases lots of energy.

A relaxed atmosphere and structured daily routines are said to have palpable benefits. © provided

Positive stress

Fasting or detoxing, depending on what you want to call it, is healthy stress for the body. It all boils down to autophagy, which is the self-cleansing of cells. The term was coined by the Japanese molecular biologist Yoshinori Ohsumi, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in 2016. Translated, autophagy means that the body eats itself; specifically, it means that cell components that no longer function are recycled. As a result, our bodies retain as few diseased and damaged cells as possible.

Autophagy starts when a person doens't consume food for at least twelve hours straight. A constantly low insulin level is necessary to start the process, which is when the body starts to draw on its own reserves. However, according to scientists, autophagy is only fully completed after around 72 hours – which is why a strict week of fasting is even better than doing it in short intervals.

Detoxing doesn't equal going hungry – there's plenty of ways to still enjoy a week of fasting. © provided

Modern fasting

In the past, people used to talk about purification or detoxification cures, which is misleading because a healthy gut doesn't have toxins. A myth that has now become obsolete. However, research into autophagy has made it clear what happens in the body in terms of recycling at the cellular level, and how important it is to counteract the aging process.

Detox doesn't just happen from the inside – the skin can also be stimulated. © provided

Fasting has a long tradition rooted in religious ideas. Strictly regulated periods of asceticism can be found in almost all world religions: in ancient Egypt and among the Greeks, for example, fasting was intended to sharpen the senses. Therapeutic fasting as we know it has been practiced since the 1920s – the German physician Otto Buchinger published a book on therapeutic fasting in 1935, describing the self-healing powers based on his own experiences. Equally famous is the F.-X.-Mayr cure to cleanse the gut, named after its inventor Franz Xaver Mayr (1875-1965). As part of the worldwide detox revival, the tradition-rich F.-X.-Mayr cure has been given a contemporary upgrade. Hotels like "Vivamayr" offer a holistic concept tailored to individual needs. Personal health goals should define what you want to achieve. Body and mind should regenerate; fasting is meant to be a holistic experience.

In the Peloponnese, guests can detox in luxurious surroundings at Amanzoe. © Aman

The Carinthian "Biohotel Daberer" also puts together basic fasting packages and offers slow food from the region, accompanied by gentle exercise. Dry dinner rolls are so yesterday: the "Daberer" serves up Michelin-level fare, with every meal an experience to be enjoyed with all senses. Contemporary detoxing has little in common with hard renunciation. Rather it is a journey back to the essentials – in order to eat more consciously, more slowly and with more pleasure to perceive life in a new way.