The concept of longevity is deeply rooted in our wellness goals. We’re no longer satisfied with short-term, quick-fix solutions but seek true renewal and recovery. We want to combat the effects of stress and inflammaging. Above all, our aim is to extend the number of years we live at peak performance - physically, mentally and emotionally. Quality of life matters and as a society, our life expectancy continues to rise, but our mind and body health needs to follow along.
At The HVN, integrated wellness is at the heart of our approach to longevity-focused wellbeing. Personal rejuvenation and resilience come from a lifestyle filled with daily movement, mood-boosting habits and optimised nutrition.
Modernly phrased as “biohacking”, many of us seek new wellness habits that promote better sleep, mental clarity, peak focus and all with an overall wellness vision to reduce stress and inflammaging.
Often, biohacking begins with treatments led by cutting-edge technology but with the support of your practitioner, the aim is to transform these biohacks into daily habits for long-term results.
The foundations of good wellness means understanding your own biology and the root cause of your issues. Optimal wellness is not a one-size-fits-all treatment.
At The HVN, we integrate advanced technologies with ancient modalities and functional medicine to create bespoke treatment plans.
Everything is connected - gut health affects brain function, stress affects our circadian rhythm which then impacts sleep - a vital part of everyone’s wellbeing. This is why a hyper-personalised approach is paramount to achieving health longevity that you can maintain.
Understanding stress and your gut
Dede Nazareth, our in-house Functional Medicine Practitioner, explains how the gut is integral to overall health. “Diet is the biggest source of inflammation in the body, so we can do a lot to slow inflammaging by making sure key nutrients are always at the end of the fork. When the body is stressed, the digestive system doesn’t work optimally. This affects nutrient absorption, gut health integrity while making you more likely to develop IBS and other inflammatory gut conditions”.
Dede’s approach via Functional Medicine incorporates practices around mindful eating, chewing slowly and engaging with gratitude for the nourishing food on your plate.
We want to debunk the myth that true wellbeing must be complex. It is in fact attainable for all and, at its core, focusing on the elements of daily life (sleep,nutrition,movement,breathwork) is what builds real recovery and sustainable wellbeing.
Accessible Biohacks You Can Try At Home
Our 360 approach to health and vitality means encouraging supportive wellbeing beyond your time at The HVN.
01 - Incorporate more functional foods into your diet such as vitamin and omega rich foods, nootropics and adaptogens. We always recommend discussing diet changes with your functional medicine practitioner.
02 - Breathwork techniques are essential to building a healthy stress response because it regulates the nervous system and pulls you out of “fight or flight” mode. Deidre explains, “if the brain remains in sympathetic dominance, the priority will be to keep the body alert for danger. Mindful breath is the quickest way to access the vagus nerve to calm down and engage in rest and recovery to perform optimally.”
03 - A simple yet effective way to reset your circadian rhythm is to ensure morning light exposure as soon as you awake. This encourages a boost of serotonin at night to prepare you for sleep. Understandably, in the winter months this is more difficult to achieve. Try using an SAD light therapy lamp if you wake before sunrise.
04 - Deidre’s simple yet effective at-home choices for longevity. “At night I turn off electrical devices in my bedroom and don’t have Wifi on when I sleep. EMF exposure is often overlooked as a contributing source of gut issues. In the morning I drink a glass of filtered water with some salts, bitters and vitamin C. This helps rehydrate but also gives my digestion, liver and adrenals a boost.”
05 - "Movement stimulates the entire brain. There is no supplement that has the same effect as being outside and moving.” says Deidre. A powerful reminder that simple daily activity may be one of the most overlooked biohacks of all. In pursuit of our longevity goal, Deirdre adds “Our brain health is determined by how much muscle we have. We need to keep our skeleton strong with weight bearing activity and progressive loading. It helps manage all metabolic function, hormone production, neurotransmitter production and overall longevity.”