Biohacking Is Use Of Science-Based Tools To Optimise Health, Says Biohacking Pioneer Dr Sajeev Nair

Dr Sajeev Nair is the pioneer of Indian biohacking and a sought-after doyen in global circuit of healthcare and wellness. His recent book, ‘The Making of a Superhuman’ became a bestseller in the nonfiction category with a million reach. He is the guiding spirit behind Vieroots, the company which was valuated at a billion and Bollywood star Suniel Shetty as its brand ambassador. Dr Sajeev Nair is in conversation with Rahul Easwar, philosophy author and orator, alumnus of London School of Economics and IIM (A). Easwar has been featured in BBC, CNN, New York Times, Al Jazeera and Sputnik Russia and is a winner of Guinness World Record too.

Q) Dr Sajeev Nair, for a layman, what is biohacking?

The term “biohacking” has becoming a buzzword now. Biohacking is the future and it’s time everyone realizes its importance. Biohacking is nothing but use of science-based or evidence-based tools for optimizing your own health. In other words, getting aware of your body’s physiological and psychological processes and using various tools and techniques like exercise and nutrition to improve your body and mind.

Q) I have seen you as an iconic educationist in my college years. How did you evolve into ‘Pioneer of Indian biohacking’ as the Indian media is calling you?

Educating and mentoring people for peak performance has always been my interest. However, wellness is my enduring passion. My experience in wellness sector for the past two decades as an entrepreneur and as an evangelist, made me understand that addressing some specific downsides will definitely result in optimising one’s health. That’s when I realised the need of personalised wellness and this would be possible only when you are aware of your physiological and psychological process to optimize your health, which is biohacking.

Q) Eminent biohackers like Dave Asprey and you have popularised this field in the past decade. How do you counter the criticism from some corners that this DIY biology model may be out of control for common man?

I also have certain apprehensions regarding the DIY biology. However, I think this is more of a concern when your biohacking process is more towards inserting sensors and microchips inside your body or editing your genes with some specific objective. My take on biohacking is different. When I learned about biohacking as a method to take charge of one’s biology, I could easily connect this with some of the ancient Indian wellness wisdom, which is available from Ayurveda, Siddha and Yoga. There are countless biohacking techniques in our Indian wellness wisdom, which not many people have looked at as biohacking methods.

Q) How can ‘human performance enhancement’ be achieved through biohacking?

Human performance is based on two factors; physiology and psychology; or in simple words body and mind. Most of the people have no clue about what is happening inside their body and have no control on their mind or rather brain functions. Once you understand the operational mechanisms of your body and mind, you would be able to make necessary adjustments so as to enhance the performance. We do have an operating manual for our computer or television or any other equipment. However, we don’t have one for the most complex and sophisticated equipment; that is our brain and other parts of our body. Once you hack your own systems, you would know how to enhance the performance.

Q) I read in the news that Bollywood actor Suniel Shetty is partnering with Vieroots. Could you elaborate on that?

Like-minded people together can make wonders and that’s VIEROOTS. As you all know, Suniel Shetty is known as the fitness and wellness icon in Bollywood. Our beliefs and ideologies on health and wellness are similar.

We believe that a complete human is the balance of a healthy mind, a fit body and a rich soul and thus we decided to join hands and contribute together to make Vieroots a formidable adversary against illness. Apart from his constant guidance and mentorship, he is also an equity partner with Vieroots since inception.

Q) You were a peak performance specialist earlier too, what are the differences between psychological and biohacking empowerment of the individual?

Psychological empowerment is made possible through right guidance and timely mentorship. This is something which can be developed at any age with the help of an expert. I do this through “thought process re-engineering”. However, to perform at peak levels in all areas of life at all ages, biohacking is the key. Biohacking is something you do with your own body and mind. It creates awareness about your predefined genetic factors that instigate your physiological biological behaviors and using certain scientific tools to improve your life.

Q) Your “Superhuman” movement has captured the imagination of many. How can biohacking help us evolve into super humans?

In my definition, a Superhuman is someone who has discovered his/her infinite capabilities and potentials and continuously igniting those potentials, so as to consistently perform at peak levels in all areas of life. We do this by bio-hacking the body, brain and mind to the fullest, resulting in an ageless body and timeless mind.

Anyone can become a superhuman, once you have an awareness about your physiological and psychological process and access to tools and techniques to manage your biology and psychology.