Ixcela

This biohacker came to Ixcela for guidance on optimizing his diet and supplements.

GOALS AND WANTS (WHY?)

Ryder came to Ixcela for reassurance and guidance about fine-tuning his diet and lifestyle habits. As a biohacker, he took pride in his nutrition and restorative practices. He hoped that his Ixcela data would help him further improve his regimen so he could advance in his career and build more muscle mass.

For Ryder, being a biohacker meant that he prioritized his health by avoiding habits that could accelerate aging and increase inflammation, and he was eager to learn more about increasing longevity. He had felt the benefits of daily meditation, eating high-quality organic foods, avoiding toxic relationships, and limiting time in front of bright screens. He felt most grounded and productive when he put extra effort into his health.

Ryder worked at a health clinic where he had access to a variety of high-tech restorative therapies like infrared saunas, cryotherapy, and float tanks. He knew that the only way he could support the clients who visited the clinic was to take care of his own health and practice the recommendations he was offering. He made sleep a priority, and he included meditation before bed to help him wind down after a busy day and achieve the highest quality sleep. He ate a variety of organic fruits and vegetables daily, and he occasionally took supplements, including a probiotic to support his gut health.

Although Ryder worked hard to balance his busy lifestyle and maintain healthy habits, he often found it challenging to squeeze it all in. He also felt guilty when he ate foods that were less nutrient-dense than optimal. Sometimes, he would get home from work late and eat dinner later than he preferred because high-quality options were not available during his workday. His late-evening meals were often simple, like a small piece of animal protein or a banana and peanut butter. He was torn between eating the highest quality foods and ensuring he was getting enough nutrients to fuel his workouts and gain muscle mass.

When Ryder came to Ixcela, he felt overwhelmed by his own health standards and he wanted to better understand his body’s needs. He hoped Ixcela could guide him toward the best habits for his body and his lifestyle.

ROOT CAUSES AND INSIGHTS (WHAT?)

Ryder’s Ixcela results reflected that his gut microbiome was imbalanced and his diet was not supporting his body’s needs. His results also indicated that his body was under a lot of stress, which increased his risk for inflammation that could further damage his gut microbiome and affect both his career goals and his athletic goals.

During his results review session, Ryder’s Ixcela Expert explained that his indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) was below optimal levels. Below-optimal IAA reflects a gut bacteria imbalance that could be related to:

• Day-to-day stress
• Taking a probiotic that includes 9 or fewer bacterial strains
• Eating late at night before going to bed

Ryder’s Ixcela results also showed that his tryptophan levels were below optimal. Low tryptophan indicated that he needed to focus on including adequate calories and protein and decreasing time between meals. Ryder’s Ixcela Expert explained that low tryptophan is most commonly related to:

• Insufficient protein in the diet
• Skipping meals

Finally, Ryder and his Ixcela Expert discussed the stress marker metabolite xanthine. Above-optimal xanthine reflects that the body is under a lot of physical, mental, and emotional stress. Although Ryder had access to a variety of cutting-edge restorative therapies, he knew that he could do a better job of managing his mental and emotional stress. They discussed how finding balance can be challenging, but that even five to ten additional minutes of mindfulness each day can reduce stress.

AHA! (SO WHAT?)

Ryder was surprised to learn of the imbalance in his gut, but he was motivated to include a high-quality multi-strain probiotic like Ixcela Biome Support. He did not realize that the number of bacterial strains included in a probiotic was important, and he was eager to learn more about how to choose a good probiotic.

After reflecting on his current nutrition practices, Ryder realized that he was often going several hours without eating protein-dense foods. His Ixcela Expert reassured him that he should continue to prioritize organic foods when possible, but that including conventionally grown/raised foods in his diet would support his tryptophan levels and the population and diversity of his gut microbiome.

ACTION PLAN (NOW WHAT?)

Ryder felt excited and reassured. He was eager to make changes to his supplement and nutrition practices, and he realized that he did not need to feel stressed about sticking to a strict eating pattern.

To support his tryptophan levels, Ryder worked with his Ixcela Expert to find ways to boost his protein intake. They decided that he would:

• Include 2 types of protein-dense foods with dinner. For example:
  • 5 ounces of pulled pork with a serving of black beans
  • 4 ounces of grass-fed beef with a handful of pumpkin seeds
  • 5 ounces of poultry with a banana and peanut butter as dessert

To support the population and diversity of his gut microbiome, Ryder and his Ixcela Expert made the following goals:

• Take a daily probiotic that includes at least 9 strains of bacteria (Ixcela Biome Support has 17 strains).
• Include at least 3 servings of fiber-rich fruits and vegetables, like a handful of unsweetened dried cranberries along with 2 servings of vegetables, daily. (Dried cranberries are a great shelf-stable grab-and-go option!)

To support Ryder’s xanthine levels, they decided he should include specific fiber-rich foods that are also high in vitamin C. Since Ryder typically enjoyed a variety of vegetables with lunch, he was excited to further diversify his vegetable intake to support his microbiome and reduce inflammation caused by elevated xanthine.

PAYOFF (WHEE!)

The insight Ryder gained from working with his Ixcela Expert made a big impact on his eating habits and helped him reduce his stress about choosing the best foods for his body. His Ixcela results allowed him to understand exactly what he needed to focus on, and his Ixcela Expert offered reassurance and guidance about how to put his test results into practice.

Just days after his results review, Ryder had already made changes to his diet and supplement regimen. Even after a short time, he felt that his Ixcela experience had improved his life.

Note: Daniel benefited from the Kickstart Assessment Program.