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Unstoppable: A 90-Day Plan to Biohack Your Mind and Body for Success
Unlock Your Potential. Become Unstoppable. Unable to overcome debilitating fatigue and depression, bestselling author and personal devel-opment expert Ben Angel set out on a 90-day mission to find and conquer the root of his rut.
The result of his journey is Unstoppable, a highly revealing book where Ben gives you a look into the world of nootropics, wearable devices, and nutrition and delivers a guide to help you reduce stress, increase focus, improve physical performance, and eliminate your fears. You’ll hear from world-leading biohackers, neuroscientists, doctors, and New York Times bestselling author Dave Asprey as Ben helps
Identify the seven triggers causing your brain fog Discover the key to better health, more energy, and a better mood Optimize your mental performance and feel more alert with six nootropics Form new behaviors and break old patterns (the real secret to your success) Interrupt your stress response through breathing Align your biochemistry with your soul’s purpose in three easy steps Use progressive overload to become an upgraded version of yourself Plus, gain access to the Unstoppable Assessment to discover your identity type, pinpoint your energy levels, and create a plan to break through your own limits and become unstoppable.
When we look at the most successful people, we usually look at their habits—their behaviors, their day-to-day rituals, their dedication. But what about the mind? Ben Angel hits this idea head-on in Unstoppable, tackling peak performance with biohacking strategies that will blow your mind.—Dr. Ivan Misner, founder of BNI and New York Times bestselling author
The result of his journey is Unstoppable, a highly revealing book where Ben gives you a look into the world of nootropics, wearable devices, and nutrition and delivers a guide to help you reduce stress, increase focus, improve physical performance, and eliminate your fears. You’ll hear from world-leading biohackers, neuroscientists, doctors, and New York Times bestselling author Dave Asprey as Ben helps
Identify the seven triggers causing your brain fog Discover the key to better health, more energy, and a better mood Optimize your mental performance and feel more alert with six nootropics Form new behaviors and break old patterns (the real secret to your success) Interrupt your stress response through breathing Align your biochemistry with your soul’s purpose in three easy steps Use progressive overload to become an upgraded version of yourself Plus, gain access to the Unstoppable Assessment to discover your identity type, pinpoint your energy levels, and create a plan to break through your own limits and become unstoppable.
When we look at the most successful people, we usually look at their habits—their behaviors, their day-to-day rituals, their dedication. But what about the mind? Ben Angel hits this idea head-on in Unstoppable, tackling peak performance with biohacking strategies that will blow your mind.—Dr. Ivan Misner, founder of BNI and New York Times bestselling author
331 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 30, 2018
752 people are currently reading
1137 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
August 5, 2019
Some of it is crock. But there are hidden gems in there.
That the author's experience was a motivator in creating this book is another plus to it.
Interesting stuff:
- ketones
- Emotional Freedom Technique
- mental rehearsal
Q:
Something was horribly wrong, but for the life of me, I couldn’t put my finger on it. (c)
Q:
Doctors are trained to diagnose the symptoms, not the underlying cause. (c)
Q:
Suddenly, light, noise, and social interactions were too much for my brain to process. I couldn’t manage social situations anymore and moved across Australia to cut off ties with friends. I barely had enough energy to stay awake, let alone hold a conversation or speak onstage. Reading and writing, my passions, became too exhausting for me to contemplate. My short-term and long-term memory were both failing, and my speech was slurred. (c)
Q:
My resume would have read, “Proactive worker who naps a lot.” (c)
Q:
Every time I stepped onstage to present, I came alive. I used this energy to write my first three books, two of which became bestsellers and all three of which I wrote in 30 to 40 days each. My brain was firing on all cylinders, and I had focus like you wouldn’t believe. Nothing was too hard, and no problem was too big to solve. I used this energy and focus to build an online education business that boasted more than $1 million in sales with two part-time team members and required only four to five hours of my time per day.
Then everything changed. I wanted to give it all up, and I couldn’t work out why. (c)
Q:
Biohacking is the practice of changing the environment inside and outside you so that you gain full control of your biology to enhance your body, mind, and life. It has grown in popularity in recent years as individuals are discovering the numerous benefits of taking control of their health and leaving nothing to chance. (c)
Q:
The only way I could achieve this mission would be to close my “identity gap.” The identity gap is the distance between who you are and who you need to become to reach your goals. Our identity dictates our thoughts, behaviors, and actions and either sets us up for success or primes us for failure at both a conscious and subconscious level. It limits or expands our thinking and our ability to succeed, depending on which identity we hold at any given time. You can’t be a good accountant if you’re a painter at heart. (c)
Q:
You’ll discover how my medications, nutritional deficiencies, and foods influenced my behavior; what changes I embraced to correct that behavior; and how these factors could be impacting your life. You’ll also discover how using the latest neurotechnology devices trained my brain to focus, and how I tested my body with a four-week CrossFit challenge. You’ll see the changes I went through when I experienced intermittent fasting, experimented with various dietary protocols, tracked my sleep, took countless supplements, and tested technology that reduced my stress in less than 30 seconds. I even walked across hot coals to find some answers—literally, not metaphorically! Although, that might not have been as nerve-wracking as the colonic irrigation I had. (c) I'm not decided if it is the load of crock it sounds to be.
Q:
How many of them will burn out before they can achieve their dreams due to biological factors? (c)
Q:
We’ve been taught that our psychology is the number-one key to success; our biochemistry doesn’t get a mention unless you’re an elite athlete or experiencing severe physical symptoms that are obvious to others. But even mild biochemical problems can prevent you from reaching your goals.
Strategic planning, mindset, and willpower are essential for one’s ability to think and compete on the job and in life. These factors can make one a legitimate competitor. However, biochemistry, which fuels one’s endurance and tenacity, provides the speed to succeed. (c)
Q:
The four identities that make up your battery are the Catalyst, the Synergist, the Guardian, and the Defender. (c)
Q:
In a 2011 study by the National Academy of Sciences, scientists demonstrated the impact of decision fatigue. Researchers Jonathan Levav formerly of Columbia Business School and Shai Danziger formerly of Ben-Gurion University analyzed more than 1,100 decisions from a parole board in an Israeli prison over a ten-month period. They discovered that prisoners who appeared early in the morning or just after a food break received parole approximately 70 percent of the time. Those who appeared before the board at the end of the day or just before a break received parole less than 10 percent of the time. (c)
Q:
Attempting to leave your comfort zone and evolve into your new identity is like putting a stake in the ground, throwing a rubber band around it, stepping into the open loop, and trying to sprint as far away from the stake as you can, without building up your muscles first.
But if you don’t have enough energy to push against the tension (the change created based on these new needs), you’ll snap back into your old self hard and fast. This old self is drenched in behaviors the primal brain considers safe, since it doesn’t exert your energy levels further.
The shock from the snapback can dramatically impact the way we see the world and ourselves, making us cautious about future attempts at change. (c)
Q:
In the past, I had handled stressful life events through mental rehearsal and EFT, otherwise known as the Emotional Freedom Technique. (c)
Q:
Nutritional deficiencies will amplify your worst emotions and make you your own enemy. (c)
Q:
At a book signing at Tampa, Florida’s, Oxford Exchange, Dr. Steven Masley, author of The Better Brain Solution, stated that up to 85 percent of the population is nutrient deficient. We just haven’t realized it yet because many doctors are still peddling the belief that a healthy diet is enough. The science says otherwise. Tired, mineral-depleted soils grow mineral-depleted foods. It’s up to individuals to educate themselves on the effects this has on our behavior and supplement accordingly. (c) I'm not too sure of that. Still, there well could be something to that effect.
Q:
That the author's experience was a motivator in creating this book is another plus to it.
Interesting stuff:
- ketones
- Emotional Freedom Technique
- mental rehearsal
Q:
Something was horribly wrong, but for the life of me, I couldn’t put my finger on it. (c)
Q:
Doctors are trained to diagnose the symptoms, not the underlying cause. (c)
Q:
Suddenly, light, noise, and social interactions were too much for my brain to process. I couldn’t manage social situations anymore and moved across Australia to cut off ties with friends. I barely had enough energy to stay awake, let alone hold a conversation or speak onstage. Reading and writing, my passions, became too exhausting for me to contemplate. My short-term and long-term memory were both failing, and my speech was slurred. (c)
Q:
My resume would have read, “Proactive worker who naps a lot.” (c)
Q:
Every time I stepped onstage to present, I came alive. I used this energy to write my first three books, two of which became bestsellers and all three of which I wrote in 30 to 40 days each. My brain was firing on all cylinders, and I had focus like you wouldn’t believe. Nothing was too hard, and no problem was too big to solve. I used this energy and focus to build an online education business that boasted more than $1 million in sales with two part-time team members and required only four to five hours of my time per day.
Then everything changed. I wanted to give it all up, and I couldn’t work out why. (c)
Q:
Biohacking is the practice of changing the environment inside and outside you so that you gain full control of your biology to enhance your body, mind, and life. It has grown in popularity in recent years as individuals are discovering the numerous benefits of taking control of their health and leaving nothing to chance. (c)
Q:
The only way I could achieve this mission would be to close my “identity gap.” The identity gap is the distance between who you are and who you need to become to reach your goals. Our identity dictates our thoughts, behaviors, and actions and either sets us up for success or primes us for failure at both a conscious and subconscious level. It limits or expands our thinking and our ability to succeed, depending on which identity we hold at any given time. You can’t be a good accountant if you’re a painter at heart. (c)
Q:
You’ll discover how my medications, nutritional deficiencies, and foods influenced my behavior; what changes I embraced to correct that behavior; and how these factors could be impacting your life. You’ll also discover how using the latest neurotechnology devices trained my brain to focus, and how I tested my body with a four-week CrossFit challenge. You’ll see the changes I went through when I experienced intermittent fasting, experimented with various dietary protocols, tracked my sleep, took countless supplements, and tested technology that reduced my stress in less than 30 seconds. I even walked across hot coals to find some answers—literally, not metaphorically! Although, that might not have been as nerve-wracking as the colonic irrigation I had. (c) I'm not decided if it is the load of crock it sounds to be.
Q:
How many of them will burn out before they can achieve their dreams due to biological factors? (c)
Q:
We’ve been taught that our psychology is the number-one key to success; our biochemistry doesn’t get a mention unless you’re an elite athlete or experiencing severe physical symptoms that are obvious to others. But even mild biochemical problems can prevent you from reaching your goals.
Strategic planning, mindset, and willpower are essential for one’s ability to think and compete on the job and in life. These factors can make one a legitimate competitor. However, biochemistry, which fuels one’s endurance and tenacity, provides the speed to succeed. (c)
Q:
The four identities that make up your battery are the Catalyst, the Synergist, the Guardian, and the Defender. (c)
Q:
In a 2011 study by the National Academy of Sciences, scientists demonstrated the impact of decision fatigue. Researchers Jonathan Levav formerly of Columbia Business School and Shai Danziger formerly of Ben-Gurion University analyzed more than 1,100 decisions from a parole board in an Israeli prison over a ten-month period. They discovered that prisoners who appeared early in the morning or just after a food break received parole approximately 70 percent of the time. Those who appeared before the board at the end of the day or just before a break received parole less than 10 percent of the time. (c)
Q:
Attempting to leave your comfort zone and evolve into your new identity is like putting a stake in the ground, throwing a rubber band around it, stepping into the open loop, and trying to sprint as far away from the stake as you can, without building up your muscles first.
But if you don’t have enough energy to push against the tension (the change created based on these new needs), you’ll snap back into your old self hard and fast. This old self is drenched in behaviors the primal brain considers safe, since it doesn’t exert your energy levels further.
The shock from the snapback can dramatically impact the way we see the world and ourselves, making us cautious about future attempts at change. (c)
Q:
In the past, I had handled stressful life events through mental rehearsal and EFT, otherwise known as the Emotional Freedom Technique. (c)
Q:
Nutritional deficiencies will amplify your worst emotions and make you your own enemy. (c)
Q:
At a book signing at Tampa, Florida’s, Oxford Exchange, Dr. Steven Masley, author of The Better Brain Solution, stated that up to 85 percent of the population is nutrient deficient. We just haven’t realized it yet because many doctors are still peddling the belief that a healthy diet is enough. The science says otherwise. Tired, mineral-depleted soils grow mineral-depleted foods. It’s up to individuals to educate themselves on the effects this has on our behavior and supplement accordingly. (c) I'm not too sure of that. Still, there well could be something to that effect.
Q:
December 23, 2019
I seem to have lurched from female white privilege (My year of rest and relaxation) to male white privilege in the last few days.
Premise - you're feeling a bit fatigued and "off your game" so you go off to the USA & Canada for months and months to consult with fellow bio-hacking Bros to purchase really expensive electronic stuff of dubious benefit (I checked all the reviews) and even more expensive tests in a box (echoes of Theranos - you only need a pinprick of blood, or a grain of poop to do all that testing) and then you buy some more expensive nootropics and self dose yourself, do some crossfit, take before and after pictures that look pretty similar except in one you're standing closer to the mirror, write a "how to book" and voila within 90 days you're back on the A game.
Premise - you're feeling a bit fatigued and "off your game" so you go off to the USA & Canada for months and months to consult with fellow bio-hacking Bros to purchase really expensive electronic stuff of dubious benefit (I checked all the reviews) and even more expensive tests in a box (echoes of Theranos - you only need a pinprick of blood, or a grain of poop to do all that testing) and then you buy some more expensive nootropics and self dose yourself, do some crossfit, take before and after pictures that look pretty similar except in one you're standing closer to the mirror, write a "how to book" and voila within 90 days you're back on the A game.
April 15, 2019
What an engaging book. I’ve taken the liberty of ordering many of the items he himself used throughout his journey such as Ketone Ester(not gonna like I thought it would be BS, but this stuff is rocket fuel for your mind and body). I have also made it a “must do” to meditate daily....I’ve ordered a gut health home test and about to order some wearable devices to measure breathing and calm stress. I hope that by following his outlines plan that I will feel better! So far on the right track and honestly in one short week, I do honestly feel better.
September 6, 2019
Just providing a honest opinion on the book. Although it may provide motivation from some people to take action, I am not sure where some of the facts are from in the book. A lot of facts pointed out are dated (especially when trying to draw evidence to make a statement e.g. according to ...). The book is really subjective to the authors perspective. The book was suggested to me, as a friend ask me on what I thought of it.
The pros:
- good for people that want to learn motivation, more relevent to small businesses
- basic and easy to understand (but do not 100% digest it as facts)
- good for someone that is motivated from wanting a lifestyle change
- a wide topic area reflecting lifestle in one compact book
The cons:
- the scienced is selectively bias, discusses the 'bad' of a specific model, whilst ignoring 90% of the good
- Talk as though science (psych, bio, psychaitry etc) as black and white. Every psychologist, psychaitrist, scientist and therapist I know understands the relationship between different profession and provides a intergrative approach. This book claims that 'they do not'. This is a really bold and unethical claim, because it is untrue.
- Some facts are true, some are not. Making it a problematic, because readers will learn a mixture of truth and false.
- Feels like a the book written like a big sales pitch.
Overall, I would not recommend this book. While there are some decent content written, there are many other books out there that are more backed up by science and facts. I would say use this book as a starting point, and if you want to learn more, read other books on the chapter's topic area. This is because some contents are wrong and are merely guesses. For example, the books talk about neurochemicals. However, neurochemicals serves ALOT of purpose etc. I can see this book is more tailored for a community of sole-trader solopreneur businesses that are in the phase of motivation.
Do not get me wrong. Some content are decent. However, with mixtures false information and bold claims that are not 'backed up' by science, it is extremely problematic. For example, me telling someone that essential oils cure depression etc. Not recommended.
The pros:
- good for people that want to learn motivation, more relevent to small businesses
- basic and easy to understand (but do not 100% digest it as facts)
- good for someone that is motivated from wanting a lifestyle change
- a wide topic area reflecting lifestle in one compact book
The cons:
- the scienced is selectively bias, discusses the 'bad' of a specific model, whilst ignoring 90% of the good
- Talk as though science (psych, bio, psychaitry etc) as black and white. Every psychologist, psychaitrist, scientist and therapist I know understands the relationship between different profession and provides a intergrative approach. This book claims that 'they do not'. This is a really bold and unethical claim, because it is untrue.
- Some facts are true, some are not. Making it a problematic, because readers will learn a mixture of truth and false.
- Feels like a the book written like a big sales pitch.
Overall, I would not recommend this book. While there are some decent content written, there are many other books out there that are more backed up by science and facts. I would say use this book as a starting point, and if you want to learn more, read other books on the chapter's topic area. This is because some contents are wrong and are merely guesses. For example, the books talk about neurochemicals. However, neurochemicals serves ALOT of purpose etc. I can see this book is more tailored for a community of sole-trader solopreneur businesses that are in the phase of motivation.
Do not get me wrong. Some content are decent. However, with mixtures false information and bold claims that are not 'backed up' by science, it is extremely problematic. For example, me telling someone that essential oils cure depression etc. Not recommended.
February 18, 2019
Interesting book that offers a comprehensive plan for becoming your best self. It includes information about vitamins, wearables, neuro science and willpower. The problem is that it is presented in a very messy and inorganic way that makes difficult to get the main ideas and put them to practice. The same content organized differently could have more impact.
——-
Es un libro interesante que ofrece un plan integral para convertirte en la persona que quieres ser. Incluye información sobre vitaminas, tecnología, neurociencia y fuerza de voluntad. El problema es que se presenta de una manera muy desordenada e inorgánica que hace difícil entender y resumir las ideas principales y ponerlas en práctica. El mismo contenido organizado de forma diferente podría tener mucho más impacto.
——-
Es un libro interesante que ofrece un plan integral para convertirte en la persona que quieres ser. Incluye información sobre vitaminas, tecnología, neurociencia y fuerza de voluntad. El problema es que se presenta de una manera muy desordenada e inorgánica que hace difícil entender y resumir las ideas principales y ponerlas en práctica. El mismo contenido organizado de forma diferente podría tener mucho más impacto.
January 17, 2019
This was good book but if you know and read about food science, it has less to offer. I have only took out message on supplements and the fact that my mental energy has direct correlation with how I feel physically. Rest it was all right. In last I found book too much repetitive of same message and in between also annoyed with advertisements of wearables.
March 14, 2019
There are some good thoughts about physical health contribiting to mental health I totally agree. The four categories of behavior from catalyst to defender also struck me as an impressive and accurate idea. I have my doubts as to whether or not the author was really emotionally unwell as he explained his personal recovery. He may have been bear defender status but I don't know of any truly depressed people who have the motivation to keep detailed and thorough logs and journals for years. Good thoughts on the action plan nontheless. I don't plan on buying all the wearables, maybe the vitamins and supplements. Certainly I've gained a new approach on life.
December 26, 2018
I received this book, for free, in exchange for an honest review.
This book is a good book to inspire you to take up biohacking.
On the other hand if you are already a biohacker this probably won't be too useful as he only talks about a handful of experiments. Granted, I doubt Tim Ferriss could've done much better experimentation in a 90 day window (I couldn't run that many different experiments without jumbling up the results and would probably average 2-4 a month).
This book is a good book to inspire you to take up biohacking.
On the other hand if you are already a biohacker this probably won't be too useful as he only talks about a handful of experiments. Granted, I doubt Tim Ferriss could've done much better experimentation in a 90 day window (I couldn't run that many different experiments without jumbling up the results and would probably average 2-4 a month).
January 7, 2019
Good insights in regaining energy and motivation. The largest part of the book discusses the impact of the food you consume on your gut and your mind, and the first step to be ‘unstoppable’ is to get your nutrition right. Ben provides feedback on supplements and nootropics he uses on a regular basis to boost energy for the body and mind. MCT Oil (from coconuts) stood out to me a a supplement providing great energy. He also focus on some wearables you can use to focus and perform better.
January 22, 2019
This book makes too much sense...so much I'm actually motivated to get test kits for food allergens and gut health check because the author is right: unless we manage our biochemistry successfully, how well can motivational psychology work? If our bodies aren't working to our optimal level, how can our mind?
March 24, 2019
Life changing book. Simply life changing.
I read this like it was written for me. Now I start to implement the first 13 weeks. Thank you Ben!
I read this like it was written for me. Now I start to implement the first 13 weeks. Thank you Ben!
October 21, 2019
This is mostly a regurgitation of information available elsewhere combined with none too subtle advertorials for various tech gadgets.
August 13, 2019
Finally, a book that gives you the details in how to get your mind and body back to health, and not just theory. Ben shares his journey from depression, anxiety, fatigue and brain fog to becoming unstoppable in 90 days! Most of us just want to feel better and our doctors don't give us much hope and a pill to chase it all down with.
Ben also created a 13-Week mission with step by step course that gives weekly challenges/ experiments for you to try, since we are all so different, and what works for one, may not work for all. He gives you meditations to listen to that can help break negative or old belief systems, as well.
Ben also created a 13-Week mission with step by step course that gives weekly challenges/ experiments for you to try, since we are all so different, and what works for one, may not work for all. He gives you meditations to listen to that can help break negative or old belief systems, as well.
May 23, 2020
This is probably the book that fits best in my life. There some many things with we do not know and the author could express well how many areas of our life's are deeply related. From meditation to food ingestion and breathing. This is a great book to question all of us about ours autopilot in life!!!
June 27, 2019
This book really offers nothing new except some product punts. Nothing more to say....
May 25, 2021
The book addresses impact of various factors such as food allergies, hormonal misbalances, vitamin deficiencies etc. to look at our well-being. Many people suffer from physical and mental underperformance, brain fog, depression due to such influences. At first the book felt a bit like advertisement of various biohacking gadgets or supplements. Overall it helped to raise awareness about my own current state and means of analysing and changing it. [reading time: 7h53m]
July 3, 2019
This book is written for anyone looking to "biohack" their health and mind using various medical tests, wearables, supplements, nootropics and some devices.
Overall, the book is not particularly well-written, and the formulation/premise of the book as a 90-day journey feels forced and overplayed. It uses an existing troupe and is quite similar to other books in the space by Tim Ferris and Ben Greenfield, both of whom go several levels deeper and better backed. I feel like it would have benefited from a slowed down, more honest, scientific appraisal of how to improve yourself through self-experimentation, rather than this cowboy style. Most of the "backing" for what he is done is a bunch of footnotes that feel like a hopeful proof of it being a good thing to try. Many are internet, newspaper, or WebMD summaries, and he doesn't properly review most of the big pieces behind the science of these biohacks.
In the end, we get the "kitchen sink" of ideas and trials and not much in the way of how to validate what worked and when. It can and appears to work for him, but I suspect many aspects that got published in the book either weren't continued by the author or lack the science to back up the claims he reports they provide. He may not being getting direct financial sponsorship from any of the stuff he tries, but it does feel like an infomercial for many of these things.
Ultimately it's an okay intro for someone interested in the idea of biohacking and searching for a range of ideas to try. It could largely be summarized in a blog post or short list too. That said, the various ideas in the book are generally well summarized and include additional references (for the most part) for additional study. If you are looking for a comprehensive scientific, detail oriented guide to biohacking and how to approach it, search elsewhere. But if you are looking for a big list of things to try and one dude's process, this book could be a useful.
Personally, as a self-tracker / quantified self / biohacker myself, I found the book to cavalier. He mixes everything together, and it's not even clear what was causal rather than merely correlational, meaning happened at the same time. I found it ironic that it took until nearly the very, very end of the book before he says you shouldn't do what he is doing and do things more methodically.
Most of the book tends to attempt to be scientific, but in the end he falls into a lot of mumbo jumpo psychology. His defining metaphor of personality crunches of defender, catalyst, etc. appears to be just something he came up with. I have no clue what that describes besides some cute metaphor to describe when he is tired, sick, burned out or something. The Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) in last main section is well-documented pseudoscience that had no place here. Publisher should have pulled that or at least provided some science or footnotes, which ironically was a place where none were provided. Arguably this was area where the book most went off the deep end into non-sense.
Anyways, for those looking for the list of things he tries and recommends to some extent, here it is:
- Blood tests with review by functional medicine doctor to determine nutrition deficiencies and potential changes in diet, lifestyle and/or supplements
- food sensitivity blood test by EverlyWell: Recommeds getting tested and removing
- Halo Sport - brain-stimulating headset that transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS)
- Oura Ring - heath wearable for your finger, tracks heart rate, HRV, sleep, activity and a bunch of other stuff
- Muse by InteraXon - a four-channel dry electrode, EEG headset primarily built to be used with meditation and neurofeedback
- Spire.io - reported to track respiration by measuring the movement of the torso or abdomen
- TouchPoints - worn on both wrists, it sends vibrations that are intended to help you disengage from stress and the body's instinctive “fight or flight” response
- Supplements: Vitamin D, Magnesium, Iodine, Vitamin B12, MCT Oil (Brain Octane Oil), Zinc
- Nootropics: Caffeine, HVMN's Ketone Esters, L-Tyrosine, L-Theanine, L-Carnitine (ALCAR), Nicotine
Overall, the book is not particularly well-written, and the formulation/premise of the book as a 90-day journey feels forced and overplayed. It uses an existing troupe and is quite similar to other books in the space by Tim Ferris and Ben Greenfield, both of whom go several levels deeper and better backed. I feel like it would have benefited from a slowed down, more honest, scientific appraisal of how to improve yourself through self-experimentation, rather than this cowboy style. Most of the "backing" for what he is done is a bunch of footnotes that feel like a hopeful proof of it being a good thing to try. Many are internet, newspaper, or WebMD summaries, and he doesn't properly review most of the big pieces behind the science of these biohacks.
In the end, we get the "kitchen sink" of ideas and trials and not much in the way of how to validate what worked and when. It can and appears to work for him, but I suspect many aspects that got published in the book either weren't continued by the author or lack the science to back up the claims he reports they provide. He may not being getting direct financial sponsorship from any of the stuff he tries, but it does feel like an infomercial for many of these things.
Ultimately it's an okay intro for someone interested in the idea of biohacking and searching for a range of ideas to try. It could largely be summarized in a blog post or short list too. That said, the various ideas in the book are generally well summarized and include additional references (for the most part) for additional study. If you are looking for a comprehensive scientific, detail oriented guide to biohacking and how to approach it, search elsewhere. But if you are looking for a big list of things to try and one dude's process, this book could be a useful.
Personally, as a self-tracker / quantified self / biohacker myself, I found the book to cavalier. He mixes everything together, and it's not even clear what was causal rather than merely correlational, meaning happened at the same time. I found it ironic that it took until nearly the very, very end of the book before he says you shouldn't do what he is doing and do things more methodically.
Most of the book tends to attempt to be scientific, but in the end he falls into a lot of mumbo jumpo psychology. His defining metaphor of personality crunches of defender, catalyst, etc. appears to be just something he came up with. I have no clue what that describes besides some cute metaphor to describe when he is tired, sick, burned out or something. The Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) in last main section is well-documented pseudoscience that had no place here. Publisher should have pulled that or at least provided some science or footnotes, which ironically was a place where none were provided. Arguably this was area where the book most went off the deep end into non-sense.
Anyways, for those looking for the list of things he tries and recommends to some extent, here it is:
- Blood tests with review by functional medicine doctor to determine nutrition deficiencies and potential changes in diet, lifestyle and/or supplements
- food sensitivity blood test by EverlyWell: Recommeds getting tested and removing
- Halo Sport - brain-stimulating headset that transcranial direct-current stimulation (tDCS)
- Oura Ring - heath wearable for your finger, tracks heart rate, HRV, sleep, activity and a bunch of other stuff
- Muse by InteraXon - a four-channel dry electrode, EEG headset primarily built to be used with meditation and neurofeedback
- Spire.io - reported to track respiration by measuring the movement of the torso or abdomen
- TouchPoints - worn on both wrists, it sends vibrations that are intended to help you disengage from stress and the body's instinctive “fight or flight” response
- Supplements: Vitamin D, Magnesium, Iodine, Vitamin B12, MCT Oil (Brain Octane Oil), Zinc
- Nootropics: Caffeine, HVMN's Ketone Esters, L-Tyrosine, L-Theanine, L-Carnitine (ALCAR), Nicotine
August 12, 2019
Finally, a book that gives you the details in how to get your mind and body back to health, and not just theory. Ben shares his journey from depression, anxiety, fatigue and brain fog to becoming unstoppable in 90 days! Most of us just want to feel better and our doctors don't give us much hope and a pill to chase it all down with.
Ben also created a 13-Week mission with step by step course that gives weekly challenges/ experiments for you to try, since we are all so different, and what works for one, may not work for all. He gives you meditations to listen to that can help break negative or old belief systems, as well.
Ben also created a 13-Week mission with step by step course that gives weekly challenges/ experiments for you to try, since we are all so different, and what works for one, may not work for all. He gives you meditations to listen to that can help break negative or old belief systems, as well.
July 29, 2019
Useful information and practical methodology enumerated. Builds up the momentum towards acquiring a more healthy and productive self.
November 13, 2019
It just reminded me of a sales push and that he was trying to convince me of the science he believes in.
April 11, 2020
Unscientific study of one person's journey
He calls himself an accidental biohacker, and I think the "accidental" is spot on. He is giving advice based on his sponsored journey. He is trying things on himself in non-systematic way, several at a time - and without control -, so it is difficult to say which of the things actually worked. Some is definitely placebo, although he is trying stuff that others have studied.
It is the first biohacking book I have read and I don't believe it is the best. It does lay out a path to getting out of the rut and becoming "unstoppable", inspired and motivated. The path involves, on top of the usual health advice, taking supplements to remove nutritional deficiencies, taking nootropics to excite your brain at the right moments, using brain-sensing devices, NLP for visualization... It is up to anyone, how much are you willing to pay for all this, how far you willing to go with integrating with machines.
I did get some ideas here and helpful exercises for figuring out what I want in my life.
He calls himself an accidental biohacker, and I think the "accidental" is spot on. He is giving advice based on his sponsored journey. He is trying things on himself in non-systematic way, several at a time - and without control -, so it is difficult to say which of the things actually worked. Some is definitely placebo, although he is trying stuff that others have studied.
It is the first biohacking book I have read and I don't believe it is the best. It does lay out a path to getting out of the rut and becoming "unstoppable", inspired and motivated. The path involves, on top of the usual health advice, taking supplements to remove nutritional deficiencies, taking nootropics to excite your brain at the right moments, using brain-sensing devices, NLP for visualization... It is up to anyone, how much are you willing to pay for all this, how far you willing to go with integrating with machines.
I did get some ideas here and helpful exercises for figuring out what I want in my life.
October 1, 2019
Actual definitions of biohacking: "the activity of exploiting genetic material experimentally without regard to accepted ethical standards, or for criminal purposes."
"biological experimentation (as by gene editing or the use of drugs or implants) done to improve the qualities or capabilities of living organisms especially by individuals and groups working outside a traditional medical or scientific research environment"
This is a book of repackaged nutritional and dietary advice, with the supplementation of the use of expensive, wearable, meditation related, biofeedback devices. It has little if anything to do with "biohacking", and much of the nutritional advice is little more than new age nonsense.
Not saying that what he did didn't work for him (though he did so many things, that how he can narrow it down to what actually worked is beyond me), but that doesn't mean it will work for others.
"biological experimentation (as by gene editing or the use of drugs or implants) done to improve the qualities or capabilities of living organisms especially by individuals and groups working outside a traditional medical or scientific research environment"
This is a book of repackaged nutritional and dietary advice, with the supplementation of the use of expensive, wearable, meditation related, biofeedback devices. It has little if anything to do with "biohacking", and much of the nutritional advice is little more than new age nonsense.
Not saying that what he did didn't work for him (though he did so many things, that how he can narrow it down to what actually worked is beyond me), but that doesn't mean it will work for others.
May 13, 2019
2 stars for the effort. A lot of bullcrap in this book from the irrational fear of "toxins" to the nonsensical belief that organic food should be better while at the same time demonizing GMOs (justifying it all with some dodgy cherry picked paper, all in some anti-scientific conspiracy style). Other than that, the writing is really bad, don't know why but to me, it's the classic self entitled writer that sucks but believes to be the source of truth. Definitely not worth the money. You find better and more reliable info on examine.com, and biohacking stories about nootropics on Reddit. And all for free
July 23, 2019
Good
Boring but valuable content -more of a diet plan and less motivation . But enjoyed reading it. Author has summarized his events well
Boring but valuable content -more of a diet plan and less motivation . But enjoyed reading it. Author has summarized his events well
January 21, 2019
Good for those who are new to the idea.
Sometimes, can be a bit much repetitive.
Sometimes, can be a bit much repetitive.
May 4, 2024
A good guide, but what I didn’t like is that all the things the author describes and had access to while writing the book are not accessible to many of us. He uses gadgets and describes them accurately, showing in his situation the impact they had, but not everyone can afford or worse have access to those technologies and services. The authors also describe and highlight small changes that everyone should be able to do and achieve, with small chances in daily life, yet it felt impossible to obtain what the author obtained for the simple reason that he had privileges that not everyone reading the book will have. Despite that, the author (and narrator) are experts in their field, and you can tell by listening to this book. Both provide clear explanations, simple and easily understood by those who are not in the field or have basically zero knowledge of self-help, improvement, healthy habits, nutrition, sports, etc.
September 5, 2019
I will freely admit that prior to reading this book, I had no idea who Ben Angel is or was. But the premise of the book, showing us, the readers, how he overcame depression and debilitating fatigue by "re-engineering" his body by analyzing how his body absorbs nutrition, which foods the body works less well with, his vitamin intake, minerals, work-out procedures, sleep habits, even experimenting with nootropics and other things that frankly are a little far out there, at least for my liking.
That being said, he gives a lot of good advice, many of his suggestions are sound and worth implementing, especially in today's culture where many of us work harder than ever but are eating poorer quality food or foods where we honestly don't know how our bodies react to it in terms of absorption, energy etc.
I learned a lot from this book, and there are things that I have already implemented and others that I will try out and also some parts I will entirely stay away from.
For those fighting with depression or fatigue that cannot easily be attributed to one thing, this book and the suggestions in it are worth checking out.
That being said, he gives a lot of good advice, many of his suggestions are sound and worth implementing, especially in today's culture where many of us work harder than ever but are eating poorer quality food or foods where we honestly don't know how our bodies react to it in terms of absorption, energy etc.
I learned a lot from this book, and there are things that I have already implemented and others that I will try out and also some parts I will entirely stay away from.
For those fighting with depression or fatigue that cannot easily be attributed to one thing, this book and the suggestions in it are worth checking out.
October 27, 2021
Most of the information from this book is already available online. Reading a few articles about vitamin/mineral deficiency will cover most of the book's information.
Other cons:
* It seems to be addressed mostly to the US people. There are a lot of US studies, products, and examples. As a non-US citizen, most of the info is not so useful.
* It promotes products and companies. I don't like books like this.
* The author talks too much about the problem. He keeps repeating the problem over and over again. He even references studies to show how big the problem is.
* What works for the author might not work for others.
I suggest reading some articles or basic books about vitamins/mineral deficiencies instead of this book if you care about your time.
Other cons:
* It seems to be addressed mostly to the US people. There are a lot of US studies, products, and examples. As a non-US citizen, most of the info is not so useful.
* It promotes products and companies. I don't like books like this.
* The author talks too much about the problem. He keeps repeating the problem over and over again. He even references studies to show how big the problem is.
* What works for the author might not work for others.
I suggest reading some articles or basic books about vitamins/mineral deficiencies instead of this book if you care about your time.
April 12, 2020
This book was not so much of the usual self improvement stuff ie affirmations, meditation etc but he does bang on about visualization, diet and exercise. What i found useful in this book was the stuff on getting tested for food allergies, hormones and gut health. I also learned about how wearables can help you feel better. I didn’t agree with all of the things Ben Angel wrote - I certainly won’t be spraying nicotine into my mouth or using coffee as a stimulant, but it was good to read another approach albeit yet another young white male who lives in USA!
December 7, 2020
If you are low on energy, focus and drive, it’s interesting to discover in this book how the problem may lay in your body balance more than your mind. Everything is connected and one always affects the other. The author went to great extremes in terms of exams and gadgets to reset his body, but even for those who don’t have access to the same, he explains in details all the changes you can make to your life, to reset your body and soul.
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