Unlocking the Myths of Health Hacking: You Can’t ‘Hack’ Your Health, Part 2
Last week, I recorded a podcast hosted by a naturopathic doctor. As we got into the conversation, we found ourselves talking about our personal journeys through perimenopause and menopause. While we both diligently drew labs and collected plenty of data and biomarkers, we each noticed that it wasn’t this quantitative data that shifted our symptoms. The insights that ultimately helped us feel better were qualitative, and could only be identified by paying close attention to our unique lifestyle practices. My colleague, the doctor, came to a crucial realization: certain foods exacerbated her sleep disturbances and other nighttime symptoms. When she ate those foods, her complaints increased. When she didn’t, they were minimal.
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Similarly, when I was navigating perimenopausal problems, I uncovered a correlation between my bedtime routine, that day’s stress levels, and the frequency and intensity of my hot flashes. When I was able to manage my stress (honestly a tall order in my life) and had my head on the pillow before 10pm, my slumber was much more restful.
This attuned self-awareness allowed each of us to identify gentle, medication-free steps we could implement right away. My colleague simply adjusted her diet to exclude the foods exacerbating her sleep disturbances. In her risk/reward analysis, the benefit of consuming those foods wasn't worth the possibility of experiencing nighttime disturbances and the subsequent day's troubles. I implemented evening relaxation techniques to de-stress from the hectic day and prioritized a consistent bedtime. (10pm is now my Non-Negotiable, and earlier is better.) These changes helped me release the pressures and burdens of the day and mitigate middle-of-the-night sweats. Deliberate actions – informed by our keen awareness of subtle bodily responses – underscore the transformative power of qualitative understanding in guiding our self-care practices. These personalized and qualitative insights tapped into the rich tapestry of our lived experiences and environmental influences, empowering each of us with resolutions that were both cost-effective and within our control.
Contrary to the tantalizing trend of testing, I’m here to inform you that the lab tests did not lead me to the changes that resolved my perimenopausal thermal dysregulation. Even when I had those results in hand, they didn’t provide the same insights. Sure, there were some markers that confirmed what I already knew from my tender tune-in. But if I wasn’t able to run those tests for a variety of reasons, I would still have made the same changes. Better yet, I could start immediately — taking steps away from those sopping wet sheets and towards peaceful sleep from the very first night.
“My best self-care came from being self-aware.”
In Part 1 of "Unlocking the Myths of Health Hacking: You Can’t ‘Hack’ Your Health," we examined the allure and limitations of biohacking techniques like testing and techy tracking in addressing chronic health concerns. We discussed the paradox of chasing quick-fixes while potentially overlooking underlying issues. And we perused the potential pitfalls of relying solely on quantitative metrics provided by wearable devices and data-driven interventions. If you haven’t read Part 1 of this post, you can find it here.
In Part 2 below, we’ll delve further into this distinction between the seductive allure of quantitative data, and the qualitative insights that can unveil both a deeper narrative and more options for taking good care of ourselves. We’ll explore how the qualitative insights can intersect with quantitative data to provide a more comprehensive understanding of our health challenges and solutions.
Searching. Spending. Yet still not better.
In the world of biohacking (or “bio-optimizing” as it is sometimes now called), there's a heavy emphasis on quantitative data – numbers, metrics, and measurements. These are typically data points that can be charted and graphed. These markers profess to quantify our health and paint a path toward the promised land. We track heart rates and sleep scores, count steps, measure real-time glycemic responses, and analyze genetic markers with hopes of a breakthrough. It's the appeal of this quantitative data and the possibility of a concrete answer that can entrap us into the biohacking rabbit hole. Searching. Spending. Yet still not better. (Or sometimes even believing we’re not better when we are, because the marker has not hit some idealized number we want to see.)
Quantitative research often operates under the assumption of a singular, objective reality or truth that can be observed or measured, leading to a prescribed course of action — an approach I refer to as the seductive X for Y assumption or the "protocol" mindset. Unfortunately, the healthcare field, including both biohacking beliefs and medical means (including many Functional medicine “findings”), leans heavily towards quantitative data alone. This bias can inadvertently sideline the vital human-centric and bioindividual dimensions of care that we’re all so desperately seeking.
In my clinical experience as a Functional Medicine Nutritionist, I’ve found that the data we collect when we biohack is true (if indeed it is), but also partial. The perceived assurances and definiteness of a number on a scale or a piece of paper, the color range on your app or a breath device, can easily overshadow its many limitations. Yes, these methods can provide a snapshot of our health, capturing numbers and metrics that may be useful, but they also (and often) miss the broader context in which that data exists.
Quantitative data can tell us that our heart rate increases during a stressful moment or that the markers from our blood (or other bodily fluids and agents such as saliva, urine, feces, or even breath) fall within a certain range. Yet that same data does not likely reveal the particular emotions that surged within us during that stressful incident, or the environmental factors that influenced our biomarkers at the time of collection. In fact, as I illustrated with my own perimenopausal journey, simple and everyday behaviors and reactions – including sleep, hydration, worry, and physical activity – can alter many of those single markers we’re relying on to inform our supposed (and often self) diagnostics that can mistakenly guide our next-step interventions. It's like plucking a weed without delving into its roots or soil — an approach known in Functional Medicine as "downstream thinking." Instead of addressing the root causes, we then focus solely on symptom management or quick fixes. Unfortunately, this downstream approach can be expensive, restrictive, and overlook the deeper and often simpler origins of our health challenges that can lead to more sustainable results. In order to address these chronic health hardships we must embrace a more holistic (meaning comprehensive, not necessarily alternative) vantage point that looks beyond the limitations that a narrowly quantitative perspective provides.
Inquiry. Innovation. Interoception.
There is a set of data that costs less, is far more readily accessible, and that can better inform our next steps in self-health care. It encourages inquiry, innovation, and interoception (the ability to listen to the clues inside the body.) It can even help those who aim to help us, no matter their health or medical background. Qualitative data acknowledges the absence of one absolute truth. For instance, an individual's testosterone, thyroid, or iron level does not singularly determine how they experience their associated symptoms, as this can vary greatly due to a multitude of factors or individual contexts. We’ve lost sight of this data through the evolution of medicine, where we’re fixated on prioritizing metrics over musings. It’s time to rediscover the clinical relevance of reflection.
“The data I’d like to invite us to uncover is information that nobody can refute, and that only you can collect. ”
This data brings color and texture to that quantitative information captured by both medical and biohacked methods. It delves into the intricate implications of your experiences, emotions, and the context of your lived life. It enables you to explore the "why" and more of the potential causality behind whatever hard “facts” you might have acquired, and unravel the stories that numbers alone cannot tell. And this lens helps us to recognize that we’re missing important data in our quest for the hack or “fix.” Data that can't be found on your Apple Watch, Oura ring, sleep number, CGM, or similar devices. This is what Narrative Medicine, as well as various other fields across healthcare, social sciences, and humanities, that value the insights of deeper inquiry, call qualitative data. And it has the power to transform your health journey.
Quantitative vs Qualitative Data in healthcare
Quantitative Data:
Consists of numerical values and can be measured and quantified.
Deals with quantities, measurements, and seemingly objective data that can be analyzed statistically.
Is commonly collected via surveys with closed-ended questions, tests, and measurements.
Is used for making comparisons, conducting statistical analyses, and drawing conclusions based on numerical patterns.
Examples of quantitative data:
Height and weight
Scores on a standardized test
Calories consumed
Lab results
Information gathered from wearables or health monitoring devices such as CGMs (continuous glucose monitors), fitness trackers, step counts, or heart rate monitors
Qualitative Data:
Is descriptive in nature, and deals with characteristics that can be observed but not measured numerically.
Focuses on the qualities, attributes, or characteristics of a person and their experience. (I like to think of this as “personal evidence”.)
Is commonly collected via interviews, focus groups, observations, and open-ended surveys. At the Functional Nutrition Alliance Clinic, our Timeline session is where we get to dive into deeper qualitative information, using the principles of motivational interviewing to learn more about what was collected on an Intake Form.
Is used to gain insights into the depth of human experiences, attitudes, behaviors, and perceptions, as opposed to bypassing those elements in favor of more hard data. It’s human-centered. It’s patient-centered. It helps us to put our money where our mouth is.
Examples of qualitative data:
Descriptions of pain or symptoms
Documentation of history of pain or symptoms
Narratives and anecdotes related to the expression of signs and symptoms
Behaviors, demeanor, “triggers” and non-verbal clues
Diaries, journals, trackers
Qualitative data acknowledges the reality that everything is connected and all things matter. Your birth place, method (vaginal or C-section), and order (first, second, or fifth born), actually matter. The highs and lows that occur within your most intimate interactions matter. Your feelings about your body and your relationship with food and making change, matter. And how you feel (despite what the fancy lab marker or tracker states) matters too. Quantitative data tells us none of these things, and therefore it makes sense that it so often fails in leading us to the sustainable resolution we crave.
Qualitative data is a resource accessible to a broader spectrum of patients than those currently taking advantage of it. And you can collect it by asking yourself questions like…
How would I describe a hot flash?
What is the intensity of my hot flashes?
When did they start?
Can I remember the first time I had one?
Has the intensity of them changed over time?
Are there days when the symptoms are better or worse?
Do they happen at different times or the same time every day?
And the simplest of all… How do you feel?
It’s this last question that I asked a student in a recent Q&A session, and her answer revealed more about the partial truth of lab results than any academic explanation could. This student is a practitioner herself, and she raised her hand to inquire about the recurring microbiome tests her healthcare provider was conducting for her. She expressed concern that certain markers never seem to reach the "green" zone. She detailed all the efforts she had made to "heal her gut" and expressed disappointment that she was unable to address the lingering imbalances indicated on the test results, despite dedicated efforts. In response, I asked, "How do you feel?" She chuckled and replied, "I feel better than I ever have in my life. I feel great!"
While the idea of tailoring treatment to test results offers a seductive simplicity that seems to have taken the health and wellness industry by storm, this reductionist approach overlooks the suggestion of individual variance in biomarkers, needs, and interventions. My student’s health issue might actually be resolved, and yet she was on a continual quest for resolution because the numbers weren’t yet “perfect.” Testing only provides part of the picture. While the insights gained from these tests may provide some value, they fail to capture the comprehensive perspective of a qualitative inquiry, such as "How do you feel?"
Qualitative data, collected through introspection and self-inquiry, empowers you to take a more active role in your self-health care journey in ways that may be missed by relying solely on external measures. It offers insights that can elude you when in pursuit of a hollow quick-fix. It transcends the confines of conventional medicine and biohacking, serving as a universal tool for anyone, irrespective of their health, medical background, or other social determinants.
“Behind every data point that you’ve collected, there you are.”
As a reminder, I believe that all types of information can be supportive of our desire to find resolution. A comprehensive approach requires various types of data, coupled with the application of meaning and interpretation rooted in personal experience and understanding.
By primarily focusing on numbers and measurements, wherever they come from, we risk overlooking the nuanced, patient-centered aspects that are crucial for a comprehensive understanding of our next steps in care. We also risk bypassing critical and baseline aspects that can empower us with a deeper sense of self and influence over our body’s expressions. By embracing the synergy of both quantitative and qualitative data, we unlock an amazing potential to shift into a more effective, individualized approach to our everyday care, tailored to our specific needs.
Behind every data point that you’ve collected, there you are. Your life, your challenges, and your aspirations. I believe it's our duty to honor our individuality and strive for a more holistic and compassionate approach to our self-health care. In doing so, we offer our bodies and lives the gratitude they deserve, enriching our health journeys with purpose and authority.
““It is not because I can’t explain that you won’t understand; it’s because you won’t understand that I can’t explain.””
Narrative Medicine Invitation:
Write what you wish your healthcare team understood.
Note: There is no “right” or “wrong” here. No “good” or “bad”. Set a timer for 5 minutes, see what comes to mind, and write freely. I invite you to write as an act of release, not to be or become a writer.
Share your insights and reflections in the comments below or feel free to send them to me at scribe@andreanakayama.com.
