From cold plunges to fasting and caffeine overload, Cherry Healey reveals why popular biohacks can backfire on women – and the smarter, more balanced swaps that actually work.
Words: Cherry Healey. Images: Rosie Parsons Photography, and various brands.
Biohacking has gone mainstream. Everywhere you look, people are plunging into barrels of ice, skipping meals, turning down pasta with saintly conviction and bragging about drinking coffee so strong it could power a Tesla.
But here’s the thing: a lot of the biohacks that work for men (or at least look fab on social media and sort of work) can backfire on women.
We’ve got hormones that ebb and flow, nervous systems that don’t love being pushed to the brink, and a finely tuned radar for whether our bodies feel safe or under siege. So, let’s take a look at the big biohacks everyone’s talking about, and why they may not be serving you as well as a chai latte and a good night’s sleep.
Firstly, we need to talk about the worst offender: cold plunges.
There’s no denying they make for great content. People film themselves lowering into tubs of ice with zen-like faces, and the social media likes roll in. I can’t quite work out why it’s fun to watch, but it is.
And yes, cold plunges can absolutely reduce inflammation and spike dopamine – I recently swam in a freezing cold pool and then jumped into a hot shower and admit I did feel amazing for the rest of the day.
But, when it comes to minutes-long immersion, women’s bodies are naturally more sensitive to cold stress and the benefits might not outweigh the damage.
Hormones, fat distribution, and cycle phases all mean we may walk away feeling drained rather than “reborn”. So, how do we get the buzz without the burnout?
Maybe instead, end your shower with a quick 30-second blast of cold: you’ll get the energy-giving zing without the hormonal hangover. And what about fasting?
The internet loves intermittent fasting: ‘Skip breakfast! Unlock autophagy! Become superhuman!’ But here’s what your body feels: ‘Food shortage incoming. Panic stations! Shut down reproduction.’ Men tend to get away with it. Women? Not so much.
Extended fasting can throw your hormones into chaos: think irregular periods, sleep drama, mood swings and an anxious edge you didn’t order. Aiming for a gentle overnight fast – say, finishing dinner by 6pm and having breakfast at 10am – is plenty. It’s balanced and natural, and won’t make your hormones want to pack up and leave.
Don’t cut out carbs!
And a health column wouldn’t be a health column if we didn’t have to constantly readdress the hideous ’90s messaging around carbs. So naturally, off we go to the keto diet. A paradise of bacon, cheese, butter and bragging rights. Sounds fun, until you realise you’re crying at insurance adverts and wondering why your hairbrush is suddenly full.
Carbs aren’t just fuel; they’re messengers for serotonin (your happy hormone), they support thyroid health, and they calm cortisol (the stress hormone). Slash carbs too far and it’s mood swings, poor sleep, and the kind of energy crash that no bulletproof coffee can fix. Instead, bring back your oats, sweet potatoes, and quinoa.
Your hormones will send you thank-you notes, your taste buds will be your friends again, and generally life will be non-miserable.
Coffee swaps
Of all the unhelpful bio hacks, this is the most annoying one. Caffeine is a great pick-me-up – and because coffee shops have spent the past decade creating Michelin-star-level deliciousness, I could swim in coffee-type loveliness all day.
But while high caffeine might give you focus, it can also crank up anxiety, worsen PMS, mess with your sleep, and spike cortisol, making belly fat more likely to stick around. And fun fact: women metabolise caffeine slower than men, especially if they’re on the pill.
So if you want to indulge in one of the great joys of life without destroying your adrenals, maybe switch to chai or matcha after your morning coffee. Because not feeling like the world is about to end might be a better bet.
The bottom line is that cold plunges, fasting, keto and triple espressos (yes, even martinis) may make for impressive TikToks. But the truth? Women thrive on balance, not burnout.
Your body isn’t a machine to “hack”, it’s a beautifully complex system that flourishes when you treat it with care. Think of biohacking less like being a tech bro with a stopwatch and more like being a gardener: give your body sunlight, water and good soil, and it will bloom.
Cherry Picks…
These are my favourites for a seasonal wellbeing boost!
Olverum Bath Oil
This may not have the wild factor of an ice bath, but I promise you that it is the best smelling bath oil in the history of all time. If you’re looking for a dopamine hit while you’re cleaning yourself, this is the one.
Biotiful Kefir Original Drink 1L
If you’re missing the substance and kick of a mid-afternoon latte, I find Kefir is a great alternative – it has a kick and gives my gut a joyful treat. And seeing as we make 90 per cent of serotonin in our gut, it’s worth looking after it.
Rebel Kitchen Raw Coconut Water
If you’re trying to avoid coffee but want something tasty plus benefits such as potassium and electrolytes, this is mother nature’s gift. Plus, it won’t give you the dreaded afternoon coffee anxiety.
Connect with Cherry at instagram.com/cherryhealey
