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Most people are still asleep

in Lugano.

 

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A strong red light

in a house.

 

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Lying down is Vanessa for

her light therapy session.

 

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20 minutes, every morning,

to activate the body's energy.

 

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I do it around 05:30.

 

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Outside, it's still dark.

 

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If I raise the blinds, people outside

see a powerful light.

 

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If you see a red light,

you know that

 

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it's a biohacker

using this strategy!

 

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A biohacker.

 

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Behind this sci-fi term

is a movement.

 

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People who use routines,

but also innovations

 

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to "hack

our body's functions.

 

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The ultimate goal: to live fit,

for as long as possible.

 

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First thing in the morning,

Vanessa looks at her sleep analysis

 

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provided

by her ring.

 

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It was an eventful night.

 

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My score is not good.

 

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75 for sleep.

 

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There's a sleeping hole here.

 

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We can look at

previous scores.

 

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They are higher,

there are fewer alarm clocks.

 

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she starts her routine:

hydrogenated water,

 

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dietary supplements,

light therapy,

 

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cold shower, exercise

outside in all weathers.

 

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And a hearty breakfast.

 

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It takes her 2 hours every morning.

 

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Like any good biohacker, Vanessa

has a multitude of gadgets.

 

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That's for breathing.

 

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To improve

our lung capacity.

 

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You do exercises.

 

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All these devices are connected

to an app in the phone.

 

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This is a device

against electrosmog.

 

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We're always more in contact

with antennas, wifi, etc.

 

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I carry it

in my pocket or bag.

 

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These glasses are used

to block out artificial light.

 

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In the evening, if you're watching TV or

the computer or you're on your phone,

 

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there's always blue light.

 

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Our eyes don't understand

it and we can't sleep.

 

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You have to put on these glasses.

 

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This 50-year-old woman from Ticino

wants to optimise her body and health

 

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because she has suffered from problems

stress and diet,

 

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while running her own

her communications agency.

 

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But there's also a desire

 

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to counter the effects

of aging.

 

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One of the books

that opened my mind,

 

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and changed the paradigm

concept of aging.

 

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He says getting old,

is a disease.

 

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If we understand

the concept of aging,

 

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we can turn this paradigm on its head.

 

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The title is "Why we age",

 

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and "Why

we shouldn't grow old".

 

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Among Vanessa's inspirations are

early biohackers,

 

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mostly Silicon Valley's

Valley entrepreneurs

 

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These American idols are

inspiring more and more Swiss people.

 

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We return again to Lausanne,

in early winter.

 

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It's now 06:30.

 

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Giorgio, a plastic surgeon,

welcomes David and Gianluca.

 

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They get together for a morning

morning exercise session.

 

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The team of biohackers take advantage of

technological equipment

 

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in Giorgio's practice

in Lausanne,

 

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such as this

electromagnetic stimulation device.

 

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So biohacking is suffering?

 

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Of course; without suffering,

there's no victory!

 

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More and more studies show that

exercise is much more effective

 

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than traditional medicines

to increase life expectancy.

 

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Giorgio sets up David, who has

instead chosen to tan.

 

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We're using two lights,

633 and 830.

 

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Now a sort of

a biohacking coach,

 

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the surgeon

discovered this trend

 

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surrounding longevity medicine

after an awakening.

 

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I had plenty of work

with my training as a surgeon.

 

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But I was leading a life

that wasn't good.

 

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I didn't exercise, I didn't eat well

I didn't eat well, I slept very little.

 

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Stress was increasing,

I didn't feel good about myself.

 

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I realised I had to do something,

 

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to start these improvement processes

to feel better.

 

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What we do comes back to us,

because we feel good.

 

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We wake up, we're full of energy,

we slept well.

 

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Reduce the effects of time

on the body.

 

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And who knows,

become young again for eternity.

 

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This quest becomes

an economic issue.

 

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In Switzerland, a clinic is interested

longevity medicine.

 

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A pioneer in cell therapy

against skin aging,

 

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la Prairie in Clarens,

near Montreux,

 

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proposes programs that would

lead to a longer life.

 

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Giorgio meets the director

with whom he collaborates.

 

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Ciao, Giorgio, welcome.

Thank you.

 

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This is the corridor

of the biohacking pioneers.

 

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You have the stars

who have passed through the Prairie.

 

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Charles de Gaulle, Romy Schneider,

even Pope Pius XII.

 

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The place is select.

 

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But so is the price.

 

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For a one-week

treatment,

 

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it costs

nearly 50,000 frs.

 

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I don't like talking about money.

 

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Clearly, we're in a niche.

 

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We only have 34 rooms,

very few customers.

 

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Maximum 50 customers who are followed

by more than 300 people,

 

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staff and doctors.

 

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Innovations in longevity

are expensive,

 

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but after that, they become

less and less expensive.

 

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Genetics is a good example.

 

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A few years ago, genetic testing

was very expensive.

 

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Today, it costs next to nothing.

 

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Genetic testing,

stem cell injections,

 

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dietary supplements

 

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or cryotherapy chambers

at -130 degrees.

 

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Here you have cryotherapy.

 

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Fashion and technology

 

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creating a lucrative business

around biohacking.

 

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But some are wary

of this trend.

 

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The voice of reason

may lie here,

 

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in a laboratory

north of Lausanne.

 

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Hello, how are you?

 

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Manager of the geriatric

service at CHUV,

 

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Patrizia D'Amelio

meets her team,

 

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who are doing research to counteract

the effect of time on our health.

 

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If you listen to podcasts

or interact with social networks,

 

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you get the impression

you can do anything.

 

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Take any supplement

without consequences,

 

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without consulting your doctor.

 

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That's not true for everything.

 

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If you take supplements

without control,

 

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you don't know the effect

on your health.

 

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You may have problems.

 

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It's important to take

products in a controlled way,

 

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to buy them in a controlled way,

 

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and be followed by a doctor

 

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who takes care of this medicine.

 

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Longevity medicine is all the rage.

but you have to be careful.

 

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Vanessa has come to enjoy

the mild temperatures

 

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on the shores of Lake Lugano.

 

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To avoid any problems,

the biohacking enthusiast

 

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supervises her training

with professionals.

 

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With your breathing, you influence

your autonomic nervous system.

 

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She receives a visit

from coach Alessandro,

 

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sports psychologist

specially flown in from Milan

 

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for an exercise session

and cold bath.

 

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Never force yourself.

 

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Caution is fundamental.

 

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Listen to your feelings,

that's key.

 

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Our sensations

are our alarm signals.

 

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Today, we live to 85.

 

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But from 65 to 90,

what happens?

 

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People almost always have

one or two autoimmune diseases.

 

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They spend 20 years of their lives

sick.

 

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Biohacking,

is not about living longer,

 

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but living your last 20 years

in good health.

 

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That's it!

 

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In an aging society,

Vanessa and the biohackers

 

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will continue to do their utmost

against the effects of time.