First issue of 2024!  I mentioned last month that January is one of my big biomarker testing months.  At this point, I have been pouring over the results and I'm starting to create my plan for continuing to optimize them for the next big testing phase in June.  I wrote last year about how I've been using InsideTracker to manage this process for the last ~3 years.  This was the first time I've used InsideTracker since it started incorporating Apolipoprotein B (ApoB),Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and Insulin.  Even though this required a larger blood draw, it was great because it eliminated the need for separate tests as I've had to do in the past.  My results weren't really a surprise.  Pretty much everything out of range has been something I've been slowly working on for years.

I was planning to dedicate time this month to Kernel.  Unfortunately, I did not make the final cut, so I spent a bit of time getting the project I was working on into a state where I can easily shelf it.  I'll likely try again for the next session, but probably won't work on this project again before that.

January is also the official start of gardening season!  All of my seeds have been ordered and most have arrived.  I have four main goals for this season.  The first, I started in the fall... planting a perennial garlic garden.  My second goal is to improve my automated watering system.  My final two goals fall into my desire to expand my edible landscaping:  I'm dedicating more space to new varieties of berries.  I'm also going to plant Jerusalem Artichokes this year in order to have a replenishing source of carbohydrates.

Last year was the first year that my Paw Paw trees produced fruit.  In an effort to add more trees, I saved seeds from that harvest.  These seeds require cold stratification, so I started this process last week with both my Paw Paw and cherry seeds.

I've also signed up and been accepted for my ADAPT trials.  This year I'm participating in the Collard Greens, Cut Flowers, Tomatillos and Pink Cherry Tomatoes trials.  I expect to sign up with other organizations before the season officially begins.

Part of my prep for gardening season this year was writing a bit about how my planning process has evolved over the years in a way that supports citizen science.  If you're interested, check out:

I received the results from the NAD+ study that I participated in late last year.  They haven't been officially published for my cohort yet.  It turns out that I was in the treatment group and my NAD+ levels were up 23% from the beginning of the study.  This was in the higher range of results!  This product will likely be publicly available soon.  I would like to conduct the same experiment now with my normal routine for boosting NAD+ and see how that compares.

Expect more content this year related to my efforts to optimize my biomarkers.  My long term issues are related to high iron and LDL cholesterol and I've been making slow progress toward addressing them without relying on pharmacological interventions.  My other big health related goal for this year is to figure out ways of obliterating visceral fat without also losing muscle mass.  This is something I've been experimenting with for years with varying results.

Until the next issue!

J

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