Martin says she initially spent $97,000 to figure out the cause of her ailments, eventually landing on toxic mold as the culprit for her brain fog and other seemingly neurological symptoms. Now, she's putting her past experience as a convention organizer — and as someone who took charge of her own health — to use as the founder and CEO of Biohacker Expo, now in its second year at the Miami Airport Convention Center from Friday, February 28 through Saturday, March 1.
"When I realized it was time to do something with more meaning and purpose, I recognized I wanted to teach people how to be like Batman, rather than dress up like him," Martin tells New Times.
The expo's website defines biohacking as "small changes to your habits that boost your energy and focus." Biohacking can range from simple routines, such as intentional breathwork, to more elaborate treatments, like red light and IV therapy.
And then there are other methods. Among the Expo's exhibitors are Ageless by Quantum, which specializes in bioresonance therapy; Alive Water, a springwater delivery service; Be Sexessful, which encourages deeper sexual connections through tantra, ThetaHealing, and intuitive coaching; Centner Wellness, a wellness spa founded by Miami anti-vax couple Leila and David Centner; and OxyHealth, the world's leading provider of hyperbaric chambers.
One of the expo's most extensive showcases will be sponsor Liquivida's IV Drip Lounge. Founded in Coconut Creek by CEO Samael Tejada, Liquivida is a wellness center with locations across the country — including seven in South Florida — specializing in vitamin IV therapy and other services. Its lounge at Biohacker Expo will feature zero-gravity lounge chairs, which relieve pressure on the body, to replicate the experience of everyday clients.
Popular documentaries like Netflix's Don't Die: The Man Who Wants To Live Forever have spurred heightened interest in the industry. But considering the nontraditional nature of many biohacking practices, officials have classified some of the more extreme techniques as dangerous at worst and pseudoscientific at best. While some of the treatments and gadgets exhibiting at Biohacker Expo have more mainstream support than others, there is also a growing sense that the industry will get a boost with the likes of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. leading top government health agencies. Biohacker Expo's main stage host, JP Sears, spoke at the 2022 Defeat the Mandates rally in Washington, D.C. Just last week, he posted an Instagram photo celebrating RFK Jr.'s confirmation as Secretary of Health and Human Services. In the photo, taken at the 2022 rally, he poses with the secretary wearing a shirt reading, "I Will Not Comply."
Martin says she, too, has pondered biohacking's potential for extending one's lifespan. She says she spends close to $500 per month on supplements and $5,000 on gadgets from the likes of CeraThrive, a red-light therapy company exhibiting at Biohacker Expo. "Our DNA is designed to carry us to 120 years old, so why is the average life expectancy only 77?" asks Martin. "If I can get more people to question what's happening that's keeping us from living up to our potential, then I've done my job."
She adds that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) should allow individuals in the biohacking industry to discuss the effectiveness of their products and says she plans on taking Biohacker Expo to Washington, D.C., in the future.
Biohacker Expo. Friday, February 28, and Saturday, February 29, at the Miami Airport Convention Center, 711 NW 72nd Ave., Miami; 954-507-7345. biohackerexpo.com. Tickets cost $595.
