Living Longer, But Only If You Can Afford It

My co-founder Abby recently sent me a link for — wait for it — a bra insert that discreetly tracks your health data. And look, I work in women’s health. I love innovation. I love information. I love a gadget. But even I stared at my phone and thought: Okay… that’s where I draw the line.

Lately it feels like everyone on social media is deep into longevity hacking. Full-body scans every quarter. Monthly functional testing. Supplements made from the first milk a cow produces after giving birth (yes, I'm looking at you, colostrum). And now… surveillance lingerie. 

Meanwhile, during the very same month, the government was shut down, and SNAP benefits were hanging in the balance. Millions of families were warned they might not receive their November food assistance unless lawmakers figured things out. Meaning: while some of us are fine-tuning our “biological age,” others are genuinely wondering how to put dinner on the table.

The contrast is… a lot.

And then you zoom out even further. Fitt Insider reports that global longevity spending is on track to hit $8 trillion by 2030. A massive, glimmering industry built on the promise of living longer and better. And yet nearly half of U.S. counties don’t have a single practicing OB/GYN. So many women can’t even access routine care, let alone $3,000 scans or a bra that doubles as a data center.

I’m all for innovation, truly. Better prevention and earlier detection could change everything for women. But I also want a version of wellness that isn’t reserved only for the people who can afford to “bio-hack” their way through life.