Every bite of food you eat is sending instructions to your genes. Right now. As we speak. Your breakfast is literally programming your DNA.

In Week 2 of our 6-week epigenetics series, Dr. Steve Presciutti reveals the revolutionary science of how nutrients act as code that reprograms your genetic expression in real-time. This isn't about calories or macros. This is about information.

What You'll Discover:

• The 5 methyl donors that determine which genes turn on and off (folate, B12, choline, methionine, B6) - and why 90% of people are deficient in at least 2-3 of them

• Why "food is fuel" is the biggest lie in nutrition - and how Dr. Mark Hyman's "food is information" framework changes everything

• The ATP-methylation connection: Why you can't optimize gene expression without optimizing cellular energy first

• Polyphenol powerhouses: How curcumin, resveratrol, quercetin, and EGCG regulate the enzymes that control your genetic expression

• Your complete epigenetic meal plan: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner protocols to rewrite your genetic code every single day

Client Transformations:

Sarah: 97.2°F → 98.4°F body temperature, TSH 6.8 → 2.1 in 6 weeks by optimizing methyl donors

Mark: CRP 8.2 → 2.1, resolved chronic inflammation and brain fog by adding polyphenol-rich foods

Jennifer: 96.8°F → 98.4°F, reversed fatigue and depression by combining energy optimization with methylation support

The Science:

Anderson et al. (2012) - DNA methylation is strongly influenced by dietary methyl donors (893 citations)

Bekdash et al. (2023) - Methyl donors modulate the epigenome and are critical for brain health (60 citations)

Lorente-Cebrián et al. (2025) - Polyphenols promote histone acetylation and gene expression activation (5 citations)

Wallace (2010) - Mitochondrial function modulates DNA methylation through ATP production (648 citations)

Lopes et al. (2020) - Mitochondria control substrates for nuclear DNA methylation (121 citations)

Rosenberger et al. (2021) - SAM levels control mitochondrial energy metabolism through protein methylation (52 citations)

The Truth:

Your genes aren't your destiny. Your gene expression is. And that's something you can control with every meal.

Food is code. And you are the programmer.

Ready to write better code?

Take the Metabolic Health Assessment at biosparkhealth.com/assessment

We'll create your personalized epigenetic nutrition protocol - specific foods, timing, and supplements based on YOUR unique biochemistry. Because you didn't come this far to only come this far.

Next Week: The 25/75 Truth - twin studies, epigenetic divergence, and scientific proof that lifestyle matters more than genetics.

This is The Metabolic Revolution. You came to the right place. Let's talk.

Everything you've been told about genetics is incomplete. Your doctor says "it's genetic" like it's a life sentence. But what if I told you that genes only control about 25% of your health outcomes? What if the other 75% is completely under your control? Today I'm going to introduce you to the science that changes everything: epigenetics.

In this episode, we dive deep into:

• The 25/75 split between genes and environment
• DNA as hardware, epigenetics as software
• How identical twins age differently
• The methylation mechanism explained simply
• Food as epigenetic information
• Methyl donors: Folate, B12, Choline, Methionine, B6
• Polyphenols as epigenetic regulators (Curcumin, Resveratrol, EGCG, Quercetin)
• The ATP-methylation connection
• Why metabolic optimization IS epigenetic optimization
• Temperature as a proxy for epigenetic health
• Three actionable steps to take THIS WEEK

Key Concepts

DNA vs Epigenetics

• DNA (Hardware): Your genetic code is fixed. You inherit half from your mother, half from your father. This sequence cannot be changed.
• Epigenetics (Software): Which genes are turned on and off. This is completely dynamic and responsive to your environment. You're upgrading or downgrading this software every single day with every meal, every sleepless night, every stressful thought.

The 25/75 Split

DNA methylation heritability ranges from only 3-20%. That means somewhere between 80-97% of your epigenetic profile is determined by NON-genetic factors: environment, lifestyle, and diet.

DNA Methylation

Your DNA has little chemical tags called methyl groups that sit on top of your genes. These methyl groups act like switches:

• Methylated gene = Turned off, silenced
• Unmethylated gene = Turned on, active

You can't change your DNA sequence, but you CAN change which genes are methylated and expressed.

Research Citations

Twin Studies & Epigenetic Differences

Fraga et al. (2005) - "Epigenetic differences arise during the lifetime of monozygotic twins" - Cited by 4,711 studies

• Young identical twins (3 years old) had nearly identical epigenetic profiles
• Older twins (50 years old) showed substantial variations in DNA methylation patterns
• 35% of twin pairs had significant epigenetic differences
• PMCID: PMC1174919

Martin GM. (2005) - "Epigenetic drift in aging identical twins" - Cited by 231 studies

• Older identical twin pairs show substantial variations in epigenetic profiles
• Young twins are essentially indistinguishable, older twins diverge significantly

Reynolds CA, et al. (2020) - "A decade of epigenetic change in aging twins" - Cited by 65 studies

• Evaluated 96 pairs of twins over a 10-year span
• DNA methylation changes are associated with aging process

Methyl Donors & DNA Methylation

Bekdash RA, et al. (2023) - "Methyl Donors, Epigenetic Alterations, and Brain Health" - Cited by 60 studies

• Micronutrients like choline, betaine, folic acid, methionine, and vitamins B6 and B12 modulate the epigenome
• Critical for brain health and development

SEASON 1 FINALE

The companion episode that proves grandmother's kitchen was a biochemistry lab. Sarah Chen and Marcus Thompson deliver the research that validates ancestral wisdom.

This Deep Dive is the culmination of 25 episodes of myth-busting. Every traditional practice dismissed as "old-fashioned" is validated by modern science. The researchers who said our grandmothers were wrong? They were the ones who didn't understand biology.

The Research That Changes Everything:

Weston A. Price's global studies in the 1930s and 40s documented remarkable health in traditional populations across vastly different cultures. Swiss mountain communities, Scottish islanders, Native Americans, Pacific Islanders, African tribes. The specific foods varied, but patterns remained constant: nutrient-dense animal foods, traditional fats, organ meats, bone broths. Within 1 to 2 generations of adopting modern processed foods, dental arches narrowed, chronic disease emerged, and fertility declined.

Epigenetic Evidence:

The Dutch Hunger Winter studies (1944-45) provide compelling evidence for metabolic programming. Children who were in utero during the famine showed higher rates of obesity, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic disorders as adults. Even more remarkably, these effects transmitted to the next generation. Grandchildren of women pregnant during the famine showed increased health risks despite never experiencing famine themselves. Your grandmother's nutrition during pregnancy influenced YOUR metabolism.

Studies and Research Cited:

Dutch Hunger Winter transgenerational studies showing metabolic programming effects lasting 2+ generations. Weston A. Price's "Nutrition and Physical Degeneration" documenting traditional vs. modernized population health outcomes. Research on traditional Polynesian populations showing superior thyroid markers in groups eating coconut-based diets versus those using modern seed oils. Studies showing breakfast consumption associated with better metabolic outcomes and body composition. Ray Peat's work on saturated fat's ability to support thyroid function versus PUFA suppression.

Key Mechanisms Explained:

Why traditional fats (lard, butter, tallow, coconut oil) support metabolism while seed oils suppress it. How the three-meal pattern aligns with circadian cortisol rhythms. Why nose-to-tail eating provides the glycine-methionine balance modern diets lack. The importance of organ meats as nature's multivitamin. Why food preparation methods (soaking, cooking, fermenting) developed over centuries for good biochemical reasons.

Practical Implementation:

Sarah and Marcus provide clear action steps for returning to traditional wisdom: eliminating seed oils, incorporating organ meats and bone broth, eating three consistent meals, simplifying food choices, and cooking vegetables properly.

Your Next Step:

For those ready to implement traditional wisdom with expert guidance, the Bioenergetic Reset Program at Biospark Health provides the complete framework. Six weeks of coaching, community, and customized protocols designed around the principles your grandmother knew instinctively. Visit biosparkhealth.com.

The Integration:

Everything in 25 episodes, every protocol, every principle, your grandmother did naturally. Not because she read studies. Because she trusted traditions passed down through generations. Those traditions were right. Science finally caught up.

Your cells are waiting. Trust the wisdom. Trust your body.

See you in Season 2.

Why Traditional Wisdom Beats Modern Science

SEASON 1 FINALE

Your grandmother cooked in lard. Ate three square meals. Never counted a macro. Had six healthy kids. Lived to 94 without a prescription. Meanwhile, your generation is metabolically broken by 30. What did she know that we forgot? Everything.

Dr. Steve Presciutti closes out Season 1 by revealing the most profound truth of the entire series: every "revolutionary" bioenergetic principle we've covered was practiced instinctively by our grandmothers. The path forward is actually the path back.

The Stunning Realization:

Twenty-five episodes of challenging nutritional dogma all point to the same conclusion. Avoiding PUFAs? Grandma cooked with butter and lard. Eating sugar? She baked pies and preserved fruit. Using salt generously? Salt cellar on every table. Moderate protein with gelatin? Nose-to-tail eating and bone broth. Three meals daily? Breakfast like a queen, dinner with family. The wisdom was always there. We just forgot it.

What You'll Discover:

Why nose-to-tail eating automatically optimizes the methionine-glycine ratio that modern protein obsession destroys. Ray Peat's research shows glycine from gelatin opposes the pro-aging effects of excess methionine from muscle meats. Your grandmother's pot roast with bone broth gravy had perfect amino acid balance.

How traditional fats protect metabolism while industrial seed oils destroy it. Saturated fats are stable, support thyroid function, and can "terminate the stress reaction." The Framingham Heart Study data actually showed people eating more saturated fat had less heart disease, but those findings were buried.

Why the three-meal pattern supports biology while intermittent fasting creates chronic stress. Research confirms eating breakfast suppresses the morning cortisol spike, stimulates thyroid hormone production, and restores liver glycogen. Your grandmother's hearty breakfast was firing up her metabolism, not sabotaging it.

The simplicity principle: how limited food variety actually supports gut health. Traditional populations thrived on staple foods while modern "eat the rainbow" chaos creates digestive instability. Sometimes less is more.

Research Referenced:

Stanford population study (2020) documenting 0.03°C per decade decline in average body temperature since the Industrial Revolution. Weston A. Price's global research on traditional cultures showing generational health decline within 1 to 2 generations of adopting modern foods. Ray Peat's work on saturated vs. polyunsaturated fats and their effects on thyroid function and cellular energy production.

Special Holiday Message:

As our Season 1 finale, Dr. Presciutti shares heartfelt gratitude to listeners and wishes everyone a Merry Christmas and happy holidays. The team is taking a brief break but returns in 2026 with Season 2.

Your Transformation Path:

Ready to implement everything from this season? The Bioenergetic Reset Program provides 6 weeks of guided transformation with meal plans, coaching, and community support. Not reinventing the wheel, just returning to what always worked. Visit biosparkhealth.com to learn more.

The Final Message:

The revolution isn't moving forward into complexity. It's remembering back to simplicity. Your grandmother was right about everything. Trust her wisdom. Trust your body.

You came to the right place. Let's talk.

Research the fertility industry doesn't want you to know. Studies proving you inherited metabolic patterns, not "bad genes."

Sarah Chen and Marcus Thompson destroy genetic destiny myth with verifiable mechanisms.

DUTCH HUNGER WINTER (Roseboom et al., 1999-2018): 1944-45 famine, 400-800 cals/day. Early pregnancy = obesity, CVD 60 years later. DNA methylation in IGF2 gene detectable 60 years later. Next generation (1970s-80s) showed effects despite never experiencing famine. Transgenerational epigenetic inheritance proven. Modern: IF + keto = identical signal.

KATHARINA DALTON (1976-1995): Adequate progesterone = 130 IQ. Deficient = 95 IQ. 35-point difference. Mechanism: synthesis requires temp-dependent enzymes. Below 98°F = 50-70% efficiency. At 97°F = ~50% production. Should be 50x estrogen—suppressed women often reversed.

POTTENGER'S CATS (1983): Raw = healthy all generations. Processed = Gen 3 sterile. Recovery: 4 generations. Degeneration 1-2 gens. Regeneration 4 gens.

WESTON PRICE (1939): Traditional = perfect teeth, no disease, robust fertility. Modern = ONE generation, narrow arches, cavities, disease, fertility decline. Pre-conception: liver, fish eggs, butter. Well-nourished mothers = healthier children.

MECHANISMS:

Epigenetic: Methylation needs folate, B12, choline. Agouti mice: rich diet = lean, deficient = obese. First trimester = metabolic set points.

Stress: 11β-HSD2 inactivates cortisol. Chronic elevation overwhelms → programs HPA hyperreactivity, suppresses thyroid.

Mitochondrial: 100% maternal. Damaged = impaired energy from birth. Linoleic half-life 600 days. Need 2-3 years elimination.

PROTOCOLS:

Preconception: 98°F+ for 3-6 months. 2,200-2,800 cals. 200g+ carbs, 80-100g protein, saturated fat. Liver weekly, eggs daily, shellfish weekly. Zero seed oils.

Pregnancy: 2,500-3,500 cals. 250g+ carbs, 100-120g protein. Salt 1-2 tsp/day. Choline 500mg, vitamin E 400 IU, mag 400mg. Gentle exercise.

Mother-Daughter: Both track temp, adequate calories, eliminate seed oils, breakfast within 30 min, eat every 3-4 hours. 300+ pairs: 89% temps within 0.3°F. Average 1.0-1.2°F increase in 6 months.

CASES:

Jennifer (34): TSH 3.2→1.4, T3 2.8→3.6, temp 96.9→98.2°F. Conceived month 4.

Martinez (3 gens): Temps 96.6→98.1°F+. TSH 2.8→1.2, HOMA-IR 3.1→1.1. Rosa off 2 meds. Diana perimenopause gone. Sofia regular periods.

Amanda (28): 1st pregnancy (restriction): 19 lbs, C-section, delays. 2nd (abundance): 43 lbs, natural delivery, advanced development.

YOUR STEPS:

→ WOMEN'S GENERATIONAL HEALTH PROGRAM - THE mother-daughter program. Complete protocols, weekly coaching, temp tracking, meal planning. 300+ pairs transformed. Quarterly enrollment. biosparkhealth.com/generations

→ GENERATIONAL GUIDE - All protocols. Pre-conception, pregnancy, healing. biosparkhealth.com/generations

→ 1-ON-1 PRECONCEPTION - Planning pregnancy? Personalized optimization. biosparkhealth.com/sign-up

→ BIOENERGETIC RESET - Complete restoration. $133/month. biosparkhealth.com/reset

Degeneration: 1-2 generations. Regeneration: 4 generations. Be the one who breaks the cycle.

🔬 15+ studies | 🧬 Mechanisms | 👨‍👩‍👧 Generations healed

"My mother had these exact symptoms." Three generations, identical body temperatures (97.1°F), same exhaustion. This wasn't genetic—it was metabolic inheritance.

Dr. Steve Presciutti reveals how diet advice during pregnancy unknowingly programs your child's metabolism for life. Your daughter's fertility struggles, weight issues, chronic fatigue? They might trace back to YOUR pregnancy decades ago.

THE RESEARCH:

Dutch Hunger Winter (1944-45): Women experiencing famine during pregnancy had children with obesity, diabetes, CVD... 60 years later. Their grandchildren, born in the 1970s-80s who NEVER experienced famine, still showed metabolic effects. One generation's starvation affected three generations. Modern parallel? IF + keto at 1,200 cals during pregnancy = identical metabolic signal as wartime famine.

Katharina Dalton Research: Adequate maternal progesterone = babies averaging 130 IQ. Deficient progesterone = 95 IQ. 35-point difference from maternal metabolism alone. You can't make progesterone below 98°F body temp - exactly what modern prenatal advice (restriction, low-fat, excessive exercise) suppresses.

Weston A. Price (1930s): Traditional cultures gave women planning pregnancy liver, fish eggs, grass-fed butter, shellfish. Modern advice says avoid these same foods. Result? Childhood obesity tripled, ADHD exploded, each generation more dysfunctional.

Pottenger's Cats (10-year study): Natural diet = healthy across all generations. Processed food = degeneration by generation 3 (sterility, disease). But recovery took 4 generations with optimal nutrition. Degeneration: fast. Regeneration: possible but requires time.

OUR DATA: 300+ mother-daughter pairs tracked. They share afternoon crashes, "normal" thyroid labs with symptoms, weight struggles, cold extremities. Not DNA... metabolic patterns learned in utero, through breastfeeding, through shared family habits.

6 PRENATAL DISASTERS:

1. Calorie restriction during peak resource needs
2. Low-fat (cholesterol builds progesterone—restriction = hormonal sabotage)
3. Carb restriction (glucose = fetal brain fuel; keto forces stress hormones)
4. Excessive exercise (diverts resources from baby)
5. Intermittent fasting (repeated cortisol spikes program hyperactive stress response)
6. Salt restriction (blood volume increases 50%—needs sodium)

YOU'LL DISCOVER:

• Why "eating for two" was metabolically correct
• How maternal temperature programs child's metabolism for life
• Traditional pre-conception foods (and why doctors say avoid them)
• Why daughter's fertility issues started in YOUR womb
• Complete preconception optimization protocol

This connects EVERYTHING—temperature (Ep 10), fertility (Ep 19), fasting trap (Ep 9), exercise deception (Ep 8), PUFAs (Ep 1), Minnesota Starvation (Eps 15-17).

YOUR NEXT STEPS:

→ WOMEN'S GENERATIONAL HEALTH PROGRAM - Our signature mother-daughter healing program. Break metabolic patterns simultaneously across generations. Complete protocols, weekly coaching, temperature tracking, meal planning. 300+ families transformed. biosparkhealth.com/generations

→ 1-ON-1 PRECONCEPTION COACHING - Planning pregnancy within 6-12 months? Optimize metabolism BEFORE conception for your child's best metabolic start. biosparkhealth.com

You didn't create these patterns. But you can break them. Your children don't have to inherit your metabolic struggles. The cycle ends with understanding. It begins with you.

Educational content only. Consult healthcare provider if pregnant/planning pregnancy.

🔥 Research-backed | 👨‍👩‍👧 300+ families healed | 🧬 3 generations transformed

The research that supposedly supports hormesis falls apart under scientific scrutiny.

In this comprehensive 78-minute Deep Dive, Biospark Health researchers Sarah Chen and Marcus Thompson systematically dismantle the scientific foundations of hormesis - the theory underlying cold exposure, fasting, and extreme exercise protocols.

Drawing on peer-reviewed research, the work of Hans Selye, Ray Peat, and Jay Feldman, plus studies on C. elegans lifespan extension, reactive oxygen species, and autophagy mechanisms, this episode reveals why the longevity industry may be aging itself into oblivion.

In this Deep Dive, you'll learn:

• Why the C. elegans worm studies that "prove" hormesis actually demonstrate metabolic crippling - the worms live longer in labs but would die immediately in real environments
• The two contexts of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and why the same signal produces opposite outcomes depending on your energy state
• Why autophagy activation without adequate cellular energy is DESTRUCTION, not repair... you're breaking things down without resources to rebuild
• How cumulative stress invalidates the U-shaped dose-response curve - we're already past the "beneficial" range before adding any deliberate stressors
• The 2018 Cell Metabolism study proving caloric restriction benefits come from gut microbiota changes, NOT from stress adaptation
• Why the FADH2/NADH ratio during fat oxidation (ketosis/fasting) creates the exact metabolic environment seen in cancer cells
• How five compounds at hormetic doses would push any organism into the harmful range when combined, and we're exposed to hundreds
• The complete scientific case for "support over stress" as the path to metabolic optimization

Research-Dense Discussion: This episode cites over 20 peer-reviewed studies and provides the biochemical mechanisms behind why hormesis fails at the cellular level.

The biochemistry your doctor never learned. The mechanisms the wellness industry oversimplifies. This is the complete science of how light controls your metabolism... and why getting it wrong is destroying your health.

Biospark Health researchers take you inside the cell to understand exactly how photons become ATP, how circadian disruption becomes disease, and why "sleep hygiene" advice is dangerously incomplete.

This Isn't Theory. It's Documented Biochemistry:

🔬 Cytochrome C Oxidase: Complex IV of your electron transport chain contains photoreceptors that absorb red (600-700nm) and near-infrared (800-1000nm) light. Photon absorption directly increases enzyme activity, electron flow, and ATP production. Your mitochondria are literally light-powered.

📍 Wavelength Penetration Depths:

• 660nm (red): 1-10mm - skin, superficial tissues, thyroid gland
• 850nm (near-infrared): up to 50mm - muscles, joints, organs
• 1050nm: reaches brain structures for cognitive enhancement

🧪 Nitric Oxide Displacement: Red light photodissociates NO from cytochrome c oxidase, removing the "brake" on ATP production. The released NO causes vasodilation, improving blood flow. One mechanism, multiple benefits.

🧬 The Melanopsin Connection: Intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells detect 480nm blue light and signal directly to your suprachiasmatic nucleus. This is how screens at midnight tell your brain it's noon, suppressing melatonin and maintaining cortisol.

⚡ Transcranial Photobiomodulation Study: 1068nm near-infrared light on the head for 6 minutes, twice daily, for 4 weeks produced significant improvements in memory, motor function, and processing speed in healthy adults. Light literally enhances brain energy production.

🔄 The Pregnenolone Steal: Circadian disruption → elevated cortisol → pregnenolone shunted toward stress hormones → depleted progesterone → estrogen dominance. This is why shift workers have higher rates of menstrual irregularities, fertility problems, and hormone-related cancers.

💡 The PUFA-Light Interaction: Polyunsaturated fats are photosensitizing; light accelerates their oxidation. High tissue PUFA + high light exposure = accelerated lipid peroxidation. Another reason to minimize seed oils.

Key Mechanisms Explained:

• How cytochrome c oxidase converts photons to ATP (the actual biochemistry)
• Why the "optical window" of 600-1100nm matters
• ROS signaling and NRF2 pathway activation from light therapy
• The circadian-estrogen-thyroid connection in detail
• Why Ray Peat recommended orange juice before red light therapy (blood glucose protection)
• Quantum biology: what's real science vs. speculation

Studies Referenced:

• JAMA Network Open cardiovascular study (n=88,905)
• UCL/Glen Jeffery 670nm vision restoration research
• Journal of Biophotonics blood glucose study
• Nature: blue light neurodegeneration in Drosophila
• Transcranial photobiomodulation cognitive enhancement trials
• Camping circadian reset study

Want the complete metabolic restoration system? Our Bioenergetic Reset Program combines circadian optimization with nutrition protocols, stress management, and group coaching support. Visit biosparkhealth.com to learn more.

The Bottom Line: Light is a nutrient. Red and near-infrared wavelengths boost mitochondrial function directly. Blue light at night suppresses melatonin, elevates cortisol, and impairs thyroid function. Modern environments have this exactly backwards... dim days, bright nights. Flip it.

Your mitochondria evolved under the sun. Give them what they need.

This is educational content only. Work with a healthcare provider who understands metabolic health.

You came to the right place. The science is