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The Mel Robbins PodcastThe Mel Robbins Podcast

Eat THIS to Live Longer, Stay Young, and Transform Your Health

You have more control over your life and future than you think – and it’s sitting on your plate. If you want to lose weight, feel energized, crush cravings, clear brain fog, calm inflammation, slow aging naturally, enjoy your life, and finally stop feeling confused about what to eat, this episode will change your relationship with food forever. Today, Stanford epigenetics scientist and nutrition researcher Dr. Lucia Aronica joins Mel for a research-backed, hope-filled conversation about how to eat to live longer, stay young, and feel better than ever. She says food isn’t just fuel – it’s information. Every bite sends signals to your body that shape your energy, your metabolism, your focus, and how fast you age. Dr. Aronica says that means you are never stuck – not because of your family history, not because of the current state of your health, and not because you’ve resigned yourself to “this is just how it is now.” Every meal is a chance to send a different signal to your genes. And when you start doing that consistently, you become a different person at the cellular level. You’ll learn: - The #1 reason losing weight feels hard and why Dr. Aronica says you’ll never need a diet again - Why inflammation ages you faster than time, and what to do about it - The egg myth keeping you from a stronger brain and healthier aging - The anti-aging kitchen hacks that will change the way you see tomatoes, broccoli, garlic, and other foods - The surprising truth about dark chocolate - How to make eating healthy easy and fun - How to help someone you love make positive changes Dr. Aronica says you’re in charge of your health story. Once you learn the framework that sets you up for success, you’ll be able to make your life a masterpiece, one bite at a time. For more resources related to today’s episode, click here for the podcast episode page: https://www.melrobbins.com/episode/episode-391. Follow The Mel Robbins Podcast on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themelrobbinspodcast I’m just your friend. I am not a licensed therapist, and this podcast is NOT intended as a substitute for the advice of a physician, professional coach, psychotherapist, or other qualified professional. Got it? Good. I’ll see you in the next episode. In this episode: 00:00 Intro 01:34 What is Epigenetics? 06:38 Do Genes Or Lifestyle Determine Your Health? 09:33 How To Use Epigenetics To Lose Weight 14:32 Aging Isn’t Just Biological 18:14 What Queen Bees Teach Us About Epigenetics 24:11 Essential Nutrients Explained (with Examples) 25:12 The Best Thing You Should Be Doing For Your Cardiovascular Health 28:21 Eat This For Better Skin 30:24 You Are Preparing Broccoli Wrong! 35:11 Eat This For A Better Brain 37:55 This Shocking Food Makes You Smarter 40:44 The Forgotten Essential Nutrient You Need Everyday 47:45 The Science-Backed Reason to Eat More Protein 51:52 Can Fish Oil Fight Inflammation? 54:36 Eat This For Better Gut Health 56:55 How Epigenetics Help You Live a Better Life 58:54 How To Help Others Live a Healthier Life 01:00:01 Create A Healthy Life Today — Follow Mel: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melrobbins/ TikTok: http://tiktok.com/@melrobbins Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/melrobbins LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melrobbins Website: http://melrobbins.com​ — Sign up for Mel’s newsletter: https://melrob.co/sign-up-newsletter A note from Mel to you, twice a week, sharing simple, practical ways to build the life you want. — Subscribe to Mel’s channel here: https://www.youtube.com/melrobbins​?sub_confirmation=1 — Listen to The Mel Robbins Podcast 🎧 New episodes drop every Monday & Thursday! https://melrob.co/spotify https://melrob.co/applepodcasts https://melrob.co/amazonmusic — Looking for Mel’s books on Amazon? Find them here: The Let Them Theory: https://amzn.to/3IQ21Oe The Let Them Theory Audiobook: https://amzn.to/413SObp The High 5 Habit: https://amzn.to/3fMvfPQ The 5 Second Rule: https://amzn.to/4l54fah

Mel RobbinshostDr. Lucia Aronicaguest
Apr 30, 20261h 3mWatch on YouTube ↗

EVERY SPOKEN WORD

  1. 0:00 – 1:34

    Intro

    1. MR

      If you wanna know exactly what foods slow down aging naturally, this is an invitation to sit down with an extraordinary scientist who's not only gonna teach you that change is possible, she will show you how to eat in order to live longer, look younger, and feel better than ever.

    2. LA

      Tomorrow, you'll wake up different, and you realize, "I'm not just eating. I'm rewriting my future," because food isn't just fuel. It's the pencil that rewrites your genetic instructions. Starting today, your fork becomes more powerful than your family history.

    3. MR

      Dr. Lucia Aronica is a scientist and professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, where she specializes in epigenetics.

    4. LA

      Your doctor probably told you to eat the rainbow, but here's what your doctor may not realize, which color represents a different signal.

    5. MR

      No way.

    6. LA

      You have red foods like tomatoes that boosts your SPF by 40%. Garlic, if you crush it or chop it-

    7. MR

      Yes

    8. LA

      ... this creates allicin, the epinutrient we need. Broccoli, this provides sulforaphane. This activates more than 200 protective genes. But there's a problem.

    9. MR

      What's the problem?

    10. LA

      There's actually...

  2. 1:34 – 6:38

    What is Epigenetics?

    1. MR

      Please help me welcome Dr. Lucia Aronica to The Mel Robbins Podcast.

    2. LA

      Thanks, Mel, for having me. I'm absolutely excited about our conversation. I love the way you make science relatable.

    3. MR

      Thank you. I really have a crush on your brain.

    4. LA

      [laughs]

    5. MR

      So now I'm blushing. Here's where I wanna start. How could my life be different? If I take everything that you're about to teach me today and I take it to heart, I apply it to my life, what might change?

    6. LA

      Tomorrow, you'll wake up different. You look at your eggs, your broccoli, your coffee, and you realize, "I'm not just eating. I'm rewriting my future," because food isn't just fuel. It's the pencil that rewrites your genetic instructions. Starting today, your fork becomes more powerful than your family history. Right now, you may see diabetes in your mom, heart disease in your dad, anxiety in yourself, and think, "I'm stuck. That's just my genes." But in reality, genes are only 25% of your health story, and you are rewriting the other 75% right now with every choice and every meal. And the best part, you'll never need another diet again. You'll transform your relationship with food so profoundly that processed food won't even register as food anymore, and you'll stop treating your body like a garbage can. Today, we are putting that pencil back in your hand, and you are going to rewrite your health story into a masterpiece.

    7. MR

      Dr. Aronica. [clapping]

    8. LA

      [laughs]

    9. MR

      You came to play. Holy cow. You will see the fork as the pencil to rewrite your future. You will be able to use food to change 75% of what determines your health. I can't wait to get into all of this research around food and how it unlocks potential in your genes and can change your health forever. So you are an epigenetics scientist. What is epigenetics, and why should we be as excited about it as you are about what you're about to teach us?

    10. LA

      The Greek prefix epi means on the top. So epigenetic marks are molecular switches sitting atop your genes and turning them up or down, just like a volume knob on a stereo. This also explains why you go through transformations throughout your life. Puberty, aging itself, losing weight, gaining weight, building muscles, all these transformations underlie epigenetic mechanisms. And here's why you should be excited. Most of these marks are written in pencil, not in pen. Every day, they are rewritten by enzymes we scientists actually call writer and eraser enzymes. And guess who controls these editors? Every single thing you do. What you eat, how you move, how you handle stress, these send signals to the writer and the eraser enzymes, and that's why in epigenetics-You are not just a passive reader of your genetic code, but an active writer of your health story every day with every choice

    11. MR

      You hooked me right in the opening couple words, so I wanna make sure I really understand this because a lot of us blame our genes for a lot of things, right? Oh, well, you know, my weight, aging, energy, stress, my mom had diabetes, so I do, as if everything is set in stone, there's nothing you can do.

  3. 6:38 – 9:33

    Do Genes Or Lifestyle Determine Your Health?

    1. MR

      So maybe why don't we start with, well, what actually are genes, and what do they do, and what's set in stone and what isn't?

    2. LA

      Okay. So genes are recipes for proteins, the building blocks of everything in our body.

    3. MR

      Okay.

    4. LA

      These recipes are written in DNA, and variations in the DNA sequence determine variations in the function of these proteins-

    5. MR

      Okay

    6. LA

      ... that can affect the way we respond to nutrients, the way we look, even our predisposition to disease. But, and here's where people get confused about genetic risk, not all genetic variants are created equal. You hear people say, "Genes load the gun, and lifestyle pulls the trigger," and here's where epigenetics comes in. A landmark study published in 2016-

    7. MR

      Okay

    8. LA

      ... in the New England Journal of Medicine-

    9. MR

      That's a good one. [laughs]

    10. LA

      That's a very good one

    11. MR

      [laughs]

    12. LA

      ... showed the power of lifestyle over genes. So 55,000 people-

    13. MR

      Mm-hmm

    14. LA

      ... with a, an increased risk of genetic risk for heart disease, if they had a, a good lifestyle, so healthy food, exercise regularly, no smoking, they cut their risk in half. And those with good genes but a bad lifestyle got heart disease anyway. So really, the genetic risk is written in pencil, and you hold the pencil and the eraser, too.

    15. MR

      This is so exciting, and it's also a little confronting because if you're the kind of person that was like, "Well, you know, every- heart disease runs in my family," di- that doesn't mean that's not true. But Dr. Aronica's here to say, "Hey, I have the research," and you just said it. This tendency in your family for these things to happen to people that you're related to does not determine your destiny, that in almost every single instance, you hold the pencil, and based on the changes that we're gonna talk about today, these changes are so powerful that they can activate a different destiny for you moving forward.

    16. LA

      You got it.

    17. MR

      Wow. This is so cool.

  4. 9:33 – 14:32

    How To Use Epigenetics To Lose Weight

    1. MR

      What would you say to somebody who has just struggled, for example, for a really long time to lose weight or to feel good or to not feel so anxious or depressed or whatever, and they're skeptical because just nothing's worked for them?

    2. LA

      I would say you're not stuck. You are just holding the wrong pencil.

    3. MR

      Oof.

    4. LA

      Maybe you think you have tried everything, but here's what I want you to know. Every time you went on a yo-yo diet, so you lost weight and gained it back, your cells created what we call an epigenetic memory of weight gain.

    5. MR

      Hmm.

    6. LA

      So it's like a problematic software update.

    7. MR

      [laughs]

    8. LA

      The genes that make... that keep you lean, like those that burn fat-

    9. MR

      Oh

    10. LA

      ... get turned down.

    11. MR

      Well, 'cause we don't need them 'cause we're not doing anything, right?

    12. LA

      [laughs] Exactly. And the one that, that keep- make you fat, the f- inflammatory genes wake up. And so your fat cells literally remember being fat and fight to get back to that new normal. That's why it's so easy to gain back weight, but there's hope. At Stanford, we showed that if you lose weight and you keep it off for six months, actually, your fat cells unlearn that memory. They start the process of erasing that memory, so turning up the, the genes that burn fat and down the inflammatory genes. Now, I know what you're thinking. I can't stick to a diet for six days. Six months sounds too much to me. Well, I think most people white-knuckle-

    13. MR

      Hmm

    14. LA

      ... their way through protocols they hate, and they never try to make the process enjoyable.

    15. MR

      Hmm.

    16. LA

      As an Italian, I believe that pleasure isn't the enemy of health. It's your compass to find itChange requires consistency, and you can't be consistent with something you hate.

    17. MR

      Ugh.

    18. LA

      But you can be consistent with something you love. And in Italy, we, uh... when we eat, we take our time, we share conversations, we sip a glass of wine. We activate multiple pleasure pathways, and health becomes as natural as breathing. So here's what I want you to do. I want you to not just eliminate processed foods, but replace it with something you genuinely love, something that make you say, "Oh, this is what I've been, I've been missing." It can be replacing the instant noodles for a juicy piece of salmon or that Oreo cookie with some sweet berries. Just find your own version of pleasure. In six months, your fat cells won't just forget they were fat, they will remember what it really feels like-

    19. MR

      Mm

    20. LA

      ... to be joyfully healthy.

    21. MR

      I just got something. Oh my gosh. Okay, so I have made health my number one goal this year, and I've been listening to all the experts that come on this podcast. I not only am interviewing people, but I am absorbing all of this, and so I've been focusing on resistance training, I've been focusing on whole foods, I've been prioritizing high-quality protein, really changing lifestyle. I can't believe over the last six months to a year, I feel like a different person from the inside out, and you just explained why. Because by changing these lifestyle levers that really do change the way your genes express, you are changing yourself from the inside out.

    22. LA

      Exactly. These aren't just healthy habits. They are cellular signals.

    23. MR

      Cellular signals to a different life. This is

  5. 14:32 – 18:14

    Aging Isn’t Just Biological

    1. MR

      so cool. Why, why did you wanna get in, and how did you get into this? I'd never even heard-

    2. LA

      [laughs]

    3. MR

      ... of epigenetics until, like, a year ago.

    4. LA

      Two things.

    5. MR

      Okay.

    6. LA

      Tradition and tragedy.

    7. MR

      Oh.

    8. LA

      Tradition, growing up in an Italian kitchen, food has always been medicine to me.

    9. MR

      Yes.

    10. LA

      In Italy, food isn't just fuel, it's connection, tradition, and pleasure. And then through my work, I then discovered the molecular mechanisms behind this, really showing that food is the pencil that rewrites our genetic instructions. And then a tragedy. I lost my father when I was 14. He was a dedicated physician-

    11. MR

      Mm

    12. LA

      ... always putting his patients first, calm, strong. And watching him fade away, I decided I wanted to continue his legacy of helping people heal. But I decided to do it with science, not with medicine. I wanted to help other doctors like him find better approaches to lifestyle medicine. And so every paper I write, every student I teach is my father's legacy-

    13. MR

      Mm

    14. LA

      ... living on. But then my mom taught me the other half of the equation. Here's a photo of her. At 84, she's the picture of true longevity for me. She's not a hardcore biohacker following complicated protocols.

    15. MR

      Well, who the hell has time for that? I mean, that's like [laughs] -

    16. LA

      She... Yeah. She doesn't wake up at 5:00 AM in the morning to hit the, the gym or, uh, bounce from cold plunge to sauna, uh, or take, take her hundred supplements. She dresses elegantly, she's joyful, she takes time to eat, savoring her food, and she knows she is our queen-

    17. MR

      Mm

    18. LA

      ... our flower, and our rock. And this joy and purpose fills her life. She embodies something that many longevity gurus forget. Aging isn't just biological. It's psychological and social. And pleasure is part of the equation, and that became the foundation of everything I teach.

    19. MR

      If you're listening, uh, Lucia's mom is wearing this beautiful navy blue dress with a bright red sash, and it's got flowers on it. She's got this beautiful, like, flower, red flower, uh, necklace at the center of her... She's, like, vibrant, and her smile is bright, and her eyes are bright, and I can't believe she's 80 in that photo.

    20. LA

      84.

    21. MR

      84. Let's give her credit for all the years.

    22. LA

      This was her 84 birthday. Happy birthday.

    23. MR

      Happy birthday to your mother.

  6. 18:14 – 24:11

    What Queen Bees Teach Us About Epigenetics

    1. MR

      You teach a framework at Stanford.That is called Eating Your Way to Younger Genes. Let's just start with what does eating your way to younger genes even mean?

    2. LA

      Yeah, so I- I've established the first program and course in nutritional epigenetics at Stanford, and I teach a framework that is called epinutrition.

    3. MR

      Epinutrition?

    4. LA

      Yeah. So how to eat to improve gene expression for a healthier, longer life.

    5. MR

      Well, you know what I'm gonna say to then? I'm gonna say, "Dr. Aronica, pass me the fork."

    6. LA

      [laughs]

    7. MR

      [laughs]

    8. LA

      Here's the fork.

    9. MR

      Yes.

    10. LA

      I'm going to explain you how this works.

    11. MR

      Oh, I can't wait.

    12. LA

      Exactly. So, uh, the- the concept, the main concept is that fu- food isn't just fuel, it's the pencil-

    13. MR

      Okay

    14. LA

      ... that rewrites your genetic instructions. And my favorite example is the queen bee. Have you ever heard of this story?

    15. MR

      No.

    16. LA

      Okay.

    17. MR

      Uh-uh.

    18. LA

      So the queen bee lives 20 times longer than the other bees in the beehive, which are called worker bees. She's also larger and fertile, whereas the workers are sterile. And yet queen and worker bees are genetically identical.

    19. MR

      No, they're not.

    20. LA

      Yes, they are.

    21. MR

      Wait, queen bees are genetically identical to a worker bee?

    22. LA

      Yes. Same hardware, different software. And what writes the different software? Royal jelly, a substance that the queen larvae eat as they develop, and this works as the epigenetic queen maker.

    23. MR

      Wow.

    24. LA

      It turns on the genes that make a queen a queen. Now, what's exciting is that we humans have nutrients that work like our royal jelly, and I call them epinutrients.

    25. MR

      Okay.

    26. LA

      There are two main categories. The first category, methyl donors. So think of them as the structural material, the ink to write healthy genetic instructions. There are f- five main methyl donors.

    27. MR

      Okay.

    28. LA

      Methionine in all protein-rich foods.

    29. MR

      Okay, so protein.

    30. LA

      Yeah.

  7. 24:11 – 25:12

    Essential Nutrients Explained (with Examples)

    1. MR

      I wanna walk through the specific types of food in this framework so that I really understand, and so does the person that is listening or watching. And if you're listening, we're gonna really describe what's happening. So I'm gonna ask our executive producer, Tracy-To come in, oh my gosh, this looks delicious. Thank you, Tracy. If you could describe, I'm seeing red pepper, chocolate, carrots, tomatoes, garlic, lime, orange, blackberries, broccoli, spin- this looks like a, a rainbow.

    2. LA

      It's a rainbow. So you- your doctor probably told you to eat the rainbow.

    3. MR

      Yes.

    4. LA

      But-

    5. MR

      Fruits and veggies.

    6. LA

      Yeah, but here's what your doctor may not realize. These pigments aren't just antioxidants. They are epi nutrients that regulate your writer and eraser enzymes, and each color represents a different signal.

    7. MR

      No way.

    8. LA

      Yeah.

  8. 25:12 – 28:21

    The Best Thing You Should Be Doing For Your Cardiovascular Health

    1. LA

      So for example, you have red foods like tomatoes that provide lycopene for cardiovascular benefits.

    2. MR

      Tomatoes, and the fact that it is an epi nutrient, means that when you are enjoying a beautiful, red, juicy, amazing tomato, you are not just eating food, you are sending a signal to your DNA about your heart health and about what else?

    3. LA

      Your skin and everything. The most... The two areas of research are really cardiovascular and skin.

    4. MR

      Okay.

    5. LA

      So clinical trials have shown that, for example, lycopene can really reduce LDL oxidation, which is the process that makes LDL cholesterol truly dangerous. It can also work as an internal skincare. So it actually, uh, boosts your SPF, your internal SPF, by 40%.

    6. MR

      A tomato?

    7. LA

      Yes. How? It's basically increasing your DNA repair and also, um, actively inhibiting the breakdown of collagen and the formation of age spots. And now, there is, however, a problem. To see these benefits, these benefits starts- start at with 10 milligram of lycopene in clinical trials-

    8. MR

      Okay

    9. LA

      ... that use pills. Now, this is equivalent to eating 20 pounds of raw tomatoes a day. But there is a trick. If you cook those tomatoes in olive oil or in any type of oil, like Italian grandmothers used to do, then you can boost the absorption of lycopene.

    10. MR

      Wow. Just by cooking the tomato?

    11. LA

      Just by cooking, but this is just step one.

    12. MR

      That makes me happy 'cause I'd rather have it on pasta than I would-

    13. LA

      [laughs]

    14. MR

      [laughs]

    15. LA

      But this is just step one.

    16. MR

      Okay.

    17. LA

      Because then when you add olive oil-

    18. MR

      Uh-huh

    19. LA

      ... you boost the availability by an additional 70%. Why? Because lycopene is liposoluble, and so it can't be absorbed without fat. And so basically, by cooking your tomatoes into a paste with olive oil, you can cover, you can reach the 10 milligram of lycopene with just three tablespoon of tomato paste-

    20. MR

      That's-

    21. LA

      ... in olive oil

    22. MR

      ... incredible. Y- you know what? I gotta hand it to you.

    23. LA

      [laughs]

    24. MR

      When I asked you how my life would change, you said, "You will never look at food the same again." I actually don't, and we're, we're just getting started.

  9. 28:21 – 30:24

    Eat This For Better Skin

    1. MR

      Let's talk about the carrot. What happens to you, or what is the benefit from an epi nutrient standpoint when you eat carrots?

    2. LA

      Yeah. Carrots and all orange foods, even pumpkin, contain carotenoids. These carotenoids also are, first of all, a precursor to vitamin A production, and they also work as internal skincare for you. Then we have green foods like spinach that provide folate for DNA repair, and broccoli. That's my favorite.

    3. MR

      Now, why do you love broccoli?

    4. LA

      Okay. Because broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables in the same family, so we are talking about, uh, Brussels sprouts, arugula, kale, this provides an epi nutrient called sulforaphane. Sulforaphane isn't an antioxidant itself. It's better. It's the boss of your body's own antioxidant army. It switches on um, a genetic master switch called ana- NRF2.

    5. MR

      Hmm.

    6. LA

      This activates more than 200 protective genes involved in detoxification, inflammatory defense, antioxidant defense, and, and this is the best part, while direct antioxidants like vitamin C disappear in a few hours, sulforaphane switches on those genes for up to three days.

    7. MR

      Wow.

    8. LA

      So it's enough to eat cruciferous veggies two, three times a week to keep your antioxidant genes switched on.

  10. 30:24 – 35:11

    You Are Preparing Broccoli Wrong!

    1. LA

      But there's a problem.

    2. MR

      What's the problem? 'Cause it sounds pretty good if I'm eating the boss of the army.

    3. LA

      The problem is that there's actually no sulforaphane in this broccoli.

    4. MR

      Did I buy the wrong kind?

    5. LA

      You need to chop it or chew it, and here's, here's why. Think of sulforaphane as a glow stick-

    6. MR

      Oh

    7. LA

      ... for your genes. Those-

    8. MR

      Professor is in the house. She's holding a glow stick if you're listening

    9. LA

      Yeah. So those light- light up tubes you brings- you bring at concerts, when you break them, two compound mix, starting a light reaction, and sulforaphane works the same way.

    10. MR

      When I chew broccoli, it activates the sulforaphane inside the broccoli?

    11. LA

      Exactly, and this is exactly what happens. A compound called glucoraphanin mixes with an enzyme called myrosinase, and boom, this creates sulforaphane. So the problem is that most people buy frozen broccoli, and frozen broccoli is, uh, quickly blanched-

    12. MR

      Hmm

    13. LA

      ... so quickly boiled before freezing, and this destroys myrosinase. So no myrosinase, no glow stick reaction, no sulforaphane. It's like buying a broken glow stick. Or they throw broccoli directly into the boiling water.

    14. MR

      Hmm.

    15. LA

      Same problem. Myrosinase dies, and you don't get sulforaphane. So that's why I have three tricks-

    16. MR

      Oh, good

    17. LA

      ... for broccoli.

    18. MR

      Okay. So we can-

    19. LA

      So you can rescue-

    20. MR

      The tricks, you can cook it the way you're talking about to make sure... I- you know what I love about this? I will never eat broccoli again without seeing-

    21. LA

      [laughs]

    22. MR

      ... glowy sparkle things all around.

    23. LA

      Yeah.

    24. MR

      It's so amazing to know what's happening.

    25. LA

      So here are the three tricks. For fresh broccoli-

    26. MR

      Yes

    27. LA

      ... chop it 40 minutes before cooking. Wait.

    28. MR

      Oh.

    29. LA

      Because during that time, myrosinase has catalyzes the reaction and produces more sulforaphane. For frozen broccoli-

    30. MR

      Can I ask a question, though?

  11. 35:11 – 37:55

    Eat This For A Better Brain

    1. MR

      Okay, let's move on to the blackberries.

    2. LA

      Okay. The blackberries provide anthocyanins. These are epinutrients for cognitive benefits. In general, they are anti-inflammatory. So they have multiple benefits, but clinical trials shows benefits particularly for, for cognition. And garlic, garlic works similarly to broccoli. This is also glow stick-

    3. MR

      Really?

    4. LA

      ... for your genes. Yeah, because when you chop or chew garlic-

    5. MR

      Chew

    6. LA

      ... some people chew it, but if you crush it or chop it-

    7. MR

      Yes

    8. LA

      ... two compounds mix, allyl and allinase, the enzyme, and this creates allicin, the epinutrient we need. And allicin has multiple benefits. It, it decreases LDL by 10%, it's anti-inflammatory benefits, it boosts immune function. Now, even here, there's a problem, right?

    9. MR

      Okay.

    10. LA

      It's the same problem.

    11. MR

      Well, 'cause I don't wanna eat it raw.

    12. LA

      That-

    13. MR

      That's a problem. [laughs]

    14. LA

      The sa- the problem is allinase is also sensitive to heat, just like myrosinase.

    15. MR

      Oh.

    16. LA

      So here's what you do.

    17. MR

      What do we do?

    18. LA

      ... crash garlic. It's better if you crash it actually with the flat part of the knife.

    19. MR

      Oh, so if you're not a cook, let me explain what that means.

    20. LA

      Yeah.

    21. MR

      So you, you know when you peel the garlic and you chop, chop, chop? What she's saying is take the whole clove and smash it flat with the flat end of the knife or a spoon or a wooden spoon or something like that. What does smashing do that chopping doesn't?

    22. LA

      Yeah, so they both destroy the pl- pl- the plant cell walls, making those compounds mix together. But crashing destroys more, and more destruction, more allicin.

    23. MR

      Okay.

    24. LA

      So both work.

    25. MR

      But w- but you said does cooking it in olive oil change that? Or does it hold on to the-

    26. LA

      S- yes, you don't want to go... So you first crash it, then you wait five minutes.

    27. MR

      Oh.

    28. LA

      Just five minutes for garlic, because this gives enough time for the reaction to maximize the production of allicin.

    29. MR

      Okay.

    30. LA

      And then you have two options: either add it raw at the end of cooking, that's the maximum allicin, or cook it for two to f- to five minutes, medium heat in olive oil. Not water, because if it's water, it'll, it leaches in the wa- into the water, and you lose most of it.

  12. 37:55 – 40:44

    This Shocking Food Makes You Smarter

    1. LA

      are good. Let's talk about chocolate. Okay, this isn't a guilty pleasure. It can be epigenetic medicine if you choose the right one. So chocolate con- provides a type of epi nutrients called flavanols with metabolic cognitive benefits. And now, the problem is that most commercial chocolate is Dutch-processed, so washed with alkali-

    2. MR

      Hmm

    3. LA

      ... to make it smoother-

    4. MR

      Hmm

    5. LA

      ... so reduce bitterness and make the color look darker, which looks more premium.

    6. MR

      Yeah.

    7. LA

      Right? Now, this process destroys 90% of flavanols.

    8. MR

      Wow.

    9. LA

      So you really want to look for non al- non-alkalized or non-Dutch processed-

    10. MR

      Okay

    11. LA

      ... chocolate.

    12. MR

      So do they label it somewhere?

    13. LA

      Yes.

    14. MR

      It'll be labeled Dutch processed if it is Dutch processed?

    15. LA

      Yeah, it should be on the label. Now, my favorite way, um, of, um, incorporating chocolate in, in, in, in, in my life is going, um... So is, uh, eating either cacao powder or cacao beans. This is where you get max- you maximize the flavanols and minimize the calories. You just need one to two tablespoon of raw cacao powder or 10 to 20 grams of cacao beans. These are delicious.

    16. MR

      Hmm.

    17. LA

      If you lightly roast them in the oven, they sm- they, they are just fantastic.

    18. MR

      I didn't even know there was such a thing as a cacao bean, but now I'm gonna be looking for them.

    19. LA

      Yeah.

    20. MR

      I also finally see bell peppers. You got a bright red one-

    21. LA

      Yeah

    22. MR

      ... right there.

    23. LA

      Bell peppers also provide lycopene, and they are a great source of vitamin C. But here, be careful, don't buy them frozen because then they will lose 50% of their vitamin content.

    24. MR

      Is there anything else you wanna say about-

    25. LA

      No

    26. MR

      ... all this stuff?

    27. LA

      Just remember, the point isn't picking your favorite color. It's mixing them up.

    28. MR

      The rainbow.

    29. LA

      Yeah, because only when you eat the rainbow, you are really protecting your genes from all angles.

    30. MR

      I love that. Royal jelly, we're activating the queen bee mode in our genes. We're gonna remove this food, so Trace, why don't you come on in and grab all this for us? That glow stick was amazing.

  13. 40:44 – 47:45

    The Forgotten Essential Nutrient You Need Everyday

    1. LA

      Now I would like to focus on choline.

    2. MR

      Great.

    3. LA

      Because actually I need to spell it-

    4. MR

      Okay

    5. LA

      ... every time.

    6. MR

      [laughs]

    7. LA

      It's C-H-O-L-I-N-E.

    8. MR

      Choline.

    9. LA

      Yeah. That's how forgotten this essential nutrient is. 90% of people are deficient without even knowing it. We need 450 to 550 milligram, which is equivalent to roughly four eggs a day.

    10. MR

      Four eggs a day?

    11. LA

      Four egg yolks. It's in the, in the yolk really. And, um, uh, and most of us get barely half of it, a gap that is affecting our liver, our brain, and our genes because choline is, first it's part of any, every single cell membrane in your body. Then in the brain it's used to produce acetylcholine for memory, focus, movement. And then in the liver it's used to package fat and export it out.

    12. MR

      Hmm.

    13. LA

      So you develop fatty liver without choline. And for your genes, it's the ink to write the instructions. Now, during pregnancy, the demand skyrockets. In our recent research with Dr. Randy Jirtle, he's the godfather of nutritional epigenetics, we discuss how choline during pregnancy can truly program a child's health for life.

    14. MR

      Wow.

    15. LA

      So when pregnant women-It take more than double the around c- the recommended amount of choline, so 930 milligram instead of 450, then their children have higher cognitive abilities and lower anxiety even seven years later.

    16. MR

      Really?

    17. LA

      Yes, because choline provides the ink to also regulate, uh, genes that are involved in our stress response, including those controlling cortisol. Now, I know what you're thinking. How can I get choline? So I've developed-

    18. MR

      Yes, that's exactly what I was thinking. You're not only an epigeneticist, you're a, you're a mentalist-

    19. LA

      [laughs]

    20. MR

      ... 'cause you're reading my mind.

    21. LA

      [laughs] So I've developed something that I call the four-yolk formula. So try to get the equivalent, the, the choline equivalent of four yolks a day to reach that-

    22. MR

      How the heck do I do that?

    23. LA

      Yeah. So you-

    24. MR

      And is that gonna kill my cholesterol?

    25. LA

      No. Okay, we need to debunk that myth. The cholesterol from your diet doesn't equal the cholesterol in your blood. Your liver produces 80% of the circulating cholesterol, and if you eat more, the liver produces less.

    26. MR

      Mm.

    27. LA

      It's like a thermostat-

    28. MR

      Mm

    29. LA

      ... automatically adjusting. In our own research at Stanford, when people tripled their cholesterol consumption in the context of a, a weight loss diet, and also they actually increased their saturated fat consumption, their blood lipids improved. The problem wasn't the cholesterol, it was the donuts.

    30. MR

      [laughs]

  14. 47:45 – 51:52

    The Science-Backed Reason to Eat More Protein

    1. MR

      Based on your research, what excites you the most about protein?

    2. LA

      Protein provides the building blocks, the amino acids for, for everything structural and functional in your body. Hair, skin, nails, antibodies, neurotransmitters, hormones. Pro- without protein, you basically can't digest, can't heal, can't move.

    3. MR

      What are some of the other benefits when you think about epigenetics? I know it's the building blocks, but what else is an important reason, you know what I mean, for why you really should be focusing on this if you wanna age well and you wanna take advantage of all this research?

    4. LA

      Yeah. We, we talked about already about the pencils, right?

    5. MR

      Yes.

    6. LA

      So B12 and choline are primarily found, and, and methionine are primarily found in protein-rich foods, right? That's the first epigenetic benefit and the direct epigenetic benefit. Then there are other-Indirect benefits. For example, if you eat more protein and you are building muscle, right? The exercise part and the, and the, the muscle building part does incredible things to your epigenetics in your muscle cells.

    7. MR

      Really?

    8. LA

      It turns on genes that protect you from diabetes, that stimulates mitochondria bi- biogenesis, so they are really basically rejuvenating your metabolism from within. So these are more indirect, uh, indirect benefits of protein from the epigenetics standpoint.

    9. MR

      But when you combine it-

    10. LA

      Yeah

    11. MR

      ... with the weight training and moving-

    12. LA

      Yes

    13. MR

      ... your body, you're saying again, you get that glow stick effect.

    14. LA

      Yeah. [laughs]

    15. MR

      We're now all feeling-

    16. LA

      Multiply

    17. MR

      ... like the queen bee-

    18. LA

      Yeah

    19. MR

      ... because it's changing you from the inside out.

    20. LA

      Yeah.

    21. MR

      That's so, so cool. So is collagen protein?

    22. LA

      Yes.

    23. MR

      Okay.

    24. LA

      So collagen is protein, is the most abundant protein, is really the, the scaffolding, uh, holding you together, is in our skin, in our tendons. And now most people think, "Okay, I need collagen supplements as I age," because as we age, we lose about 1% of collagen every year starting at 25. So by age 50, we are alway- al- we're already-

    25. MR

      Down 75%

    26. LA

      ... lost 75%.

    27. MR

      I saw that stat coming.

    28. LA

      And that doubles after menopause.

    29. MR

      What?

    30. LA

      Yes. I actually prefer to focus on collagen-rich foods, and these are the foods we are not eating, the parts of the animals that we are just throwing away.

  15. 51:52 – 54:36

    Can Fish Oil Fight Inflammation?

    1. MR

      The next thing that you talk about from an epigenetic standpoint is omega-3s.

    2. LA

      Oh, that's my favorite.

    3. MR

      Oh, you love these.

    4. LA

      Yeah, I love this. These are epibiotics that work as our cellular fire department.

    5. MR

      Oh.

    6. LA

      They switch on genes that basically slow down inflammation. Inflammation is, the chronic low-grade inflammation is what ages you faster than time itself. Now, the problem is that most people think that plant-based omega-3s are enough. Chia seeds-

    7. MR

      Uh-huh

    8. LA

      ... flax seeds, walnuts, they provide ALA. This is a plant-based omega-3 fatty acids that your body needs to convert to the active form, EPA and DHA, which you get directly from fatty fish. Now, the problem, that conversion is dramatically inefficient. For young women is 5 to 8%, for men is 0.5 to 4%, and things get worse as we age if you're, we are stressed or inflamed. Yes, so let's, let's take the perfect scenario.

    9. MR

      Okay.

    10. LA

      You are a young woman, uh, the best-case scenario, and, uh, no inflammation, no stress. You would need to get the therapeutic levels of omega-3 fatty acids that in clinical trial are equivalent to two grams a day. You would need to eat one cup of flax seed or chia seeds every day or two pounds of walnuts.

    11. MR

      Two pounds? That's like 2,000 calories-

    12. LA

      Yes

    13. MR

      ... or more.

    14. LA

      Yes. So this is not a nutritional strategy. It's more like, sounds more like nutritional fantasy. So, uh, that's [laughs] why I, I always encourage people to, uh, focus on fatty fish. So this is salmon, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, and herring. These are the best sources of omega-3 fatty acids, um, three to four times a week. This is still not enough to get to two grams a day unless you eat fish every day and with multiple servings. That's why I do like to supplement, um, with a quality omega-3 fatty acids.

    15. MR

      That's cool.

  16. 54:36 – 56:55

    Eat This For Better Gut Health

    1. MR

      That's... I... This is, this is... I- I'm really in, into this.

    2. LA

      [laughs]

    3. MR

      Um, fermented foods, as an epigenetic researcher, what do fermented foods do?

    4. LA

      Okay. Fermented foods provide what I call the three musketeers of gut health. All for one, one for all. And these are the prebiotics, so the fiber that feeds your-Bacteria. Then the probiotics, the bacteria themselves, and the postbiotics. These are the bacterial products that work as epibioactives. The most studied example is butyrate. Have you ever heard of it, butyrate?

    5. MR

      Butyrate, no, huh.

    6. LA

      Is a short chain fatty acids-

    7. MR

      Okay

    8. LA

      ... fatty acids produced by your gut microbiome that works as a, an epibioactive, traveling through your bloodstream and switching on genes involved in inflammation control, gut health, immune health.

    9. MR

      Wow.

    10. LA

      Right? And for many people, fermented foods are better than fiber alone. In a landmark study at Stanford by my colleague Justin Sonnenburg, they showed that when people increase their fiber intake, but they have a low microbiome diversity, so fewer bacteria species, then they actually experience an increase in inflammatory markers. But when people increase their, their fermented food intake, the inflammatory markers go down independently of starting microbiome, and their microbiome di- diversity increases during the process. This because the fermented foods don't just feed your bacteria, they really seed your gut-

    11. MR

      Hmm

    12. LA

      ... with new species.

  17. 56:55 – 58:54

    How Epigenetics Help You Live a Better Life

    1. MR

      So if you were to really change the way you look at food, and you look at this rainbow of epinutrients, and you follow the same instruction you gave to your mom based on the research of just try to get protein in at every meal, and also really pay attention to omega-3 and collagen. Like, you just do your best to do this, and you slow down a little bit, and maybe we channel our inner Italian, and we enjoy this and think about the fact that we are giving our body the ink and the instructions to write a new chapter, what changes might you notice? Even, you know, in a short period of time if you really take this on.

    2. LA

      Yeah, so in a, in 30 days, let's say 30 days, these are probably not enough to reprogram or rewrite-

    3. MR

      Right

    4. LA

      ... your epigenetic memories, but they're enough to see meaningful physiological changes. Then you start to feel better because the energy stabilizes as your blood glucose stabilizes. Your sleep and skin improve as the inflammation goes down. Digestion improve as your microbiome adjust. And most importantly, the real transformation is cellular.

    5. MR

      Hmm.

    6. LA

      So you are slowly re- rewiring your habits and rewriting your genetic instructions. You are really starting to becoming a new person-

    7. MR

      Hmm

    8. LA

      ... at a cellular level. So your transformation has already started.

    9. MR

      What would you say to the person who's listening or watching right now, and they are going to follow all these recommendations, but there's someone in their life that

  18. 58:54 – 1:00:01

    How To Help Others Live a Healthier Life

    1. MR

      they're worried about, and they wanna help a loved one change their lifestyle for the better?

    2. LA

      I love this question because you can't change someone else, but you can become the invitation. Don't just force change. Just show that change is possible by living it, not pushing it. Start your quiet transformation. Be the quiet revolution because there's no better argument than your life. So if you start changing first, right? Adopting a healthy diet-

    3. MR

      Hmm

    4. LA

      ... exercising, they will get curious. They will notice it. And then when they ask, you can invite them to join you. And so meet them where

  19. 1:00:01 – 1:03:44

    Create A Healthy Life Today

    1. LA

      they are.

    2. MR

      What do you think the single most important thing that you want someone to take away from this conversation, this incredible, rich master class in how to take epinutrients and rewrite your future? What do you want them to take away from this conversation?

    3. LA

      Your genes aren't your fate. They are your opportunity. Stop blaming your DNA. Your genes are only 25%, and you are the other 75%. Every meal, every walk outside, every night of sleep is an opportunity to pick up the epigenetic pencil and write a healthier chapter. And here's how you can make it sustainable. Remember that pleasure is your compass. Real food that tastes incredible, connections that light you up-Even movement that, that you enjoy. These will guide you exactly to what your genes need. So pick up that pencil, write with pleasure, and create a masterpiece.

    4. MR

      You know, what I wanna say to you is, it's really a privilege when you get to sit with somebody who is in their genius.

    5. LA

      Thank you, Mel. That was wonderful.

    6. MR

      It, it really is. Um, it, it chokes me up, because you said that you can't change someone else, but, but you can be the invitation. Your example can show that change is possible.

    7. LA

      Yes.

    8. MR

      And it's very clear that the research that you do, and the way that you live your life, and the conviction and genius through which you share all of this with the rest of us, is the invitation that shows us it's possible. So thank you.

    9. LA

      Thank you, Mel. Thank you so much.

    10. MR

      You are so welcome. And I also wanna thank you. I wanna thank you for making the time to listen to something that is so life-changing, and I wanna thank you for sharing this episode as a free resource and an invitation to the people that you care about, that will show them that change is possible, too. I am so excited by this. I cannot wait to see your comments. I can't wait to see the changes that you make and how you feel when you really take all of this research that we just learned about epinutrition, and you apply it to your life. And in case no one else tells you today, as your friend, I wanted to tell you that I love you, and I believe in you, and I believe in your ability to create a better life. And one of the things that really struck me about our conversation today is something that Dr. Lucia said about how change isn't just possible. What's gonna happen if you leverage all of this incredible research that we learned about today, you're not only gonna feel better, you are going to become a different person at a cellular level, and holy cow, won't that change your life? All righty, I will see you in the very next episode. I'll be waiting to welcome you in the moment you hit play. And thank you for watching all the way to the end, and you're gonna love this next video, and I'll be waiting to welcome you in the moment you hit play. [outro music]

Episode duration: 1:03:45

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