TL;DR — Nutrition modulates mTOR/AMPK, supplies methyl donors, and feeds the microbiome. Non-negotiables: 8–10h eating window, 30–40g fiber, 30+ plant species/week, 1.2–1.6 g/kg protein. Track fiber grams and eating window daily — food outranks pills for nutrient sensing and dysbiosis.
Why this protocol comes first
Nutrition is the daily nutrient sensing input — every meal is an mTORA kinase that acts as a cellular growth sensor — when inhibited, cells shift from growth mode into repair, recycling, and autophagy. Full glossary →/insulin signal. It supplies methyl donors for epigenetic maintenance, glycine/cysteine for endogenous GSH, and prebiotic substrate for microbiome diversity.
Time-restricted eating, adequate protein, and polyphenol-rich diets show measurable effects on epigenetic clocks, insulin sensitivity, and inflammatory markers in human trials — at zero marginal cost beyond groceries.
Hallmarks primarily affected: Disabled macroautophagy · Disabled autophagyThe cellular self-cleaning process that breaks down and recycles damaged proteins, organelles, and pathogens. Full glossary → · Epigenetic alterations · Dysbiosis · Chronic inflammation
Time-restricted eating improves insulin sensitivity and inflammatory markers in human trials. Wastyk et al. 2021 (PMID 34432955): fermented foods increase microbiome diversity and decrease inflammatory proteins over 10 weeks.
The protocol — what to actually do
| Behavior | Target | Frequency | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eating window | 8–10 hours (16:8+ fast) | Daily | Tier A |
| Fiber | 30–40 g/day | Daily | Tier A |
| Plant diversity | 30+ species/week | Weekly | Tier A |
| Protein | 1.2–1.6 g/kg/day | Daily | Tier A |
| Fermented foods | 2–6 servings/day | Daily | Tier A |
| Refined sugar | Minimize | Daily | Tier A |
← Swipe for more columns →
Daily schedule template
| Time | Action | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Wake + 1h | Break fast (protein-forward) | Largest meals earlier |
| Midday | Fiber + polyphenol load | Vegetables, legumes, colorful plants |
| 3h pre-bed | Last meal | Supports Sleep + autophagy |
| Weekly | Add 1 new plant species | Diversity counter |
Week-one implementation
Day 1–3: Log current eating window and fiber grams only — no other changes.
Day 4–7: Tighten window to 10 hours. Add one high-fiber food (berries, lentils, chia).
Week 2+: Target 30 g fiber. Start fermented food 1–2 servings/day. Audit methyl donor checklist.
Environment hacks: Meal prep Sundays, visible fruit bowl, pre-portioned nuts, fermented food in fridge at eye level.
Which protocol variant fits you?
Eating window already ≤10 hours and fiber ≥25 g/day?
node | hs-CRP still >1.0?
Ramp fermented foods to 4–6/day per Dysbiosis protocol
Maintain; consider NRF2 Triad only if lifestyle locked 8+ weeks
node | Type 2 diabetes or metformin therapy?
Physician-guided TRE — hypoglycemia risk during fasted windows
16:8 TRE sprint 4 weeks before any supplement stack
Eating disorder history, BMI <18.5, or blood in stool — no unsupervised caloric restriction
Educational decision aid — a way to organize the evidence, not a prescription. Doses and timing shown are those used in studies; confirm anything you act on with a clinician or pharmacist.
How this connects to your stack
| If you're also running… | Interaction | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| NMN | NAD+ increases nicotinamide methylation | Methyl donor adequacy (B12, folate, choline) non-negotiable |
| GlyNAC | Food glycine from collagen/bone broth | Dietary glycine reduces supplement dependency |
| Sulforaphane | Broccoli sprouts = food NRF2 | Sprouts 3–5×/week complement extract |
| NAD+ Mito Stack | TRE supports nutrient sensing | Lock eating window before stack spend |
Methyl donor checklist
- [ ] B12 (methylcobalamin or adequate dietary)
- [ ] Folate (leafy greens or methylfolate)
- [ ] Choline (eggs, liver, or supplement)
- [ ] Betaine (beets, wheat germ)
- [ ] Adequate protein (glycine — also from collagen/bone broth)
Food-compound synergyWhen two compounds together produce greater effect than either alone. Full glossary →
| Food | Compound equivalent | Mechanism |
|---|---|---|
| Broccoli sprouts | Sulforaphane | Myrosinase-active NRF2A protein that turns on 200+ antioxidant and detox genes when activated. Full glossary → |
| Bone broth / collagen | Glycine | GSH synthesis support |
| Fatty fish | Omega-3 | Anti-inflammatory |
| Colorful vegetables | Polyphenols | NRF2, microbiome |
Monitoring
| Signal | Tool | Frequency | Target |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fiber (g) | Diet log / app | Daily | 30–40 g |
| Eating window | Log | Daily | 16:8+ fasted |
| Plant species | Weekly tally | Weekly | 30+ |
| Fasting glucose | Lab | Baseline, 12 wk | <100 mg/dL |
| hs-CRP | Lab | Baseline, 12 wk | <1.0 mg/L |
| GI quality | Subjective | Daily | ≥7/10 |
← Swipe for more columns →
Fiber (g/day)
<20
Eating window (h fasted)
<12
GI quality (1–10)
≤5
Fasting glucose (mg/dL)
100–110
Fiber (g/day)
30+
Eating window (h fasted)
≥16
GI quality (1–10)
≥7
Fasting glucose (mg/dL)
<100
Correlate lifestyle with labs
Log fasting glucose and hs-CRP at baseline and week 12 after TRE + fiber sprint.
Open Labs hubRed flags
When lifestyle isn't enough — or isn't safe
- Blood in stool, unintentional weight loss, or severe GI pain — gastroenterology workup before fermented food ramps
- Type 1 diabetes or insulin therapy — fasting requires physician protocol
- Eating disorder history — TRE can trigger relapse; dietitian oversight
Personal results template
My nutrition log
| Date | Week | Protein (g/kg) | Fiber (g) | Eating window | Plants (species/wk) | TRE? | Energy | GI (1–10) | Compliance % | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| YYYY-MM-DD | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Baseline |
| YYYY-MM-DD | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Window locked |
| YYYY-MM-DD | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | First checkpoint |
← Swipe for more columns →
Response criteria: - Meaningful: 30 g fiber + 16:8 window 6+ days/week + GI ≥7/10 - Plateau: Add fermented foods before supplements - Adverse: Worsening diarrhea, dizziness fasting → widen window, physician consult
Model protocol impact
Nutrition pillar scores highest on dysbiosis and nutrient sensing — simulate before adding NAD+ Mito Stack.
Open Protocol EngineReferences
Links open PubMed. TNiC does not sell supplements; citations support education, not medical advice.