Dr. Robert Lustig

And so when the liver gets fat, the pancreas has to make more insulin to make the liver do its job. And because the liver gets fat and because it's at the end of that portal system, the Liver doesn't have to get very sick for the pancreas to start making extra insulin and causing problems. Now, the question is, where did the visceral fat come from? Did it come from the diet? No.

And so when the liver gets fat, the pancreas has to make more insulin to make the liver do its job. And because the liver gets fat and because it's at the end of that portal system, the Liver doesn't have to get very sick for the pancreas to start making extra insulin and causing problems. Now, the question is, where did the visceral fat come from? Did it come from the diet? No.

And so when the liver gets fat, the pancreas has to make more insulin to make the liver do its job. And because the liver gets fat and because it's at the end of that portal system, the Liver doesn't have to get very sick for the pancreas to start making extra insulin and causing problems. Now, the question is, where did the visceral fat come from? Did it come from the diet? No.

People think that belly fat is from the diet. No. This is the big, you know, mistake. Yeah, where does it come from? Stress. And the reason we know that is because you can take people who are chronically depressed, who are suicidal, who basically have to be admitted to the hospital to keep themselves from killing themselves. And you put them in a scanner and they're not eating.

People think that belly fat is from the diet. No. This is the big, you know, mistake. Yeah, where does it come from? Stress. And the reason we know that is because you can take people who are chronically depressed, who are suicidal, who basically have to be admitted to the hospital to keep themselves from killing themselves. And you put them in a scanner and they're not eating.

People think that belly fat is from the diet. No. This is the big, you know, mistake. Yeah, where does it come from? Stress. And the reason we know that is because you can take people who are chronically depressed, who are suicidal, who basically have to be admitted to the hospital to keep themselves from killing themselves. And you put them in a scanner and they're not eating.

And so they're losing weight. Hallmark of depression, losing weight. and their subcutaneous fat is going down and their visceral fat is going up. They're losing weight and their visceral fat is going up because cortisol, the stress hormone, is the driver of that visceral fat.

And so they're losing weight. Hallmark of depression, losing weight. and their subcutaneous fat is going down and their visceral fat is going up. They're losing weight and their visceral fat is going up because cortisol, the stress hormone, is the driver of that visceral fat.

And so they're losing weight. Hallmark of depression, losing weight. and their subcutaneous fat is going down and their visceral fat is going up. They're losing weight and their visceral fat is going up because cortisol, the stress hormone, is the driver of that visceral fat.

Absolutely.

Absolutely.

Absolutely.

So we did the opposite at UCSF. We did a study where we took patients with exactly that situation and taught them mindfulness. So yeah, can you explain what that study was? What was the condition?

So we did the opposite at UCSF. We did a study where we took patients with exactly that situation and taught them mindfulness. So yeah, can you explain what that study was? What was the condition?

So we did the opposite at UCSF. We did a study where we took patients with exactly that situation and taught them mindfulness. So yeah, can you explain what that study was? What was the condition?

We took postmenopausal women and we basically taught them how to meditate. So you weren't controlling their food or anything like that? We didn't touch their food. We only taught them to meditate, but we studied them before and six months and 18 months later. And when you say studied, what were you looking at? We were looking at their fat depots. And cortisol as well.

We took postmenopausal women and we basically taught them how to meditate. So you weren't controlling their food or anything like that? We didn't touch their food. We only taught them to meditate, but we studied them before and six months and 18 months later. And when you say studied, what were you looking at? We were looking at their fat depots. And cortisol as well.

We took postmenopausal women and we basically taught them how to meditate. So you weren't controlling their food or anything like that? We didn't touch their food. We only taught them to meditate, but we studied them before and six months and 18 months later. And when you say studied, what were you looking at? We were looking at their fat depots. And cortisol as well.

And cortisol and also insulin and insulin resistance. Exactly. And what we found was that weight didn't change that much. But in the mindfulness group, their belly fat went way down and their insulin levels went way down.

And cortisol and also insulin and insulin resistance. Exactly. And what we found was that weight didn't change that much. But in the mindfulness group, their belly fat went way down and their insulin levels went way down.