Reviewed by최연승대표원장
How is the diet program operated step by step? I'm curious.
The approach varies depending on the patient's condition. For example, if digestion is poor and there is coldness, we first focus on strengthening spleen function. Conversely, if there is heat or stress-induced overeating, we proceed by soothing liver qi and reducing heat. Afterwards, we move to a stage of dietary habits suitable for the constitution and consistent management. In this process, I also initially thought that simply starving was the answer, but I realized that consistently listening to the body's signals is more important.
First, during the initial consultation, pattern identification is performed through pulse diagnosis and tongue diagnosis. Here, patients are largely divided into two types. A. Spleen deficiency type – those with weak digestion who frequently crave cold foods or experience bloating and gas. In this case, herbal medicine to strengthen spleen and stomach function (e.g., Bojungikgi-tang series) is used, along with warm acupuncture or moxibustion to aid digestion and absorption. Step by step, the first 1–2 weeks focus on warming the interior, and from weeks 3–4, as metabolic rate increases, patients may feel unnecessary water and phlegm-fluid being eliminated. B. Liver depression type – those who binge eat at night or frequently crave sweets due to stress or insomnia. Herbal medicine to soothe liver qi (e.g., Soyo-san series) is used, along with stimulation of auricular acupoints to stabilize the sympathetic nervous system. In this case, the first 2 weeks concentrate on improving sleep quality and making appetite control easier, then proceed to reduce heat and resolve blood stasis. For both types, intermediate assessments at 4 and 8 weeks check body composition and symptom changes, and if needed, the herbal prescription is fine-tuned. The final stage is maintenance, coaching patients to find dietary and exercise routines suited to their constitution. Of course, Korean medicine is not a 'just take medicine and lose weight automatically' approach. It is about making small lifestyle changes together.