Reviewed by최연승대표원장
I've been eating only chicken breast for my diet. How does a Korean medicine clinic recommend I plan my diet?
Many people just blindly eat only chicken breast, but that's actually inefficient. Our body needs carbohydrates, proteins, and fats in balance for proper metabolism. Especially if you have weak digestion, pumping in only protein can make your body feel heavy. The right order is to first create a 'well-digesting environment' according to your constitution, and then add nutrition on top.
I also went through a phase where I was too eager and only ate chicken breast and sweet potatoes. But at some point, I had no energy and felt dizzy. It turned out my body couldn't process all that protein, so I was just wasting effort. In Korean medicine, this condition is called Spleen Qi Deficiency (biheo). When the spleen, i.e., digestive function, weakens, even good protein cannot be converted into energy and remains as waste in the body. If this accumulates, it becomes phlegm-fluid (dameum), causing bloating and further slowing metabolism, starting a vicious cycle. So I usually recommend the following order: 1. First, check your digestive capacity. See if your stomach is ready to accept protein. 2. Clear stagnant flow. Remove accumulated blood stasis (eohyeol, stagnant blood) and waste to boost metabolic efficiency. 3. Distribute nutrition according to your constitution. Mix appropriate carbohydrates and fats to build a 'body that doesn't tire easily.' 4. Create a sustainable diet. Instead of only chicken breast, find ingredients your body comfortably accepts. Ultimately, what matters is not 'what you eat' but 'how you digest.' Rather than a forced restrictive diet, it's healthier to first check your body's energy.