Reviewed by최연승대표원장
There are so many trendy diet coffees and supplement drinks these days. As a TKM doctor, are there any that you would recommend?
Commercial diet drinks can effectively suppress appetite temporarily or aid bowel movements. However, caffeine and stimulating ingredients may exhaust your body if they clash with your constitution. Rather than focusing on what to drink, I recommend first assessing your body's current state.
To be honest, I once went through a phase of trying every diet supplement and drink available out of pure ambition. That experience taught me a vital lesson: what is a 'must-have item' for others can be 'poison' for your own body.
On the positive side, these drinks are palatable, making them an easy starting point. Caffeine can temporarily boost metabolism, and certain ingredients may assist intestinal motility, providing a sense of relief through smoother bowel movements.
However, the downsides are quite distinct. Those sensitive to caffeine may experience heart palpitations or insomnia, leaving them feeling dizzy and lethargic the following day. In particular, patients with Spleen Deficiency (脾虛)—those with weakened digestive functions—may find that these stimulating drinks make their gastrointestinal tract even more hypersensitive.
Furthermore, if your circulation is blocked due to the accumulation of Blood Stasis (瘀血) or Phlegm-Fluid (痰飮), a single drink cannot resolve the underlying issue. I have seen many cases where the body's internal balance is disrupted, leading to more severe yo-yo effects or profound lethargy.
Therefore, it is difficult to give a simple answer like 'this specific drink is the best.' Every individual has a different innate constitution and level of vital energy (Qi). I believe the fastest path to success is to determine whether your body can currently handle such stimulation or if a prescription to first resolve circulation issues is necessary.