Reviewed by최연승대표원장
What are the diet methods for different body constitutions? How does the process work?
First, we conduct a constitution diagnosis based on Sasang typology (Taeyang, Soyang, Taeum, Soeum), as digestive and metabolic patterns differ by constitution. Then, we prescribe custom herbal medicine or pharmacopuncture—e.g., tonifying the spleen for Taeumin (prone to spleen deficiency) or cooling the liver for Soyangin (prone to liver heat). Dietary therapy recommends constitution-appropriate foods, avoiding extreme restriction. Lifestyle habits such as sleep, stress, and exercise are adjusted accordingly. Finally, we regularly monitor progress and fine-tune the prescription. This process does not promise rapid weight loss but aims for sustainable, yo-yo-free management.
Many people mistakenly think constitution-based dieting simply means eating different foods to lose weight, but it is more nuanced. In Korean Medicine, constitution (chejil) refers not just to innate traits but to functional deviations among the internal organs (jangbu). For example, Taeumin inherently have spleen deficiency (biheo), meaning weaker digestion and slower metabolism, causing them to gain weight easily even with the same food intake. Conversely, Soyangin often have stomach heat (wiyeol) and can eat well, but if liver function becomes hyperactive, they may relieve stress through overeating. The process I follow is: 1) Confirm constitution using Sasang questionnaire, pulse diagnosis, and abdominal palpation (bokjin) to assess current organ state. 2) Prescribe herbal medicine according to constitution—e.g., tonifying the spleen (bobi) for Taeumin, or clearing liver heat (cheonggan) for Soyangin. Mixtures are common, so no rigid formulas are applied. 3) Add pharmacopuncture or acupuncture to improve blood and qi circulation, as blood stasis (eohyeol) can slow lipid metabolism. 4) Dietary guidance focuses on avoiding foods that are hard for the specific constitution to digest—e.g., cold drinks and wheat products burden Taeumin, while spicy and greasy foods raise heat in Soyangin. 5) Sleep and stress management are tailored: Taeumin’s metabolism drops immediately with sleep deprivation, while Soyangin’s liver heat worsens under stress, disrupting appetite control. The key is that this process does not guarantee rapid weight loss like 10 kg in a month. Instead, it aims for gradual constitution improvement and sustained weight management without yo-yo effects. Through experience, I have learned that extreme fasting or deprivation diets do not help constitution improvement. Understanding your constitution reveals why dieting was difficult in the past.