Q. How does a weight loss prescription work at a Korean medicine clinic?

When people think of a weight loss prescription, they usually imagine 'weight loss pills.' However, we first look at the cause. I myself have done foolish things in the past like starving or just taking medication, which ultimately led to rebound weight gain (yoyo). So we first classify the patient's type. The first type is 'appetite hyperactive type.' They cannot withstand hunger and keep reaching for food. In this case, we use herbal medicine to stabilize the appetite center and clear heat from the stomach and intestines. The second type is 'spleen deficiency (bi xu) and phlegm-fluid (tan yin) type.' When spleen function is weak, water metabolism is impaired, causing bloating and severe fatigue. Here, we actually use tonifying herbs to support digestion and circulation first. The prescription varies according to the constitution and condition confirmed through pulse diagnosis, tongue diagnosis, and abdominal diagnosis. For example, if there is blood stasis (yu xue), we add herbs to improve blood flow. Besides herbal medicine, we also provide lifestyle management advice, such as meal order and exercise timing. The important thing is to consider together 'why did the patient become a constitution prone to weight gain?' It is not about forcibly losing weight but rather a process of helping the body find balance.