Q. What exactly is the difference between dietary restrictions, conventional weight loss medication, and Traditional Korean Medicine (TKM) dieting?

To be honest, I once insisted on eating nothing but chicken breast, only to find myself feeling bloated and dizzy. Even as a Korean Medicine Doctor, I went through a period of trial and error (laughs). That experience taught me a vital lesson: digestive capacity varies significantly from person to person. In Traditional Korean Medicine, this weakened state is called 'Spleen Deficiency' (Bi-heo, 脾虛). When the function of the Spleen is impaired, even the healthiest diet cannot be properly converted into energy and instead lingers as toxins. This leads to the formation of 'Phlegm-Fluid' (Dam-eum, 痰飮)—a state where metabolic waste becomes viscous and stagnant, hindering overall metabolism. If this is coupled with 'Blood Stasis' (Eo-hyeol, 瘀血), where poor circulation causes blood to clump, you may find yourself in a frustrating situation where you barely eat but still cannot lose weight. Therefore, TKM dieting does not simply focus on 'making you not eat.' First, we improve the state of Spleen Deficiency to enhance digestive power, and then we clear away Phlegm-Fluid and Blood Stasis to 'open the pathways' of the body. Only then can your body properly burn even a single piece of chicken breast for energy. If conventional medication feels like slamming on the brakes, TKM is like changing the engine oil to improve performance so the car can naturally pick up speed. The first step should always be assessing your current physical state.