Q. How is Traditional Korean Medicine (TKM) weight loss specifically different from popular trends like extreme calorie restriction or chicken-breast-only diets?

To be honest, I’ve also had periods where I relied solely on chicken breast and sweet potatoes out of sheer ambition. While the weight dropped quickly at first, I soon experienced dizziness and an inability to focus on my clinical work. Looking back, it was an inefficient approach. In TKM, we often see a condition called 'Dameum' (痰飮)—the accumulation of metabolic waste and phlegm—which obstructs the flow of energy and hinders metabolism. Particularly when there is 'Bi-heo' (脾虛), or weakness in the Spleen function, the body fails to absorb nutrients efficiently and instead accumulates waste. If you starve yourself in this state, the body perceives an emergency and clings to energy stores, which leads to the common 'weight loss plateau' or the 'yo-yo effect.' Rather than simply pushing you to eat less, TKM begins by clearing 'Eohyeol' (瘀血, blood stasis) and 'Dameum' to open up circulation and drainage pathways. We then use customized herbal prescriptions tailored to your specific constitution to support your basal metabolic rate, returning the body to a state where it can naturally burn energy. While there is no single 'correct' way to lose weight, a journey that supports your constitution's weak points is far more sustainable than one that ignores your body's signals. I recommend we first examine your current physical state before deciding on the best path forward.