Q. What is the difference between TKM weight loss programs and general commercial diets or conventional medications? I'm trying to decide which one is right for me.

"Doctor, I barely eat, so why am I not losing weight?" This is a question I hear frequently in the clinic. If the body isn't physiologically ready to burn fat, simply restricting food is often ineffective. Traditional Korean Medicine (TKM) identifies several root causes for this: 'Phlegm-fluid' (痰飮), where metabolic waste causes swelling and heaviness; 'Spleen Deficiency' (脾虛), where the body fails to convert nutrients into energy and stores them as fat instead; and 'Blood Stasis' (瘀血), where poor circulation causes localized weight gain. While conventional medications excel at rapid appetite suppression, TKM uses acupuncture and herbal medicine to clear stagnant Qi and replenish depleted vitality. This approach transforms the body into a system that efficiently consumes energy, rather than just forcing the body to stop eating. By tailoring prescriptions to an individual's unique 'Constitution' (體質), TKM also minimizes common dieting side effects like hair loss, dizziness, or fatigue. The first step is determining if your body needs immediate 'suppression' or fundamental 'metabolic recovery.'