Q. I've heard you can eat hamburgers while dieting, but I'm curious about the exact principle. Is it really helpful?

I used to rationalize eating hamburgers during busy times, thinking 'this is healthy enough,' but I learned that bodily reactions vary greatly. From a Western medical perspective, the key is reducing refined carbs (white bread) and sugars (ketchup, mayo) while increasing protein to stabilize insulin secretion—preventing rapid blood sugar spikes that promote fat storage. In Traditional Korean Medicine, the view differs: high-protein, high-fat foods like hamburgers easily lead to Phlegm-Fluid (Dam Eum, 痰飮, stagnant waste fluids). Especially for those with Spleen Deficiency (Pi Xu, 脾虛, impaired digestive and transport function), protein breakdown is poor, causing heaviness and dizziness. Ultimately, it's not just 'what you eat' but 'how well your body processes it.' If digestive weakness leads to Blood Stasis (Eo Hyeol, 瘀血, stagnant blood), forcing a high-protein diet can further stagnate metabolism. So before switching menus, check whether your digestive system is ready for high protein—that's the key to yoyo-free dieting. Let's think it through together.