Q. I heard that May 6th is 'International No Diet Day.' What exactly does this mean, and why is it significant for our health?

International No Diet Day is not an excuse for overindulgence; rather, it is a time to reflect on how obsessive dieting disrupts our metabolic systems. From a Western medical perspective, extreme restriction spikes cortisol levels, leading to insulin resistance and a 'low-efficiency' state where muscle mass decreases while fat is easily stored. In Traditional Korean Medicine (TKM), this process is explained as a chain of cause and effect. Starvation leads to Spleen Deficiency (Biheo). When the Spleen function—responsible for digestion and transformation—weakens, the body fails to convert nutrients into energy, causing them to stagnate as waste called Phlegm-fluid (Dameum). This buildup can further obstruct circulation and lead to Blood Stasis (Eohyeol). Consequently, your metabolism becomes so compromised that you might feel as though you gain weight 'even by just drinking water.' As a practitioner, it is disheartening to see patients push their bodies to the limit through starvation. Dieting should be a gentle negotiation with your body, not a war. The key to sustainable weight management without the yo-yo effect is honoring your body's signals and restoring a healthy metabolic rhythm. Instead of punishing yourself, focus on tonifying and caring for the Spleen (Biheo) to restore balance.