Q. I've heard I should only eat chicken breast when dieting; how do you handle meal planning at your clinic?

Many people suffer from bloating or fatigue by blindly following trendy diets, such as eating only chicken breast and sweet potatoes, which can lead to a sudden drop in energy and dizziness. At Baekrokdam Korean Medicine Clinic, we approach weight loss through the following stages: 1. Assessing Digestive Function: We first check for 'Bi-heo' (脾虛), or Spleen Deficiency. If someone with weak digestion insists on a high-protein diet, toxins can accumulate, leading to edema and swelling. 2. Clearing Metabolic Waste: We focus on resolving 'Dam-eum' (痰飮, abnormal accumulation of fluids) and 'Eo-hyeol' (瘀血, blood stasis). Improving these drainage pathways increases the overall efficiency of your diet. 3. Personalized Meal Composition: Rather than a one-size-fits-all chicken breast diet, we determine the ideal ratio of protein and vegetables based on your constitution. For those with weak digestion, we recommend cooked vegetables; for those with excessive internal heat, we suggest ingredients with cooling properties. 4. Restoring Basal Metabolic Rate: We work to raise the basal metabolism that often drops due to extreme calorie restriction. Without this step, the 'yo-yo effect' (weight regain) is almost inevitable. Ultimately, 'how well your body absorbs nutrients' is more important than 'what you eat.' Let us help you find the eating pattern that best suits your current physical state.