Many people eat Subway for their diet; from a Traditional Korean Medicine (TKM) perspective, what is the best way to order?
The key is to keep your meal as close to an 'unprocessed state' as possible. I recommend choosing honey-oat or wheat bread with the insides scooped out and opting for low-sugar dressings like olive oil and pepper. More importantly, consider your digestive capacity; those with weak digestion may experience bloating if they suddenly consume too many raw vegetables.
I once struggled with severe bloating for several days because I insisted on eating only raw vegetables while dieting. Based on that experience and TKM principles, here is a guided approach:
1. Bread: Choose 'Wheat' and ask to scoop out the bread. This reduces refined carbohydrates. In TKM, excessive refined sugars can lead to the accumulation of 'Dam-eum' (痰飮), a state where metabolic waste stagnates and becomes viscous in the body.
2. Vegetables: While fresh vegetables are healthy, those with 'Bi-heo' (脾虛, a deficiency in the Spleen/Stomach function leading to poor digestion) may find that the 'cold' nature of raw vegetables further chills the gastrointestinal tract. If you typically suffer from indigestion, adjust the amount of raw greens.
3. Protein: Opt for roasted chicken breast or turkey over processed meats. To clear 'Eo-hyeol' (瘀血, stagnant or blood stasis) and boost metabolism, the body requires clean energy sources.
4. Sauces: Stick to olive oil, pepper, and red wine vinegar. Sweet commercial sauces cause rapid blood glucose spikes, creating an environment prone to weight gain via insulin spikes.
Ultimately, 'how your body processes' the food is more important than 'what' you eat, as every individual's constitution (Sasang constitution) differs. If you would like a personalized dietary guide tailored to your specific digestive state, I recommend visiting our clinic for a constitutional diagnosis.
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