Q. I'm struggling so much with hunger that I've been snacking on konjac products to get by. What is the perspective on this kind of diet from a Traditional Korean Medicine (TKM) point of view?

I have seen many patients—and even experienced it myself—relying solely on konjac jellies and noodles for weight loss, only to end up feeling bloated, lethargic, and dizzy. The primary component of konjac, glucomannan, is not absorbed by the body. While it creates a feeling of fullness, it provides virtually zero nutritional value. From a TKM perspective, this type of diet often leads to 'Bi-Heo' (脾虛), or Spleen Deficiency. In TKM, the Spleen is the core organ responsible for transforming food into energy. When the body consistently receives nutrition-free food, this function gradually declines. Consequently, your basal metabolic rate drops, and you may eventually find yourself in a state where it is difficult to lose weight even with minimal caloric intake. At Baengnokdam, we recommend the following approach to resolve this: 1. Digestive Assessment: If you are experiencing bloating or constipation, you must first reduce your intake of konjac. 2. Removing Dam-Eum (痰飮): We focus on clearing 'Dam-Eum'—the accumulated metabolic waste and phlegm in the body—to boost metabolic efficiency. 3. Replenishing Qi and Blood: Instead of konjac, we replace it with easily digestible, warm proteins and vegetables to restore Spleen function. 4. Customized Prescription: We provide herbal medicine tailored to your constitution to naturally suppress appetite while maintaining energy levels. Diets based purely on endurance eventually return as a 'boomerang' in the form of the yo-yo effect. It is essential to restart your body's 'digestive engine.' Please visit our clinic so we can examine your current digestive state together.