Q. I'm planning to eat mainly salads, like the ones from Subway. How should I structure my diet according to Traditional Korean Medicine?

While healthy options like Subway salads are a great choice, the more critical question is whether your body is physically prepared to process them. Many patients come to us after insisting on raw vegetables despite poor digestion, resulting in gastrointestinal distress or severe lethargy. At Baekrokdam, we structure your diet following these specific steps: 1. Digestive Assessment: We first check for Spleen Deficiency (Bi-heo, 脾虛). If your digestive power is low, the 'cold' nature of raw vegetables can actually be detrimental to your health. 2. Elimination of Waste: We prioritize clearing 'Dam-eum' (痰飮), which refers to unnecessary fluids and metabolic waste accumulated in the body. This ensures your metabolism functions efficiently even with a controlled intake. 3. Improving Blood Circulation: We resolve 'Eo-hyeol' (瘀血), or blood stasis, to enhance circulation. When nutrients are delivered effectively to every cell, 'false hunger' signals diminish. 4. Customized Nutritional Balance: We determine the ratio of proteins and vegetables based on your constitution. While salads work for some, others may need to start with warm porridges or steamed dishes. 5. Gradual Dietary Expansion: As your metabolic rate improves, we slowly increase the proportion of general meals to ensure the habit sticks and prevent the 'yo-yo' effect. I recall a time when I followed strict dietary theories too rigidly and struggled myself. Because of that experience, I now focus on working closely with patients to find the optimal balance where the body does not feel exhausted. Understanding your body's current state is ultimately the fastest route to sustainable weight loss.