Q. I've heard that eating salads from places like Subway or having a cookie is fine for a diet. How does a Korean medicine clinic approach meal planning?

Designing a diet can be challenging. While many people focus on 'low calorie' options, Traditional Korean Medicine (TKM) emphasizes 'which properties of food disrupt the balance of my body.' In the early stages of dieting, many people try fasting or eating only salads, which often leads to fatigue and dizziness. At Baekrokdam, we approach diet management through the following clinical stages: 1. Assessing Spleen Deficiency (Bi-heo, 脾虛): If the spleen function is weak, your body cannot absorb nutrients effectively even from healthy salads, which often leads to bloating. We first focus on enhancing the function of the digestive system. 2. Removing Phlegm-Fluid (Dam-eum, 痰飮): It is essential to clear accumulated metabolic waste, known as 'Dam-eum.' Refined sugars, such as those found in cookies, are primary culprits that thicken this waste and hinder overall metabolism. 3. Improving Blood Stasis (Eo-hyeol, 瘀血): When blood circulation is stagnant (Blood Stasis), the basal metabolic rate drops, making the body prone to edema and weight gain even with small amounts of food. This is why herbal prescriptions to improve circulation are often administered concurrently. 4. Personalized Meal Composition: Consuming too many vegetables with 'cold properties' can chill the lower abdomen, further slowing down metabolism. We coordinate your diet by mixing in foods with 'warm properties' based on your specific constitution (Sasang constitution). Ultimately, the key is whether your body is currently prepared to digest and eliminate waste properly. We invite you to visit our clinic for a precise assessment of your physical state and to develop a sustainable, stress-free plan together.