Q. I've heard that perilla oil dieting is trending lately. What is the perspective from a Traditional Korean Medicine (TKM) clinic, and is there a proper way to do it?

Many people try trending diets, but responses vary significantly. While some see results, others suffer from diarrhea or nausea because their bodies cannot process the fats efficiently. From a TKM perspective, to properly utilize healthy fats like perilla oil, consider the following: First, check for Spleen Deficiency (脾虛). If your digestive capacity is low, consuming high amounts of oil can lead to the accumulation of Phlegm-Fluid (痰飮)—metabolic waste that makes the body feel heavy and lethargic. Second, dosage control is vital. Do not be overambitious from the start. The correct method is to start with very small amounts and gradually increase them, allowing your body to develop 'metabolic flexibility' to use fat as its primary energy source. Third, it is necessary to clear Blood Stasis (瘀血). When blood circulation is smooth, the by-products of fat metabolism are excreted more quickly, increasing the diet's efficiency. Finally, support tailored to your specific constitution (Sasang typology) is necessary. Some constitutions may not react well to perilla oil. In such cases, it is safer to balance the internal Fire (火) and Dampness (濕) through customized herbal medicine rather than forcing a trend. The core principle is not 'because others are doing it,' but 'whether my organs can handle it.' Instead of experimenting on your own, we recommend visiting our clinic to accurately assess your current metabolic state.