Q. I tend to binge eat whenever I'm stressed. Is there a way to improve this?

I understand this pattern well—stress builds up, your hands automatically reach for snacks, and afterward you feel regret. When this cycle repeats, both body and mind become exhausted. In Traditional Korean Medicine, this is viewed as liver stagnation (gan yu). The liver governs qi (气) flow throughout the body; prolonged stress causes qi to become stagnant. This, in turn, affects spleen function, leading to spleen deficiency (pi xu), where proper food digestion and absorption are impaired, potentially causing phlegm-fluid accumulation (tan yin) or difficulty regulating appetite. Our approach works in stages. During weeks 1-2, we use herbs like bupleurum (chai hu) and white peony (bai shao yao) to address liver stagnation while establishing consistent meal times and portions. The goal isn't immediately reducing binge frequency, but restoring the sensation of eating when genuinely hungry and stopping when satisfied. Weeks 3-4 are crucial—we strengthen spleen function with ginseng (ren shen), astragalus (huang qi), and white atractylodes (bai zhu), adding phlegm-resolution treatments if needed. Combining herbal medicine with acupuncture or moxibustion at a clinic can accelerate liver qi regulation. After about a month, most patients report that the urge to binge has significantly decreased. While individual results vary, when the body changes first, the mind often follows. If you're struggling, please consider a consultation—we're here to help.