Q. How can I lose weight in a month? How does a Korean medicine clinic approach it?

A month can feel very short, and it's easy to become impatient. I also once tried fasting to lose weight quickly and experienced yo-yo, so I truly understand. In a Korean medicine clinic, we first spend the first week assessing your constitution and current body condition. Most patients have spleen deficiency (pi xu), meaning weakened spleen function leading to slow metabolism. At this stage, we use herbal medicine to tonify the spleen and focus on balancing nutrition rather than drastically cutting food intake. Starting from week two, we add herbs that help eliminate metabolic waste such as phlegm-fluid (tan yin) and blood stasis (yu xue). Many patients feel lighter and notice reduced bloating during this phase. By week three, qi and blood circulation improves, and weight changes begin to appear. However, it is better to observe changes in your overall condition rather than fixating on the number on the scale. The final fourth week emphasizes maintenance. Korean medicine holds that returning to old eating habits immediately after dieting leads to yo-yo effect. Therefore, we gradually correct lifestyle habits and, if needed, strengthen the spleen further with herbs like shan yao (Chinese yam). This approach allows healthy weight control without straining the body in the short term. Some may think herbal medicine is expensive, but compared to the side effects of Western diet drugs, it is actually less burdensome on the body. Many patients who were initially skeptical often say after a month, "Is it really okay to lose weight this comfortably?"