Q. When I'm stressed, I keep binge eating. Is there a way to improve this?

Stress-induced binge eating—I used to struggle with it quite a bit myself. When work stress hit, I'd find myself opening the refrigerator at night. In traditional Korean medicine, this is seen as 'liver qi stagnation (肝氣鬱結).' When liver qi becomes blocked, emotional regulation becomes difficult, and you impulsively seek food. You especially crave sweet or greasy foods, which can be a signal that the spleen (脾) needs support. When the spleen is weak (spleen deficiency, 脾虛), the body tries to quickly replenish sugar. So let me give you a checklist. First, record how often binge eating occurs under stress. If it's more than twice a week, liver function regulation is likely needed. Second, check if after binge eating you feel heavy, chest tightness, or indigestion—these can be signs that phlegm-fluid (痰飲) or blood stasis (瘀血) may be forming. Third, if you usually have cold hands and feet or severe fatigue, spleen deficiency could be the cause. Stress-induced binge eating is not simply a willpower issue; it's a disruption in the body's metabolic flow. Fourth, at a Korean medicine clinic, pulse diagnosis and abdominal diagnosis directly assess the liver and spleen. From my own experience, managing stress first and then using herbal medicine tends to be more effective. Based on this checklist, you can get a rough idea of your condition, and if needed, visit a clinic for consultation. I hope you don't feel ashamed about the binge eating itself—it's a signal from your body.