When I'm stressed, I keep binge eating. How can I improve this?
First, identify the patterns that trigger binge eating under stress, such as after late work or mood swings. Check your digestive health: persistent bloating, gas, constipation, or diarrhea may indicate weakened spleen function. Assess fatigue and coldness—cold hands/feet and easy exhaustion suggest possible spleen deficiency (bi xu). If you experience frequent mood swings, irritability, or depression, liver depression (gan yu) could be the cause, requiring a pattern-based Korean medicine approach.
In Traditional Korean Medicine, stress-induced binge eating is often seen as a combination of liver depression (gan yu) and spleen deficiency (bi xu). Accumulated stress causes liver qi to stagnate, which weakens the spleen's function. When the spleen is weak, the ability to regulate food intake decreases, leading to overeating or binge eating. I have often explained to patients that this is like 'comfort eating' when the mind is uneasy. Prolonged stress also tends to accumulate phlegm-fluid (dam eum), a metabolic waste product that can further stimulate appetite, creating a vicious cycle. Unlike Western diet approaches that suppress appetite directly, Korean medicine focuses on relieving liver depression and restoring spleen function. For example, herbal formulas to soothe the liver, acupuncture to support digestion, and lifestyle modifications can reduce the stress response itself, thereby decreasing binge urges. However, because the degree of liver depression, spleen deficiency, and possible blood stasis (eo hyeol) varies individually, it is important to assess your own body condition before applying general methods. If you identify with the checklist items, consulting a Korean medicine clinic would be a good option.
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