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

In Korean medicine, stress-induced binge eating is first linked to Liver Qi Stagnation (gan gi ulgyeol). The Liver governs stress regulation; when suppressed fire (ulhwa) accumulates, it affects appetite-regulating hormones, triggering uncontrollable binge urges. I myself often regretted late-night tteokbokki when busy. The problem is that this doesn't end once—it exhausts the Spleen (bi jang). Once Spleen Deficiency (bi heo) sets in, digestion weakens, and abnormal hunger increases. This creates a vicious cycle: stress → Liver stagnation → Spleen deficiency → binge eating → more stress. Simply telling yourself to 'hold on' rarely works because the organ balance is disrupted. I usually advise patients to keep a food and emotion diary to distinguish whether they eat from hunger or anger. If binge eating is followed by indigestion or bloating, suspect Spleen Deficiency; if accompanied by facial flushing or headache, consider Liver Heat (gan yeol). Treatment may involve teas that relieve Liver stagnation (e.g., licorice, poria, peony) or herbal formulas like Bojungikgi-tang (補中益氣湯) variations based on pattern discrimination. Acupuncture points such as Neiguan (PC6) and Zusanli (ST36) are helpful. The key is to break the stress-eating link before pursuing perfect dieting—unreasonable food restriction may trigger more binges. I recommend visiting a Korean medicine clinic to assess your constitution and condition.