Q. I live in Dongtan. Can I get a diet herbal medicine prescription through telemedicine?

Telemedicine for herbal diet prescriptions is fully feasible. Initially, I wondered if in-person assessment was necessary, but after years of practice, I find it actually facilitates consistent medication monitoring. Here is a step-by-step explanation: **Step 1: Initial Appointment and History Taking** After booking a telemedicine appointment via our website or phone, we send you a brief questionnaire. Please fill in details about your usual diet, digestion, bowel movements, sleep, stress, and past diet attempts. We also request photos of your tongue (tongue diagnosis, seoljin) and face, which are crucial for pattern identification (byeonjeung). For example, a scalloped tongue edge often indicates spleen deficiency (biheo). **Step 2: Video or Phone Consultation** We have a 20–30 minute conversation. This helps capture aspects not covered in the questionnaire, such as nighttime fridge raids due to waking or skipping meals due to poor digestion. We synthesize this information to determine the main pattern: typically spleen deficiency (impaired digestive function), phlegm-fluid retention (excess body fluids), or blood stasis (circulation issues). **Step 3: Prescription and Preparation** Based on the pattern, we formulate a customized herbal decoction. For spleen deficiency, we use herbs like ginseng and atractylodes (baekchul) to strengthen digestion. For phlegm-fluid retention, we use herbs like atractylodes lancea (changchul) and poria (bokryeong) to promote water metabolism. Once the prescription is finalized, it is sent to an external herbal pharmacy, prepared, and shipped via courier—usually arriving within 2–3 days. **Step 4: Medication and Follow-Up** The herbal medicine is taken 2–3 times daily, 30 minutes after meals. After 1–2 weeks, a brief check-in is done via message or phone to assess changes—such as bloating or bowel pattern—and adjust dosage or composition if needed. Around week 4, another consultation evaluates overall progress and determines whether to continue. Even remotely, all records are maintained, and patients are advised to contact us immediately for any adverse reactions. Herbal diet therapy is not merely about weight loss but about restoring the body's balance. Feel free to ask all your questions during the first consultation.