Q. I'm considering a diet shake or a structured meal plan; from a Korean medicine practitioner's perspective, which approach do you recommend?

I've personally tried extreme fasting or mono-dieting in my youth to lose weight quickly, only to end up feeling dizzy and exhausted. Many of the shake diets patients attempt are similar in nature. To start with the pros: they are convenient. For busy professionals, the ability to hit precise calorie targets without meal prep is a huge advantage, which often reduces the likelihood of giving up midway. However, the drawbacks are clear. Skipping the chewing process reduces masticatory function and puts a strain on the digestive system. In Traditional Korean Medicine (TKM), this is viewed as 'Bi-heo' (Spleen Deficiency), a state where the function of the Spleen—the organ responsible for digestion and nutrient absorption—is weakened. When digestive power drops, your overall energy (Qi) depletes, leading to fatigue. Particularly for those with a 'Dam-eum' (phlegm-fluid retention) constitution, where metabolic waste accumulates, or those with 'Eo-hyeol' (blood stasis) symptoms, simply cutting calories isn't the answer. In such cases, metabolism can slow down even further, making the body more prone to the 'yo-yo effect' (weight regain). This isn't to say shakes are inherently bad; the core question is whether your body can handle them. If you have a robust digestive system and a tight schedule, they can be useful short-term. However, if you have a chronically weak stomach, I would not recommend them. If you visit the clinic, I will first assess your current digestive state and metabolic capacity. Based on those results, we can decide together whether to incorporate shakes or first use herbal medicine to boost your metabolism.