Q. I've been eating nothing but chicken breast to lose weight; what kind of diet do you recommend at a Korean medicine clinic?

Many people follow trendy diets, but focusing exclusively on chicken breast can lead to digestive distress and sudden fatigue. From a Traditional Korean Medicine (TKM) perspective, this is a common occurrence. While a chicken-breast-centric diet is rich in protein—which helps minimize muscle loss and manages hunger—it has distinct drawbacks. Excessive protein can disrupt the gut environment, causing gas and placing a significant burden on those with compromised digestive functions. In TKM, this condition is often viewed as 'Spleen Deficiency' (脾虛, Bi-heo). When the Spleen's function is weakened, even high-quality nutrients cannot be absorbed efficiently and instead remain in the body as waste. These accumulated waste products can transform into 'Phlegm-Fluid' (痰飮, Dam-eum), making the body feel heavy and further hindering metabolism. Ultimately, the key is not 'what you eat,' but 'whether you can digest it.' While a high-protein diet is efficient for those with strong digestion, individuals who frequently suffer from indigestion or have a 'cold' body constitution will benefit more from incorporating warm-natured vegetables and appropriate amounts of complex carbohydrates. Recommended diets vary entirely based on your physical constitution. We suggest assessing whether your current regimen aligns with your body's needs or if it is placing undue stress on your system, and then adjusting it accordingly.