BRD Clinic
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I'm planning to lose weight by eating only chicken breast. From a TKM doctor's perspective, what approach would you recommend instead?

While high-protein diets focused on chicken breast can lead to rapid weight loss, they can be overly taxing for those with weak digestive systems. In Traditional Korean Medicine, we don't simply advocate for eating less; we first assess your metabolic function and digestive health to find a tailored weight loss method that suits your body.

I've actually been there myself—when I was younger, I wasted a lot of effort stubbornly eating nothing but chicken breast. At first, I was thrilled to see the weight drop, but eventually, my body felt heavy and I started experiencing dizziness. The benefits of a high-protein diet are clear: it provides prolonged satiety and minimizes muscle loss. However, there is a significant downside. If digestive efficiency drops, the body easily accumulates waste products known in TKM as 'Dameum' (痰飮, phlegm-fluid). Dameum refers to a state where unnecessary fluids and metabolic debris clump together in the body. When this accumulates, instead of losing weight, your body may become bloated and sluggish. Those with 'Bi-heo' (脾虛, Spleen Deficiency) must be particularly careful. This is a condition where the Spleen's function is weak, hindering proper digestion and absorption. Forcing high amounts of protein into such a system overloads the gastrointestinal tract, often leaving you feeling full yet completely devoid of energy. Ultimately, the answer depends on your current physiological state. If you have a robust digestive system and an urgent need for muscle gain, a high-protein diet may work. Conversely, if you typically suffer from slow digestion and frequent swelling, it is far more efficient to boost your metabolic function before restricting your diet. I recommend we first determine whether your body simply needs fewer calories or if we need to clear blocked 'Qi' (energy flow) to jumpstart your metabolism before deciding on a specific meal plan.

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Dr. Yeonseung Choe

Dr. Yeonseung ChoeChief Director

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I'm planning to lose weight by eating only…. While high-protein diets focused on chicken breast can lead to rapid weight loss, they can be overly taxing for tho

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