Q. Doctor, I'm thinking of ordering salads or diet meal boxes for delivery every day. Which one would be better? Do you have any recommendations?

As a practitioner, I empathize with the exhaustion of choosing a menu after a long day; delivery services are indeed a blessing for busy professionals as they offer precise calorie counting and portion control. However, from the perspective of Traditional Korean Medicine, many diet menus centered on raw salads are not a 'one-size-fits-all' solution. We frequently treat patients with Spleen Qi Deficiency (Bi-heo), whose digestive systems are inherently weak. For these individuals, consistently consuming cold-natured raw vegetables can further chill the internal organs, obstructing the circulation of Qi and Blood. This leads to the buildup of 'Dam-eum' (phlegm-fluid), where instead of losing fat, the body becomes bloated and fatigued. If you have high internal heat and robust digestion, fresh salads are excellent. However, if you often experience bloating or have a cold abdomen, I recommend warm meal boxes or dishes featuring cooked vegetables. The core principle is not just 'what' you eat, but 'whether your body is in a state to process it.' If you are unsure of your constitution, a clinical check-up of your digestive and Qi-blood status can help determine the ideal diet for you.