Q. Doctor, there are so many diet supplements and functional foods available on the market these days. From a Korean Medicine perspective, which ones would you recommend?

I once bought expensive diet shakes and supplements myself, only to throw them away after they expired because they didn't suit my body. Even as a practitioner, I understand how tempting these products can be. Supplements are excellent in terms of accessibility and cost; they are easy to find and use in a busy lifestyle. However, the downside is that they use a one-size-fits-all approach, whereas the causes of weight gain vary significantly between individuals. This is why some people experience side effects like heart palpitations or gastric upset while others see results. In Korean Medicine, we prioritize finding the root cause of poor 'circulation' rather than simply reducing caloric intake. For instance, in a state of Spleen Deficiency (Biheo), metabolic waste called Phlegm-fluid (Damyum) accumulates, causing metabolism to drop sharply. Furthermore, if stress causes Qi Stagnation (Giche), you may struggle to lose weight even if you starve yourself. While commercial supplements are fine for light maintenance, if you are tired of repeated diet failures, it is time for a personalized prescription. Addressing your body's weak points based on your constitution is the true shortcut to healthy weight loss without the yo-yo effect.