Q. I'm managing my diet by counting calories. What kind of diet method does the Korean medicine clinic recommend?

I've personally tried just eating less before, but it left me drained and dizzy. Our body is smarter than we think—when too few calories come in, it locks down energy expenditure. The advantage of Korean medicine dieting is that it first adjusts your body's internal state. For example, we differentiate between a pattern of phlegm-fluid (痰飮, dam-eum) accumulation due to waste buildup versus spleen deficiency (脾虛, bi-heo) with weak digestion, and prescribe accordingly. This naturally regulates appetite without forced willpower and improves circulation to enhance metabolism. Of course, there are drawbacks: it may take time to adapt to the unique taste and aroma of herbal decoctions, and using a constitutionally mismatched formula can cause discomfort like palpitations. That's why precise diagnosis is essential. Ultimately, there's no one-size-fits-all answer—recommendations differ based on whether you have poor digestion or pronounced edema. The best approach is to discuss your current difficulties together and find the least burdensome path.