Q. I'm feeling really frustrated because my weight loss has plateaued. From your perspective as a Korean Medicine doctor, what would you recommend?

I truly understand the frustration of a weight loss plateau; I’ve experienced that feeling of 'working for nothing' myself. In Traditional Korean Medicine (TKM), we don't see this as a simple matter of eating less. It is often a state of Spleen Deficiency (Bi-heo), where digestive and metabolic efficiency has plummeted. When your internal 'fire' is too weak to burn energy, metabolic wastes like Phlegm-Dampness (Dam-eum) and Blood Stasis (Eo-hyeol) accumulate and hinder circulation, which is the root cause of the plateau. Herbal medicine targets these specific blockages. Instead of just suppressing appetite, it reinforces your vital energy (Qi) to maintain your basal metabolic rate while flushing out accumulated waste. Because this approach focuses on normalizing bodily functions rather than forcing them like synthetic drugs, it significantly reduces the risk of the yo-yo effect. Of course, there are trade-offs: it may not suppress appetite as aggressively as chemical stimulants, and some find the herbal aroma difficult to handle. It also requires patience as your body naturally recalibrates. Our priority is determining if your body is 'on strike' due to lack of energy or 'clogged' by toxins. Let’s work together to shift your metabolism back into gear with a tailored plan.