Q. I'm currently eating only chicken breast and cabbage for my diet. From a TKM perspective, what kind of diet would be better for me?

I have actually been there myself—young and overly ambitious, trying to survive on nothing but chicken breast and a few sweet potatoes. For the first few days, I felt light, but soon I experienced dizziness and a sharp drop in productivity. It was a classic mistake of ignoring the body's balance. From the perspective of Traditional Korean Medicine (TKM), chicken breast and cabbage have relatively 'cool' properties. For those with a Spleen Deficiency (脾虛, Bi-heo)—a condition where the digestive system is inherently weak—consuming only these foods can cool the abdomen, leading to chronic indigestion. When this happens, metabolic waste known as Phlegm-Fluid (痰飮, Dam-eum) accumulates, which can actually slow down your metabolism rather than speed it up. Here are a few practical tips: First, instead of eating cabbage raw, try blanching or steaming it to consume it warm. Adding warming ingredients like ginger or garlic will significantly improve your digestive efficiency. Secondly, rather than cutting out carbohydrates entirely, incorporate small amounts of whole grains such as brown rice or oats. This provides the essential energy needed to prevent the 'yo-yo' effect and ensures the diet is sustainable. The starting point for clearing Stasis (瘀血, Eo-hyeol—stagnant blood) and boosting metabolism is, ironically, 'eating well.' Since every individual's digestive capacity and constitution (Sasang) are different, the most accurate way to determine if your current diet is suitable for your body is to visit the clinic for a professional pulse diagnosis.