Q. There are so many diet coffees and fat-cut drinks on the market; as a TKM doctor, would you recommend them?

To be honest, in my younger days, I tried various products myself out of a desire for quick results, but I experienced dizziness and insomnia. Speaking from that experience, these products have clear advantages: they are convenient, taste familiar, and can temporarily boost metabolism. However, the drawbacks are equally distinct. High caffeine content can cause anxiety in sensitive individuals, and more importantly, these drinks do not fundamentally improve your body's innate metabolic strength. In particular, those with 'Bi-heo' (脾虛)—a condition where the Spleen's function is weakened—often suffer from heartburn or diarrhea after consumption. In Traditional Korean Medicine, weight gain is viewed not simply as a calorie issue, but as a problem of circulation, such as 'Dam-eum' (痰飮, the accumulation of stagnant fluid waste) or 'Eo-hyeol' (瘀血, blood stasis caused by poor circulation). If you apply external stimulants without resolving these underlying issues, the body eventually becomes exhausted, leading to a constitution that swells easily even with minimal food intake. Ultimately, there is no 'perfect drink' that works for everyone. The first step is to determine whether your body is prone to edema or if your metabolism has slowed due to a lack of vital energy (Qi). If you visit the clinic, I can help you find a management plan tailored specifically to your current state.