Q. I'm planning to manage my diet with chicken breast summer rolls or gimbap, which are quite popular these days. What is your perspective on this as a practitioner of Korean medicine?

I recall feeling quite overwhelmed when I once tried prepping chicken breast and rolling summer rolls myself; they require much more effort than they appear! From a nutritional standpoint, this diet is excellent as the balance of protein and dietary fiber provides lasting satiety. In Korean medicine, this combination is beneficial for preventing blood stasis (瘀血), where blood becomes stagnant and turbid, effectively helping to 'lighten' and cleanse the body. However, there are important caveats. Gimbap often leads to higher-than-expected carbohydrate intake because the rice is seasoned and packed tightly. Furthermore, the raw vegetables in summer rolls are cold-natured, which can burden the gastrointestinal tract of those with a 'cold' digestive system. Particularly for individuals with Spleen Deficiency (脾虛), consuming cold foods can easily generate 'phlegm-rheum' (痰飮), a form of internal metabolic waste. If you find yourself feeling bloated or gassy despite eating these healthy foods, it is likely due to this mechanism. The core of a healthy diet is not just the objective quality of the food, but how your specific body receives it. If you have weak digestion, try lightly parboiling the vegetables or adding warm-natured seasonings. Assessing your own constitution and gastric state is the true starting point of a healthy diet.