Q. Do the diet recipes I see on YouTube or social media actually work? What approach do you recommend as an Oriental medicine doctor?

There are many ingenious recipes circulating online these days. Even I have tried trending diets in the past, only to find myself feeling drained and dizzy after a few days, realizing it was an inefficient effort. Trending recipes have clear advantages: they are easy to prepare and provide immediate motivation through visible initial weight loss. However, the drawbacks are significant. Over-consuming or severely restricting specific nutrients can easily disrupt the body's overall balance. In Traditional Korean Medicine (TKM), we pay close attention to the state of 'Bi-heo' (脾虛), or Spleen Deficiency. If you insist on an extreme low-carb or raw vegetable-heavy diet while your Spleen function is weakened, your digestive system may deteriorate further, leading to chronic fatigue. This often becomes a shortcut to lowering your basal metabolic rate. Furthermore, some individuals have an accumulation of 'Dam-eum' (痰飮, phlegm-fluid/metabolic waste) or 'Eo-hyeol' (瘀血, blood stasis). For these patients, simply following a low-calorie recipe may result in persistent bloating and swelling without any actual fat loss. Therefore, I recommend a 'personalized approach tailored to your body's current state.' Your dietary strategy must change completely depending on whether you have weak digestion, severe edema, or difficulties with appetite control. Rather than following a restrictive recipe, I suggest first assessing your body's internal balance. This is the only way to achieve a sustainable transformation without burning out.