Q. I've hit a weight loss plateau while dieting. Would Traditional Korean Medicine (TKM) be more helpful than fasting more or increasing my exercise intensity?

Weight loss plateaus are often not a matter of willpower, but rather the body's natural 'defense mechanism.' From a TKM perspective, this is seen as a state where metabolic waste products accumulate and obstruct the body's flow. Specifically, when there is an accumulation of Eohyeol (blood stasis) or Dameum (phlegm-fluid retention), the body feels heavy and metabolism slows down. Furthermore, if you are in a state of Bi-heo (Spleen deficiency), your digestive and absorptive functions are impaired, meaning the body cannot efficiently convert nutrients into energy and instead stores them. While fasting may produce short-term results, it often exacerbates Spleen deficiency, further lowering your basal metabolic rate. Similarly, excessive exercise while your vital energy (Qi) is depleted can actually increase inflammation levels in the body. Therefore, rather than 'forcing' your way through a plateau, I recommend an approach that 'unblocks the stagnation.' By using herbal medicine to remove Dameum and Eohyeol, we can improve the metabolic environment and revitalize the body's natural flow. Instead of blindly increasing intensity, assessing your current physical state and clearing metabolic blockages is a far more efficient and sustainable strategy.