Special Diet Topics
Q. Can I get help at a Korean medicine clinic when I'm on the verge of an eating disorder?
A.
Yes, you can receive help. However, we need to first distinguish your situation. If you've already been diagnosed with an eating disorder, it's best to receive psychiatric consultation first alongside Korean medicine treatment. If your binge eating is due to emotional dysregulation, we can definitely help. If self-control is severely impaired, a psychiatric consultation should be prioritized.
📝 Detailed Answer
If you've been diagnosed with an eating disorder, psychiatric consultation should be pursued first alongside treatment. However, if your binge eating is driven by emotional dysregulation, traditional Korean medicine can effectively help.
As binge eating and emotional food cravings intensify, many people cross into the borderline of eating disorders. From my clinical practice, I've noticed this condition is increasingly common.
We first analyze the binge eating pattern:
- Binge eating triggered by stress: Often related to Liver Qi Stagnation (肝氣鬱結), which may also be connected to Sasang constitutional type.
- Eating alone at night: May indicate Heart-Spleen Disharmony (心脾不交), where the mind and spleen-stomach are disconnected.
- Symptoms worsening before menstruation: May suggest Liver Blood Deficiency (肝血虛) or Blood Stasis (瘀血) tendencies.
Traditional Korean medicine focuses on eliminating emotional food cravings while simultaneously restoring the damaged spleen-stomach function. Acupuncture calms liver Qi and stabilizes the heart-spirit, while herbal medicine resolves liver Qi stagnation and strengthens spleen Qi. The goal is to break the vicious cycle: binge eating → weakened spleen-stomach → more binge eating.
During your first visit, we'll analyze your patterns through consultation and establish a personalized treatment plan tailored to your condition.
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Expert Verified
Dr. Yeonseung Choe
Chief Director