Q. Are detox juices or cleanse diets currently trending safe to try? Do you recommend them?

To be honest, I once blindly followed a popular cleanse method myself. After a few days, I felt lighter, but then I suddenly experienced dizziness and a sharp drop in concentration at work. Even as a practitioner of Korean Medicine, I made a mistake. In Traditional Korean Medicine (TKM), indiscriminately fasting or restricting your diet to specific foods is viewed as risky. It is important to approach cleansing from the following perspectives: 1. Removal of Phlegm-Fluid (Dam-eum, 痰飮): One must first clear 'Dam-eum,' the unnecessary waste products accumulated in the body. Waste is not removed simply by starving; the excretion pathways must be opened first. 2. Checking for Spleen Deficiency (Bi-heo, 脾虛): Performing a cleanse while in a state of 'Bi-heo' (weak spleen function) can make the digestive organs colder. This can lower your basal metabolic rate, potentially making it harder to lose weight. 3. Blood Stasis (Eo-hyeol, 瘀血): Those with significant 'Eo-hyeol' (stagnant blood due to poor circulation) may react sensitively to sudden dietary changes, experiencing severe headaches or lethargy. 4. Preserving Vital Energy (Qi): Filling is just as important as emptying. You must supplement deficient energy while removing toxins to achieve healthy weight loss without a yo-yo effect. What works for others may not be right for your body. I recommend first identifying your current energy levels and where waste has accumulated before proceeding. Let's work together to find the safest method for you.