Working in an office all day in Yeouido often leads to heavy, swollen legs by the time you head home. Having spent many hours in a consultation chair myself, I deeply sympathize with that feeling of exhaustion. In Traditional Korean Medicine (TKM), we categorize the causes of weight gain into several types to provide targeted treatments. First, there are those with Spleen Qi Deficiency (Bi-heo). When the digestive system weakens, metabolic waste known as Phlegm-fluid (Dameum) accumulates in the body. This leads to bloating and extreme fatigue; in such cases, simply starving yourself creates a vicious cycle where you lose energy but not weight. Here, prescriptions that tonify Qi while discharging waste are most effective. Another common case involves stress causing the circulation of Qi and Blood to stagnate, leading to Blood Stasis (Eohyeol). This often applies to office workers who relieve stress with spicy, salty foods at night and suffer from frequent swelling. Rather than just suppressing appetite, we use medicinal herbs to clear these circulatory blockages and lighten the body. After a decade of treating patients, I’ve learned that identifying why your body is 'holding onto' weight is more important than any expensive, trendy medicine. Whether you are a 'binge-eating type' or a 'circulation-stagnation type,' the direction of the prescription will be 180 degrees different. Let’s work together to find the right path for your specific type.