As We Go Deeper
When you started trying to lose weight, did you ever feel anxious because it seemed like your body was losing vitality from a certain point?
In reality, many people come to the clinic feeling quite anxious. Especially those who have lost more than 8kg in a short period before their wedding, they often come in looking pale, saying they have no energy and feel lifeless.
The Body's SOS Signal, Metabolic Disorder
During weight management, when your metabolism slows down or you feel extremely weak, it's not simply a 'sign that you're losing weight quickly.' It means our body has temporarily slowed down its digestive functions for survival, which can be a very dangerous condition.
I also experienced losing weight before my wedding, but I remember feeling like my stomach was going to burst. Because I was well aware of the dangers of malnutrition and nutritional deficiency, today I want to deeply explore the relationship between weight management and its side effects.
This guide isn't just about making the simple, harsh statement of 'stop dieting.' Let's look at the scientific reasons why these symptoms occur and find a healthy way to recover together.
Which groups are searching for this?
Women in their 20s to 40s most commonly experience this problem.
Scenario A: Concerns of early-career professionals and newlyweds
This occurs when taking diet pills or supplements for important events like job interviews or weddings, or when experiencing irregular periods. At first, they feel good as they lose weight quickly, but soon they start experiencing side effects like hair loss, facial swelling, and menstrual irregularities.
Scenario B: Office workers suffering from fatigue before burnout
After giving birth, they want to return to their pre-pregnancy body, but their energy (qi and blood) is depleted. Despite being alive, they feel exhausted - their skin is dull, their hair is falling out, and they feel mentally drained until they finally collapse.
Scenario C: The reality of those who have tried all kinds of diets
After trying various types of diets for a long time, they now see no change in their body even when they eat. Many women who suffer from severe premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and irregular periods despite dieting come to the hospital seeking treatment.
The common point among these groups is not that 'their will is weak,' but rather that their body's homeostasis is out of balance.
Why Does That Happen? — Key Points from Korean Medicine
In Korean medicine, this phenomenon is mainly explained by the hypothalamus-pituitary-ovary axis (HPO axis) functional decline.
Abnormal Condition of Weight Gain (Starvation Mode)
If you take appetite suppressants that contain stimulant nervous system components like phentermine, our body is constantly in a state of tension. The body recognizes this as a 'starvation situation where it's being starved to death.' While survival is prioritized, the energy and nutrients consumed are primarily used for basic life-sustaining functions, with mental and digestive functions being temporarily suppressed.
The Vicious Cycle of Hormones
When weight management is too strict and rapid, estrogen levels drop, and the stress hormone cortisol levels increase.
- Estrogen decline: The body's internal temperature regulation becomes difficult, and physiological functions decline.
- Cortisol surge: Increases insulin resistance and promotes fat storage.
- Menstrual changes: The stress of extreme dietary restrictions causes menstrual irregularities, and the body cannot self-regulate, leading to amenorrhea.
Simply taking hormone pills (contraceptives) to regulate periods is only a temporary solution. Fundamentally, it's necessary to stabilize the disturbed autonomic nervous system and resolve nutritional imbalances.
Why Such Days Happen — A Korean Medicine Perspective
In Korean medicine, diet side effects are viewed as resulting from jeonggi (正氣) being damaged and gihyeol (氣血) circulation being disrupted.
1. Gihyeol Yangheohyeong (氣血兩虛型)
This is a state where the biwi (脾胃) function, which is responsible for digestion and transformation, is weakened due to excessive fasting, specifically a biheo (脾虛) state. The face appears pale and sallow, and the lips are pale and dry. You may experience slight dizziness, and in this case, it's beneficial to eat something warm and nourishing.
2. Eumheonaeryeolhyeong (陰虛內熱型)
This is a state where body fluids are depleted and internal heat rises. Even if you warm your body too much, you may notice that your feet don't warm up and your stomach feels cold, while your hands and feet feel hot. Simhwa (心火) doesn't subside, leading to frequent feelings of irritation and frustration.
3. Gangiulgyeol (肝氣鬱結) and Eohyeol (瘀血)
Due to diet stress, when energy becomes stagnant, the gan (肝)'s dispersing function becomes impaired. When energy doesn't flow smoothly, dameum (痰飮) (phlegm retention) and eohyeol (瘀血) (blood stasis) accumulate in the lower abdomen. Menstruation becomes scanty, and dark circles appear under the eyes, with the lower abdomen feeling cold.
Therefore, in Korean medicine, rather than simply restricting food intake, it's important to focus on addressing these underlying patterns.
How to Start and Its Effects
Many people become impatient when side effects appear and end up making poor choices.
Trying Different Brands and Searching
"This medicine doesn't seem to suit me?" You might be tempted to try another brand's digestive medicine out of frustration. However, simply switching to another brand without addressing the fundamental cause of indigestion is like putting a band-aid on a festering wound.
Overly Intense Exercise Volume
When you stop taking medicine, you might feel like you need to compensate by suddenly increasing your exercise volume. However, excessive exercise in a state of qi deficiency (氣虛) can completely deplete your body's recovery capabilities.
- Taking more nutritional supplements than needed: Even if you consume more vitamins or minerals, if your spleen and stomach function (脾胃) is weakened, nutrients won't be properly absorbed and will only cause more digestive burden.
- One meal a day: Making your nutritional intake irregular only serves to lengthen the period of irregularity.
The key point isn't about 'doing more,' but rather 'creating an environment' where your body can recover comfortably.
Approach to Baekrokdam
The fundamental principle of Baekrokdam is not a strong suppression of appetite, but 'restoration of energy and normalization of harmony and relaxation' as the top priority.
Method of Balance and Supplementation
This is not just about a simple diet that reduces food intake. Depending on the individual's condition, it combines the method of expelling cold and dampness through Fangfeng Tongsheng San with a diet that supplements the weakened energy, achieving a balanced approach.
Effective Use and Supplementation of Hemp Seed (Mahuang)
The hemp seed (Mahuang) component, which increases energy, should be used only as much as necessary. It should be combined with a diet that prevents muscle loss or side effects to minimize adverse reactions. This technique is necessary to prevent the body from recognizing it as an abnormal condition.
Standard Prescription of Baekrok Gambi-jung
While considering individual variations, we recommend the certified standard prescription of Baekrok Gambi-jung:
- Initial Stage: Calms the autonomic nerves and removes stagnant blood to find the root cause of the problem.
- Stabilization Stage: Maintains the basic amount of energy and induces fat-burning elements.
- Maintenance Stage: Prevents rebound and helps establish healthy eating habits in the body.
Even if you have tried many things without success, please carefully evaluate whether the current cause of your physical imbalance is spleen deficiency (Pi Xu) or liver depression (Gan Yu).
Points to Check and Be Cautious About
If you're concerned that your body is in a truly dangerous condition, please check the following items:
- Your menstrual cycle is more than 10 days late compared to normal or you've missed periods for more than 2 months.
- You feel nauseous in the morning, and your stomach churns even at small sounds.
- Your hands and feet are cold, and you frequently feel a dull ache in your lower abdomen.
- Your hair falls out more than usual and your skin becomes extremely dry.
- You feel depressed or anxious for no reason, and your irritability doesn't subside.
- Even after getting enough sleep, you don't feel refreshed and your body feels heavy when you wake up.
If you experience more than 3 of the above symptoms, you should immediately examine your current diet/weight management method.
Especially, increasing the amount of medication without a doctor's prescription or skipping multiple types of medication is very dangerous. Ignoring your body's signals and continuing to push yourself can lead to serious health problems, and you may face greater difficulties when preparing for pregnancy in the future.
Mamuri — A Small Gift from Nature
Your heart that wants to live well is wiser than you think. However, the regret of losing health doesn't get old and isn't happy.
Today, I'll introduce a small gift from nature that you can trust. Instead of a colorful salad, try a simple meal with fresh vegetables or whole grains at least once a week. Our bodies are honest; when good energy comes in, they respond immediately.
Be careful and don't be careless. If you're concerned about whether the symptoms you're experiencing are just temporary or if there's another cause, please don't hesitate to consult comfortably at any time. Let's be careful together in advance so that your body can find healthy rhythms again.