Q. I'm currently relying on diet drinks and low-calorie coffee to get through the day. How does your clinic approach weight loss in this case?

I have also experienced a time when, driven by over-ambition, I replaced meals with Americanos and low-calorie drinks. After a few days, I felt completely drained and experienced dizzy spells—essentially a wasted effort. From the perspective of Traditional Korean Medicine (TKM), this dietary pattern is a shortcut to 'Spleen Deficiency' (Bi-Heo, 脾虛). The Spleen is the organ responsible for absorbing nutrients and distributing them throughout the body. When you frequently fast or ingest only artificial sweeteners, this function drops significantly. When this happens, the body enters a 'state of emergency' and attempts to hoard energy. This process leads to the accumulation of 'Phlegm-Fluid' (Dam-Eum, 痰飮), where metabolic waste cannot be expelled and instead adheres to the body. Eventually, this hardens your constitution into one where even a small amount of food leads to bloating and rapid weight gain. Therefore, I recommend the following therapeutic sequence: 1. Assessing Current Digestion: Distinguishing between true physiological hunger and 'false hunger' caused by cravings. 2. Addressing Spleen Deficiency (Bi-Heo): Revitalizing the weakened digestive system to raise your basal metabolic rate. 3. Clearing Phlegm-Fluid (Dam-Eum) and Blood Stasis (Eo-Hyeol): Removing accumulated waste and purifying stagnant blood to restore healthy circulation. 4. Establishing a Tailored Diet: Gradually increasing intake starting with foods that the stomach can comfortably process. The core objective is not 'eating less,' but creating a body that can 'efficiently empty and effectively utilize' energy. Please don't struggle alone until you reach burnout; let's find the right path together.