Main ClinicMetabolism, Circulation & Paralysis

DIET & EDEMA

Weight Management · Edema

A body that does not lose weight easily even with less food, and always feels swollen and heavy

We do not look at weight alone. We also assess constitution, edema, and metabolic status. Our goal is weight loss that reduces seupdam (damp-phlegm) and toxins, helps reduce yo-yo effect, and can be maintained over time.

+82-2-792-1904

Weight Management · Edema — **1904**Four generations
of Hoechundang care

POINT 01
Treatment that distinguishes excess fat from edema (fluid metabolism imbalance) through detailed body water analysis
POINT 02
Customized herbal medicine that also considers accompanying health concerns such as metabolic syndrome, menopause, and irregular menstruation
POINT 03
A detox approach that supports both detoxification and weight loss without excessive fasting

01SELF CHECK

Do you have these concerns?

0/ 8

Tap the items that apply to you.

02WHY IT HAPPENS

Why weight may not come off easily

Because innate constitution, eating habits, and living environment all differ, the reasons for weight gain vary from person to person. In Korean medicine, constitutions that are prone to accumulation of dampness (濕) and have weak energy metabolism are considered more vulnerable to obesity and metabolic syndrome. For this reason, before weight loss, we first look for constitutional vulnerabilities and the root causes of obesity.

01
Toxins and Yo-Yo Effect
People with obesity often have a high buildup of toxins in the body. Because the body stores more fat to surround toxins, if you only greatly reduce the amount you eat, fat may decrease while toxins remain. Eventually, the body may create fat again, making yo-yo effect more likely.
02
Seupdam (Damp-Phlegm)
When stomach and intestinal function decline due to chronic indigestion and constipation, seupdam (濕痰, waste matter stagnant in the body) accumulates. The body often feels heavy, circulation is poor, and swelling can occur easily.
03
Edema
This is a state in which excessive fluid collects between cells, making the body look swollen and puffy on the outside. If liver or kidney disease is the cause, that treatment comes first. However, when someone “swells easily,” it is usually idiopathic edema, in which an underlying disease is difficult to find.
04
Localized Obesity · Cellulite
In areas where qi-blood and lymph circulation are blocked, edema, fat, and fibrotic cellulite in connective tissue can accumulate. Common areas that do not slim down easily include the abdomen, thighs, flanks, back, calves, and upper arms.

Common Causes of Edema

Causes Within the Body	Lifestyle Causes
Fluid Metabolism Imbalance	Environments where you stand or sit for long periods
Reduced Blood Circulation	Eating habits that favor salty and sweet foods
Gastrointestinal disorders · Chronic pain

03WHY TREAT EARLY

Weight management is health management

Obesity is a sign that something may be wrong with your health, and at the same time it can be a cause that further worsens health. A pattern of losing weight quickly over a short period and then gaining it back places the greatest burden on the body. Dieting needs to be approached not as a task, but as lifelong lifestyle correction in order to maintain results over time.

Symptoms that may appear together

Chronic indigestion · Constipation
Edema · Heaviness of the body
Joint burden · Chronic pain
Irregular menstruation · Dysmenorrhea
Vicious cycle of binge eating and depression
Diabetes · Hyperlipidemia · Hypertension

PROCESS

How Care Proceeds

01
Consultation · Pulse Diagnosis
We listen carefully to your symptoms, lifestyle habits, and treatment history, then assess your condition through pulse and tongue diagnosis.
02
Detailed Testing
We check organ function, energy level, and autonomic nervous system balance with tests suited to your condition.
03
Pattern Identification · Diagnosis
We combine your test results and constitution to find the underlying cause of your symptoms.
04
1:1 Customized Prescription
We design the needed treatments for each person, including herbal medicine, acupuncture, pharmacopuncture, and moxibustion.
05
Progress Management
We monitor your progress through regular tests and consultations and adjust prescriptions as needed.

04DIAGNOSIS

Tests to check before weight management

TEST 01
InBody S10 Detailed Body Composition and Body Water Analysis
We precisely analyze body fat percentage, muscle loss, body water balance (edema), and nutritional status to distinguish excess fat from fluid metabolism imbalance. We assess cellular health through phase angle and check whether energy levels are dropping excessively during weight loss.
TEST 02
Iris Genetic Constitution Test
We examine physical and emotional factors that interfere with weight management. If the plateau is prolonged, we check whether pancreatic function related to insulin metabolism may be constitutionally weak, or whether circulation and detoxification are reduced and toxins have accumulated, then establish a different plan.
TEST 03
Ryodoraku Meridian Function Test
We measure meridian function at acupuncture points on the hands and feet to understand overall energy level and the deficiency-excess (虛實) pattern of illness. It is important to know your energy level during weight loss.
TEST 04
Heart Rate Variability (HRV) Autonomic Nervous System Test
We check the balance of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves. Because obesity is strongly affected by stress, depression, and tension, stabilizing autonomic nervous system regulation is important.

We set short- and long-term goals according to weight, BMI, body fat percentage, and cellular health, and help build regular eating habits through periodic InBody testing and dietary management. It is helpful if you bring previous test results, such as blood test reports, when you visit.

05TREATMENT

How we treat weight management and edema

Our goal is to improve obesity, visceral obesity, edema, and localized obesity, and to help prevent complications such as diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and hypertension. We focus on blood circulation improvement, inflammation reduction, edema reduction, and toxin elimination.

One-on-One Personalized Diet Herbal Medicine

We prescribe after checking your constitution and current condition. If excess weight is accompanied by metabolic syndrome, menopausal syndrome, systemic joint and muscle pain, indigestion, polycystic ovary syndrome, or irregular menstruation, the formula is designed to help improve them together.

Helps reduce increased appetite, support body fat breakdown, and reduce muscle loss
Helps reduce inflammation inside blood vessels and support clear blood circulation
Helps detoxify waste matter and reduce seupdam, supporting improved metabolism and edema reduction
If there are many toxins in the stomach and intestines, we use herbal medicine to remove toxins and seupdam; if cholesterol has accumulated, we use a prescription to help improve vascular aging

Weight Management Detox Decoction

When toxins accumulate heavily, the body stores more fat to protect itself. In Korean medicine, this is understood and reduced as seupdam (濕痰), food accumulation (食積, undigested food that has accumulated), and blood stasis (瘀血, stagnant blood). It supports liver detoxification function and metabolic circulation to reduce edema, and helps prevent constipation that can easily occur during weight management.

A realistic detox process that does not require excessive fasting and can be carried out in daily life
It has a clear, refreshing taste, making it easier to take even for those who have difficulty with bitter herbal medicine

Hoechundang Bigam Capsule

This capsule-type diet herbal medicine was researched and developed by the In-House Herbal Medicine Research Lab and created based on the clinical experience of Dr. Bongha Ryu, Honorary Director. It helps support metabolism and body fat breakdown, inhibit fat absorption, and support dietary control through satiety. The herbs are combined to help reduce heartburn, constipation, indigestion, and abdominal pain that can easily occur during diet control.

It is taken in 1-month or 3-month units, and prescribed step by step according to body weight, lifestyle, and eating habits
It is used together with the detox process to help manage plateaus

More about Hoechundang Bigam Capsule

Acupuncture · Lipolysis Electroacupuncture · Moxibustion

Lipolysis electroacupuncture uses electrical acupuncture at specific frequencies to help promote secretion of fat-breaking hormones and support fat breakdown through a heat effect. Abdominal acupuncture improves constipation and digestive disorders that can contribute to plateaus. Abdominal acupuncture and large moxibustion support qi-blood circulation and digestive system function, helping weakened metabolic circulation.

Most patients take herbal medicine while receiving treatment 2 to 3 times per week

Wild Ginseng Obesity Pharmacopuncture

This is a pharmacopuncture combining wild ginseng, musk, bear bile, and bezoar. Studies by the Korean Society for the Study of Obesity in Korean Medicine and the Korean Pharmacopuncture Institute have reported effects on fat breakdown, cellulite dissolution, and lymph circulation improvement. A measured amount is used on areas of concern to help break down fat.

Heat Therapy

We combine heat therapy to help broken-down fat be eliminated more smoothly.

Aroma heat therapyBiophoton heat, which reaches 4cm deep, helps drive out coldness in the abdomen. Certified organic aroma oils from the International Federation of Aromatherapists help manage swelling and lower-body edema
High-frequency heat therapy: Delivers heat deeply to help manage subcutaneous fat and visceral fat, and supports collagen synthesis to help maintain firmness

Localized Obesity · Firmness Care

For areas with accumulated cellulite, body thread embedding (thread lifting with dissolvable threads) is used together with fat-breaking treatment to help define lines in sagging areas. Detailed body care programs are guided at the Beauty Clinic.

More about Body Slimming Procedure

CONSULTATION

Consider a consultation before symptoms become long-standing

If you bring your test results, we will review your current condition together.

+82-2-792-1904 KakaoTalk

06EXPERTISE

Weight management from a metabolic perspective

Training at Harvard Medical School-affiliated Joslin Diabetes Center

4th-Generation Korean Medicine Doctor · Korean Medicine Internal Medicine Specialist
Dr. Hansung Ryu, Chief Director
- Specialist Training, Korean Medicine Cancer Center, Kyung Hee University Korean Medicine Hospital at Gangdong
- Training at a Harvard Medical School-affiliated hospital (Joslin Diabetes Center)
- Training at the Block Center (Integrative Cancer Center, USA)
- Researcher in the Development of Korean Medicine Standard Clinical Practice Guidelines for Cancer Symptom Relief
SkinDigestive SystemDiabetes · MetabolismConstitutional Immunity & CancerPain · Traffic Accidents

At the Obesity/Metabolic Circulation Clinic, we provide care for metabolic problems such as diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and hypertension that can accompany obesity
Dr. Hansung Ryu, Chief Director: Korean internal medicine specialist, training at Joslin Diabetes Center affiliated with Harvard Medical School
Bigam Capsule: Diet herbal medicine researched and developed by the In-House Herbal Medicine Research Lab and prepared directly by the clinic

WHY HOECHUNDANG

Why Choose Hoechundang Kyunghee Ryu Korean Medicine Clinic

01
For 4 Generations Since 1904
For 4 generations, we have carried on Hoechundang’s treatment principle of seeing the stomach and intestines as the foundation of health.
02
Family Medical Team from Kyung Hee University Korean Medicine Hospital
Dr. Bongha Ryu, Honorary Director, who twice served as director of Kyung Hee University Korean Medicine Hospital and as a presidential physician; Dr. Hansung Ryu, Chief Director, a Korean medicine internal medicine specialist; and Dr. Seungwon Baek, Director, first author of an SCI-level paper on women’s health, provide care together.
03
Prepared In-House at Our Herbal Medicine Research Lab
Based on the research of our affiliated Herbal Medicine Research Institute, we prepare prescriptions in-house and use verified herbal ingredients at a level supplied to Kyung Hee University Korean Medicine Hospital.
04
15 Acupuncture and Moxibustion Treatment Rooms
We expanded our treatment rooms so patients can receive a variety of treatments, such as acupuncture, pharmacopuncture, Cupping, large moxibustion, radiofrequency, thermal dome therapy, Chuna Manual Therapy, and traction therapy, with minimal waiting.

07FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

QDo I have to starve?

No. We do not require excessive fasting, and we proceed with a realistic detox process that anyone can carry out. We also manage regular meals and portion control together.

QHow can I tell whether I have gained fat or am swollen?

Detailed body water analysis distinguishes excess fat from fluid metabolism imbalance (edema). The treatment direction is set differently depending on the results.

QHow long do I take Bigam Capsule?

It is taken in 1-month or 3-month units. We assess your current weight, lifestyle, and eating habits, then provide a step-by-step customized prescription.

QCan I take diet herbal medicine during breastfeeding?

Detox herbal medicine that helps with postpartum edema and Waste Product Elimination can be taken while breastfeeding. Bigam Capsule is prescribed for those who have finished breastfeeding and have sufficiently recovered their energy.

QHow Often Do I Receive Treatment?

Most patients take herbal medicine and receive acupuncture, pharmacopuncture, and Heat Therapy 2–3 times per week. At each visit, we review progress and lifestyle habits together.

CONSULTATION

Consider a consultation before symptoms become long-standing

If you bring your test results, we will review your current condition together.

+82-2-792-1904 KakaoTalk

RESERVATION