Actress Moon Hee-kyung gains 20kg due to declining digestive health

Actress Moon Hee-kyung has gained approximately 18 to 20kg over the last five years as menopause and declining digestive power have led to stomach discomfort and a daily reliance on laxatives.

A situation where weight continues to increase despite eating small amounts and maintaining a vegetable-oriented diet is closely related to declining digestive organ function rather than being a simple matter of eating habits. A video reported by TV CHOSUN LIFE covered the rapid weight changes experienced by actress Moon Hee-kyung and the digestive issues causing them.

20kg increase in 5 years: weight changes triggered by declining digestion

Moon Hee-kyung revealed that while she maintained a weight in the 50–56kg range just five years ago, her weight has increased by approximately 18 to 20kg recently while undergoing menopause. Although her diet consists mainly of vegetables and in small quantities, she is experiencing difficulty managing her weight as her digestive power has declined.

Moon stated that she used to have good digestion, being able to easily eat two bowls of rice, but recently she suffers from stomach discomfort and cannot even finish a single bowl. In particular, when consuming her favorite breads and carbohydrates, she experiences poor digestion, leading to a habit of eating small amounts multiple times. Along with indigestion, a cycle of worsening gut health—requiring daily use of laxatives—has created a vicious cycle that prevents weight loss.

The link between gut toxins and obesity, vascular diseases

When digestive power decreases, the motility of the gastrointestinal tract declines, which leads to abnormalities in the intestinal environment. If the primary immune system, which removes bacteria entering with food, does not function properly, bacteria proliferate. When the intestinal environment worsens, beneficial bacteria decrease and harmful bacteria overproliferate; the toxins and waste produced by these harmful bacteria become a major cause of obesity.

These toxins have fat-loving characteristics, causing them to adhere easily to fat accumulated in the body, where they are not easily excreted, thereby inducing obesity. Furthermore, the accumulated toxins can cause insulin resistance, potentially leading to diabetes, and can increase blood viscosity, serving as a cause for fatal cerebrovascular and cardiovascular diseases such as hyperlipidemia, myocardial infarction, and stroke. This serves as a warning that simple indigestion can lead to complications that threaten systemic health.

Moon Hee-kyung's management: carbohydrate preference and resting in nature

Moon Hee-kyung confessed that she typically has eating habits that enjoy carbohydrates, sweet foods, bread, and pizza. She mentioned that while she tries to avoid overeating, maintaining weight becomes difficult with age. To manage her health, she rests by seeking out places with fresh air to practice vocalization or by taking time to care for her body and mind while breathing in phytoncides.

Source: TVCHOSUN JOY (YouTube)