Dr. Ben Kim's blog

I've long been big on smoothies. When made with quality ingredients, they're such an enjoyable way of ensuring nutritional excellence for kids and adults alike.

Rich in nutrients and flavor, smoothies offer an easy way to deliver super food nutrients to our cells. We are lucky to live at a time when remarkable, health-enhancing food powders are available to enhance our health at any age, and smoothies make it easy to get these nutrients to our cells daily. Read more

I'm not sure how long foam rollers have been around, but over the past several months, I've discovered how powerful a therapeutic tool they can be for promoting and maintaining optimal physical health.

The idea is simple enough: Using your own body weight and agility, you roll specific muscle groups against a firm foam roller to mimic a deep, gliding massage. Read more

The other day, an acquaintance, knowing that I am a chiropractor, asked me for the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth on whether he should or shouldn't see a chiropractor for his chronic low back pain. Read more

One dietary goal that I've long had for myself is to eat a head of dark green lettuce every day. I find that regular intake of lettuce (being sure to chew it thoroughly before swallowing) helps keep my teeth feeling strong, and of course, I like knowing that my body is getting steady inflow of chlorophyll and plenty of minerals that it can use to keep all of my organ systems healthy. Read more

The other day, I was driving along a semi-busy road when I noticed that the driver of an oncoming SUV was clearly texting away on her cell phone. I instinctively hovered my right foot over the brake and did the same with my right hand over the horn, ready to swerve and honk if needed. Read more

During my first few years of private practice, for most cases of jaw pain and dysfunction, I applied a carefully executed manual adjustment to the temporo-mandibular joint (TMJ), also known as the jaw joint, found in front of each ear. This is the protocol that I learned as an intern from a supervising clinician. Read more

If you chew gum on a regular basis, please consider the following:

1. Chewing gum causes unnecessary wear and tear of the cartilage that acts as a shock absorber in your jaw joints. Once damaged, this area can produce pain and discomfort for a lifetime.

2. You use eight different facial muscles to chew. Unnecessary chewing can create chronic tightness in two of these muscles, located close to your temples. This can put pressure on the nerves that supply this area of your head, which can lead to chronic, intermittent headaches.

If you ever find yourself at a Korean restaurant and unsure about what to order, know that you can't go wrong in ordering bi bim bap (pronounced bee-beem-bahp).

Bi bim means "mixed," while bap means "rice." But bi bim bap is far more than mixed rice. It calls for perfectly cooked rice with a number of well seasoned vegetables, mixed with sesame oil and just a touch of red chili paste. If you enjoy mushrooms, eggs, chicken, or beef, you can add any one or all of these items to create your own version of bi bim bap. Read more

Good health requires, above all else, strong and steady blood flow through clear blood vessels.

Healthy blood circulation delivers fresh nutrients to your cells, and prevents accumulation of waste materials within your cells. Both of these actions are equally necessary for healthy cells. Read more

As mentioned in my post on The Best Way To Get And Stay Healthy, if you are looking to overcome any chronic health challenge, one of the best first steps that you can take is to avoid conventional dairy and grains that contain gluten. To put it simply, pasteurized and homogenized dairy and gluten are common triggers for inflammation throughout the body.

I realize that for some, it can be quite daunting to imagine a diet that doesn't include cheese and pasta. Which is why I thought it would be a good idea to share dairy and gluten-free options for macaroni and cheese. Read more