Dr. Ben Kim's blog

Updated on June 23, 2019

If you enjoy California rolls but haven't ventured to make them at home, may this pictorial serve as a helpful guide. We enjoy our California rolls with avocado and cucumber - combine these fresh fruits with lightly seasoned rice, and you have the perfect mix of creamy, cool, and tangy. Absolutely mouthwatering, especially when dipped in my mom's secret dipping sauce. Read more

This is highly effective for lengthening the posterior deltoid region, including rotator cuff muscles and back muscles that govern scapular movement. Read more

This is arguably one of the most helpful stretches you can do to keep your shoulders healthy for overhead activity. Read more

Originally posted in July of 2014 after the passing of my friend, Dr. John.

When I moved to the suburbs of Chicago shortly after my 20th birthday to begin graduate school, as much as I needed to learn about human physiology and clinical sciences, I was in even greater need of general life guidance. Having been raised by ultra conservative immigrant parents, I had more than a few things to learn about how to understand and interact with people.

I had the great fortune of having as a classmate a fellow named John who was 47 years old and excited to begin a second career. He had done well as a real estate appraiser and property flipper on the east coast, and though he never boasted of his wealth, I knew that John had earned enough to be retired, and was pursuing a career as a health care provider because he had restored his own health with alternative therapies and wanted to share his passion for natural healing with others. Read more

Photo above by Shelby

Kale is a member of the cabbage family, and is an excellent source of the full vitamin C complex, and cancer-fighting carotenoids. It's also a good source of iron, calcium, magnesium, vitamin K, and potassium.

Chickpeas are one of the least expensive, nutrient-rich foods that you can eat. They're rich in a number of nutrients, most notably folate, manganese, tryptophan, copper, iron, and of course, healthy protein. Due to their high tryptophan content, chickpeas are an excellent food choice for people who have trouble getting restful sleep. Read more

90/90 hip mobility work is highly effective for improving functional range of motion of your hip joints.

Before beginning 90/90 work, I suggest warming up your spine, particularly your lower spine, as sitting in the 90/90 position can put some strain on your spine and surrounding soft tissues, and thoroughly warming up your back will decrease risk of straining muscles and ligaments in and around your spine. Read more

Since sharing a detailed pictorial on making homemade almond butter and raspberry chocolate cups last year, I've received several requests for a similar but less labour-intensive recipe for producing these decadent and relatively healthy treats. Read more

Photo above by Shelby

If you strive to avoid gluten-rich wheat noodles but find yourself missing the occasional bowl of pasta, you may find the perfect fix in soba noodles. Made mostly with buckwheat and long used in East Asian cuisine, soba noodles are very easy to prepare and are readily available in Asian markets and grocery stores in larger cities.

Most varieties of noodles that are low in or devoid of gluten require constant attention while boiling and leave a gooey mess of cooking water to deal with after. Not with soba. Three to four minutes and they're ready to go, and unlike grainy whole wheat pasta, soba noodles have a delightfully clean and smooth feel about them. Read more

Just a reminder that it's never a good idea to leave a young child in a car, even for a minute. Children are not able to regulate core body temperature and tolerate heat and cold to the same extent that grown-ups are; if left in a car in warm weather, young children are at risk of quickly experiencing hyperthermia - stroke, seizures, and even death can occur if hyperthermia is severe enough. Read more