Dr. Ben Kim's blog

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

Before I share a great little tip on how to stop a sore throat from progressing into a week-long cold, please know that periodically experiencing a cold or the flu can actually be helpful to your health. If you have no idea why this is, please view the following popular article that I wrote on this topic:

What Most Doctors Won't Tell You About Colds and Flus

You just won't get this information on why colds and flus can help you stay healthy over the long run from medical textbooks and mainstream media - please consider sharing it with family and friends. Read more

Mool naeng myun is a favorite summertime dish in Korea, and is best known for its refreshingly cool and tangy broth. Mool is Korean for "water," while naeng myun means buckwheat noodles.

The secret to good mool naeng myun is in the broth. My mom tells me that mool naeng myun broth is traditionally made by combining one part chicken broth with one part beef broth and one part kim chi brine. Read more

Why should you learn how to make your own almond milk? It's one of a few easy-to-make alternatives to cow's milk, and is far healthier for you than most commercially available dairy. Though you can purchase almond milk in most grocery stores these days, as you'll see below, it's a snap to make your own at a fraction of the cost. Read more

I was once asked to do an interview with a focus on what overworked and overstressed people could do to stay healthy. After giving it some thought, I decided not to do the interview because I didn't want to send the message that people can experience their best health by following a few tips on diet and lifestyle without regularly ensuring adequate physical and emotional rest. Read more