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
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
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
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
Ana and Hiša Franko are featured in Season 2, Episode 5 of Chef's Table on Netflix.
Though I don't have an actual bucket list, it is my hope to one day visit the Soča Valley in Slovenia and take in this emerald-green river and the majestic mountains that surround this rural community: Read more
This is a look at how to use a simple resistance band to provide enough support for most people to have fun with gymnastics holds like the front and back lever.
Both levers are excellent for developing core, scapular, and grip strength.
When doing the back lever, the goal is to keep your abs and glutes engaged while your scapulae are protracted and depressed. Read more
As long as you don't have issues with blood sugar and insulin regulation, you can experience a solid colon cleanse as well as a systemic cleanse of all of your cells with a number of regimens that aren't "greens-centric" - our Apple Cleanse would be one such protocol if you skip the small amount of greens with your dinner meal as suggested.
But for those who want a super simple cleanse to follow, I have long found a 2 or 3 day mono diet of fresh papaya to be highly effective and easy to get through. Read more
The Korean version of this simple meal is calls for a drizzle of soy sauce and sesame oil over steamed white rice and a raw egg, all mixed together.
For more on the fascinating journey of Ivan Orkin and the ramen that he's known for throughout Japan and the New York food scene, see episode 4 of Season 3 of Chef's Table on Netflix. Read more
After 21 years, we made the difficult decision to bring our catalogue to a close. To stay connected with Dr. Kim's writings, please feel free to subscribe for free here: Dr. Ben Kim on Substack. Sending best wishes and thanks to all.