Dr. Ben Kim's blog

Is there a soul among us who cannot help but appreciate the laid-back nature of the slow and steady turtle? Last week, I ran across a fascinating article on the world's most lovable reptile.

What follows are some amazing facts about turtles that I learned from the Times article:

1. Due in large part to its slow metabolism, a turtle can survive for centuries. In March of 2005, a giant tortoise named Adwaita died in a Calcutta zoo at 250 years of age.

A report issued on Tuesday, December 5, 2006 by Ontario's auditor general indicates that children in Ontario are often exposed to unnecessary amounts of ionizing radiation when they get a CT scan, also known as a CAT scan. Read more

A study published in the November, 2006 edition of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition indicates that eating bacon and skinless chicken on a regular basis can significantly increase one's risk of developing bladder cancer.

Data on more than 130,000 people over the course of 22 years was examined by researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health. Their key findings were as follows: Read more

When you have to sit for long periods of time, do you naturally tend to slide your bum forward so that your lower back is slightly reclined? If so, you might consider purchasing a chair that has a built-in reclining feature. Read more

If you are not yet aware of the potential dangers of triclosan, you should know that this antibacterial agent has been strongly linked to the following effects on human health:

* Abnormalities with the endocrine system, particularly with thyroid hormone signaling
* Weakening of the immune system Read more

If you are still using antibacterial soap that contains a compound called triclosan, I hope that a brilliant study published in the journal, Aquatic Toxicology will persuade you to consider switching to the plainest bar of soap that you can find. Read more

Ingredients:

1 cup of pitted and roughly chopped black olives (sun-dried is best, but canned will do)
2 tablespoons of sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
2 tablespoons of sun-dried red peppers, chopped
2 green onions, finely chopped
1 tablespoon of finely chopped parsley
2 Roma tomatoes, finely chopped
1 tablespoon of cold-pressed, extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and pepper, to taste Read more

Have you ever wished that you knew of an easier way of peeling pomegranates? Or at the very least, a method of preparation that didn't leave small splashes of ruby red on your clothes? Read more