Dr. Ben Kim's blog

Being a health care provider and educator, I've met all sorts of people who are passionate about healthy eating. My experience has been that most people looking to improve and maintain their health through optimal food choices and a balanced lifestyle have good intentions and seek to be healthy so that they can enjoy being alive. Read more

If you're around incense on a regular basis, you should know that a study published in the September 2001 issue of the Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology indicates that burning incense can expose people to dangerous levels of cancer-causing chemicals. Read more

If you use synthetic air fresheners in your car and/or living space, you should know that you're likely increasing risk of developing a variety of health problems. Headaches, earaches, depression, an irregular heart beat, and diarrhea in babies are just a few of many health challenges that have been linked to regular use of synthetic air fresheners. Read more

Updated on September 13, 2012

The world wide web is overflowing with information on toxins and countless programs and products that are touted to cleanse your body of them. I hope that this post provides you with a clear understanding of what toxins are, how they can affect your health, and a sensible approach to preventing accumulation of toxins in your body. Read more

About two and a half years ago, I ditched my reservations on regular cell phone use and joined the masses in getting a smartphone, an iPhone 3GS for those who know about these things.

The idea was to have an easy way to stay connected via e-mail to those I work with while I was away from my desk. I thought it would be helpful to make instant voice recordings of new tasks and article ideas that came to mind. And I was attracted to the thought of having an always-ready GPS. Read more

Swimmer's ear, also known as otitis externa, is an infection of the outer ear canal. It's a condition that parents of children and teenagers want to understand because it's often confused with a middle ear infection, also known as otitis media. Read more

Originally published in late 2006

Before my wife gave birth to our first son, both of us were determined to raise him in a way that would help him feel physically and emotionally safe from the very first second that he arrived. Read more

Just stumbled upon the story of Aaron Collins' final wish to have his family leave a waiter or waitress an unforgettable tip. As Aaron's family has shared via major media outlets, few life experiences bring as much fulfillment as offering a gift to a stranger without expecting something in return. Read more

Although it's been close to eighteen years since I dissected my first cadaver in anatomy class, I still remember being surprised when I got my first glance at a pair of kidneys - they were much smaller than I had expected. Up until that point, I had imagined the kidneys to be quite large, given the amount of work that they are responsible for.

Each of your kidneys is about 4 to 5 inches long and about 1 inch thick, weighing in at about 4.5 to 5 ounces. To put it into easy-to-visualize terms, each of your kidneys is a bit larger than a deck of cards. Read more

I've long believed that our greatest power is the ability to choose our thoughts. Being a father of two young boys, I'm not in the same peaceful warrior-like state that I consistently embodied when I was in my mid to late 20's. Still, despite having few opportunities to be alone with a clear blue sky, I have this visceral memory of how blissful it can be to choose a stream of compassionate and grateful thoughts. Read more