As a child, I was fascinated with the world of ninjas. Naturally, I spent lots of time practicing various martial arts and tumbling maneuvers in and around our home. One night, I ended a particularly aggressive tumbling maneuver with a sweeping roundhouse kick that ended with my right foot accidentally shattering a glass of water. Read more
As a society, my feeling is that we don't put enough emphasis on protecting our lungs against harmful macro and microscopic particles; this is a huge mistake, as reduced lung capacity is, in my mind, more damaging to quality of life than say, sub-optimal digestion, mild to moderate liver dysfunction, or even reduced cardiac output. If you strongly disagree with this opinion, I'm willing to bet that you'll change your mind if you spend some time in any intensive care unit and sit by a few patients who are unable to properly oxygenate their blood because of reduced lung capacity - this is a heart-wrenching scenario, one that I don't wish upon the grouchiest people I know. Read more
Meant for those with limited mobility or only a small space to work within, these simple exercises are highly effective in strengthening the sensory receptors, sensory fibers, and motor pathways needed to have good balance and proprioception. Read more
Contrary to popular opinion, your eyes need some exposure to the full spectrum of sunlight to be optimally healthy. Light waves from the sun are converted to electro-chemical energy in cells in your retina, and this energy is transmitted throughout your brain and body where it has positive health effects.
Energy from sunlight travels to your hypothalamus, which is an area in your brain that is about the size of a grape and acts as the micro-processing chip that governs almost everything that happens in your body. Your hypothalamus receives information from all regions of your body and uses this data to regulate your autonomic nervous system to keep you healthy. Depending on your moment-to-moment needs, your hypothalamus adjusts your heart and lung rates, the amount of blood that perfuses your skeletal muscles and digestive organs, and whether you sweat or shiver, just to name a few of the bodily activities that it controls. Read more
If you've taken tennis lessons, you may have the experience of having a coach take you through a checklist of steps to create a technically sound stroke that is capable of blistering 80 mph forehands deep to the corners.
In watching my 9-year old son and his peers struggle through all of the mental cues of perfecting their technique, I wondered if there might be another way that doesn't involve so much analysis. I discussed this issue with a former Davis Cup player and tour level coach, who had this to say: Read more
With few exceptions, disease and dysfunction do not appear overnight. Disease and dysfunction tend to develop slowly, usually over many years as subtle and overt signs that mark loss of health are ignored.
I have found that many people feel that they are fine until they get diagnosed with a named condition like diabetes or hypertension. The reality is that degeneration is a fact of life - with each passing day, we lose some of our health potential. It's the pace at which our bodies degenerate that we influence through our daily choices. By understanding the main causes of disease and dysfunction, we can make dietary and lifestyle choices that promote longevity.
The main causes of acceleration of disease and dysfunction can be categorized into three groups: Read more
In response to questions I received on a recent newsletter on gluten and dairy increasing mucus production, let's have a look at the primary ways that your body
defends itself externally.
Your largest external defender is your skin, which acts as a physical barrier against harmful microorganisms. Sebum and sweat produced by your skin contain chemicals that have anti-microbial properties - this is one of a few reasons why excessive use of antiperspirants and soap is not good for your long term health. Read more
The first point that I make clear with all of my clients is that no single nutrient works on its own to produce health effects in the human body.
Your body needs dozens of different nutrients to survive and thrive, and every nutrient that has a nourishing effect on your body works together with other nutrients and your body's self healing mechanisms to keep you well. Read more
That pop you sometimes hear when you stretch your joints comes from gas leaving the lubricating fluid that surrounds all of your joints. This fluid - called synovial fluid - is a thick liquid that acts as a lubricant and medium of transport for nutrients and waste products for the bone surfaces, ligaments, and tendons that make up your joints. Read more
After badly dislocating my left shoulder while playing basketball during my first year of university, I began experimenting with a variety of strength-training techniques for my shoulders. Over the course of several years, I tried numerous routines that called for dozens of exercises with free weights and machines. 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.