Ask Me Anything #2

1. You have soy recipes on your site. I thought that soy is bad for us?

In moderate amounts, I feel that soy can be a part of a healthy diet mostly because of its easily digested protein content. Moderate intake seems to have positive effects on bone health, cardiovascular health, and menopausal symptoms. Those with a family health history of hormone-sensitive breast cancer shouldn't have unfermented soy on a regular basis.

Fermented forms of soy like miso and natto are best, followed by tofu and minimally processed unsweetened soy milk. Foods, supplements, and energy bars made with soy protein isolate are best avoided.

One of my favourite summertime meals is a Korean noodle dish that is served in a broth of chilled homemade soy milk. For a look at this dish plus how to make your own soy milk, please feel free to view:

https://drbenkim.com/how-to-make-soy-milk.htm

2. I'm a new subscriber. Do you have any recommendations to help my mother with her posture? She eats well but her spine seems to be hunching forward more than it did before.

I hope the following simple routine for better posture is helpful to your mother:

https://youtu.be/W75JpcZyUag

3. I find it concerning that you are pro vaccine for covid. Haven't you been against flu shots in the past?

I never wrote that I am "pro vaccine for covid." I stated that the vaccine being tested by Oxford scientists looks to be the most promising one at the present time, but my guess is that as herd immunity develops globally over the next year or so, we likely won't have to make a decision on whether to receive a vaccine or not.

4. Are you a Trump supporter?

I find it somewhat puzzling that some of our readers are curious about this. I am a Canadian citizen so the bottom line is that I cannot vote for the next president of the United States. From Canadian soil, it feels like the position has lost the air of dignity that it carried in past decades, and it's difficult to see how any administration is going to help improve the quality of life of the general population - this holds true for almost all developed nations.

My vote is for every person who works hard to create value for others and lives in a financially sustainable way. I believe that overconsumption and accumulation of debt are primary root causes of most of the pressing issues in our world. Regardless of who our government leaders are, the path to a better place requires that more of us make better choices with how we use our time and handle our finances. No one owes us anything. The vast majority of us are free to do our best to earn the life we wish to have regardless of who is in office.

5. I struggle with depression and it's gotten worse since the lockdowns. I want to get better but I don't know how. Can you help me?

Asking for help is a great first step. Depression is a serious health issue for which there aren't any perfectly reliable solutions.

Two habits that I have found consistently helpful for most people struggling with depression are getting regular exercise, enough to generate steady perspiration for 20-30 minutes daily, and focusing on how we can be a source of help, encouragement, and delightful surprises to those around us.

I have long felt that to experience doubt and to feel discouraged are signs of being a decent person. The danger is in remaining chronically stuck in these emotional states, which is likely if our primary focus is on our own struggles rather than on what we can do to help others.

6. Do you have a recommendation on a house slipper/shoe for daily use on marble floors? Living in Hawaii I would prefer a no-sock option for comfort.

I can recommend the following as an everyday indoor house slipper:

https://amzn.to/3hLzaZ2

The men's version of this same sandal can be found here:

https://amzn.to/3bb0ldo

7. Many months ago you wrote about digital currencies and financial matters. Can you give an update on what is happening?

With governments around the world printing enormous amounts of money backed by nothing to deal with pressing financial issues, I strongly believe that it's inevitable that the world will eventually turn to more sound forms of money. Bitcoin and Ether (Ethereum) are the two digital currencies that I've researched most thoroughly and believe have the greatest potential to shape a more just global financial system.

Bitcoin has become a reliable store of value, like a digital form of gold but far more functional. Its value is derived from being free of any controlling entity and having a fixed maximum supply of 21 million digital coins, each of which can be divided down to 8 decimal places. Over the next ten years, I expect bitcoin to be favoured over gold as a financial asset that offers protection against inflation. Its value should increase accordingly given its fixed supply.

Ether is the digital currency that fuels the Ethereum network, which I believe will serve as the backbone for the next generation of the internet. The Ethereum network is designed to allow applications like Google Search, YouTube, Facebook, Etsy, Uber, and most others to run on a network of computers that are not owned or controlled by any one corporation. Owning Ether is like owning a piece of the network that the next generation of the internet will function on.

If you wish to invest in either, please do your own research. Andreas Antonopolous is one of the best educators I know of in the digital currency space and regularly publishes updates to his YouTube channel.

Because both Bitcoin and Ether are still in their infancy, prices can be volatile. But I believe there is great potential reward relative to risk in putting 1-2 percent of one's retirement funds into either digital asset. In USD, the Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (GBTC) is the most established choice. In Canadian funds, for diversified exposure to Bitcoin, Ether, and the future infrastructure of digital currencies, I like a fund run by Mike Novogratz of Galaxy Digital (GLXY). Please remember that none of this is financial advice, and as with any investments that we make, it's best to have a long term horizon and never invest an amount that we can't afford to lose.

With best wishes for safe and peaceful days,

Ben