Dr. Ben Kim's blog

As I mentioned in my post on eating calcium-rich plant foods to promote optimal bone health, sesame seeds are an excellent source of calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus, all of which your body needs to build and maintain healthy bones and teeth. So if you want to ensure that you optimally nourish your bones and teeth as you age, consider mastering the following Asian-style sesame sauce recipe. Depending on how much water you use, this recipe can produce a light salad dressing, a dip for raw vegetables, or even a rich alternative to mayonnaise. Read more

A 20/20 investigation suggests that fatal car accidents are regularly caused by old rubber tires spontaneously disintegrating on the road. This report focuses on the alarming reality that some new tires that are sold in stores like Wal-mart and Sears may actually be several years old. 20/20's investigation actually found some "new" tires on sale at Wal-mart and Sears stores in the States that were up to 12 years old.

View the complete 20/20 report here: Read more

If you enjoy adding cream to healthy pies, cakes, berries, cereals, and tea, give this sweet cashew cream recipe a try - it's rich in healthy monounsaturated fatty acids, which are good for keeping your heart and blood vessels healthy.

Cashew cream is also naturally rich in magnesium, which your body needs to keep your bones, teeth, muscles, and nervous system optimally healthy.

If you don't need your cream to be too sweet, simply omit the honey, or use less than what's listed below. Quality cashews have a natural hint of sweetness that makes pure cashew cream quite pleasant on its own. Read more

Until a few months ago, I was under the impression that coconut oil and coconut butter are the same thing. So I was one surprised chap when I tried a coconut butter product made by a company called Artisana.

I now know that true coconut butter is made by carefully blending whole coconut meat - when done properly, the result is a sweet, creamy butter that has the wonderful fragrance of coconut oil, along with healthy protein and fiber that naturally occur in coconut. Read more

A simple and effective way to lower your risk of developing cancer is to eat cabbage on a regular basis.

Cabbage belongs to the Cruciferous family of vegetables - other prominent Cruciferous vegetables include kale, Bok Choy, cauliflower, and broccoli.

Phytonutrients found in cabbage and other Cruciferous vegetables can stimulate the production of enzymes that can detoxify your cells, leading to efficient elimination of free radicals, toxins, and potential carcinogens from your body. Read more

Two groups of nutrients that are essential to having healthy skin are vitamin A and healthy fatty acids.

Vitamin A can be called a "group" of nutrients because there's straight vitamin A, found in animal foods, and there's carotenoids, which are plant-based nutrients that can be converted to vitamin A in healthy individuals. Read more

A study that appears in the October 1, 2008 edition of the journal Cancer indicates that breastfeeding for at least six months may decrease a woman's risk of developing "triple negative" breast cancer, thought to be the most aggressive form of breast cancer.

Triple negative cancer is more common among younger women, and a number of published studies indicate that triple negative breast cancer is more likely to recur when compared to other forms of breast cancer. Read more

In February of 2008, we started a fund raising campaign for a special, not-for-profit organization called Operation Shanti. Located in Mysore, India, the folks who run Operation Shanti are dedicated to empowering the poorest and neediest children and elderly people in their area.

As reported in our first update following the launch of our campaign, our readers responded spectacularly, surpassing our goal within a week. Read more

Many years ago, a patient of mine who had traveled extensively around the world told me about a group of people he encountered that ate red beets, carrots, and sweet potatoes almost every day to help protect their skin against sunburn. Read more

What do toe pain, mid-foot pain, heel pain, ankle pain, knee pain, hip pain, lower back pain, mid-back pain, upper back pain, and headaches all have in common?

You guessed it - they can all be caused by wearing high heels on a regular basis. Read more