Dr. Ben Kim's blog

Tahini (ground sesame seeds) is an excellent source of calcium. In fact, half a cup of sesame seeds contains three times more calcium than half a cup of whole milk.

Eggplant is rich in vitamin A, folate, calcium, magnesium, iron, and potassium.

Combined together, tahini and eggplant give this dish a wonderfully aromatic and delicious flavor, perfect to eat with a bed of rice, millet, or quinoa.

Ingredients: Read more

If you enjoy pancakes but find that traditional flour-based varieties tend to hang around in your intestines longer than is comfortable, give this delicious recipe for healthy potato pancakes a try.

Different varieties of potato pancakes are quite popular throughout Russia and Korea. Using new potatoes instead of baking or russet potatoes can reduce the burden that is placed on your blood sugar-regulating mechanisms. Read more

You can get burned by a number of different sources, the most common of which are hot liquids, hot objects, chemicals, steam, electricity, the sun, and fire.

For diagnostic and treatment purposes, burns are generally categorized into the following three classifications:

First-degree burns Read more

Winter is a great time for warm and hearty soups. This recipe calls for butternut squash, the hard squash that is readily available in the fall and winter, and looks like a large, smooth-skinned peanut. Read more

The single most painful condition that I have ever addressed as a health care provider is the acute pain associated with passing a sizeable kidney stone. More than a few women who I have treated over the years have said that passing a large kidney stone is much more painful than giving birth.

What's particularly scary about passing a kidney stone is that in most cases, there are no warning signs. One minute you are going about your normal business, and then all of a sudden, you begin to have waves of unimaginable pain on one side of your lower back. Read more

This recipe provides a good mix of healthy fat, carbohydrates, and antioxidants, particularly vitamin C and beta-carotene. You can source coconut cream at most Asian food stores. Give the papayas and mango a day or two to ripen at room temperature before making the salsa.

Ingredients: Read more

A newly published study in the The Lancet indicates that living close to freeway traffic can negatively impact lung development in children.

Children's lungs tend to grow rapidly between the ages of 10 and 18, and this most recent study concludes that steady exposure to airborne pollutants during this age range can lead to short and long term respiratory challenges. Read more

After posting a recipe for healthy falafel balls a few weeks ago, one of our readers played around with our recipe and came up with a great recipe of her own for balls made out of sweet potatoes and pinto beans.

Included with this unique recipe is a simple and delicious tahini dressing recipe that goes perfectly with the balls. If you enjoy sweet potatoes, pinto beans, and middle eastern flavors, I encourage you to give the following recipe a try:

Ingredients: Read more

If you enjoy gravy with mashed potatoes, I encourage you to give this healthy miso gravy recipe a try. Miso - also known as fermented soybean paste - provides a unique salty flavor to anything you add it to, and is an excellent source of protein, zinc, vitamin K, manganese, copper, dietary fiber, and healthy bacteria.

Miso is called den jang in Korean supermarkets, and can often be purchased for reasonable prices in Asian food stores. Read more

Researchers in Canada have found that speaking two languages over the course of one's life can help to delay the onset of dementia by approximately four years.

Dementia is defined as a progressive decline in brain function due to damage in the brain beyond what might be expected with normal aging. The most common symptoms of dementia are: Read more