Dr. Ben Kim's blog

I've long recommended avoiding vigorous stretching first thing in the morning; the risk of injury is significant, especially as we get older, as our muscles, tendons, and ligaments are not well perfused with blood when we first wake up. These tissues are best stretched after we have been out and about for an hour or two, and optimally, after enough of an aerobic workout where we are sweating - if we've worked hard enough to sweat, we can reasonably assume that our muscles and ligaments are flush with blood and ready to be safely and effectively lengthened through stretching. Read more

We have long known that wearing tight clothing can cause damage to the cutaneous nerves that travel just under our skin. A common type of cutaneous nerve damage is called meralgia paraesthetica, which typically occurs when tight pants compress the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve that travels along the upper outer thigh region. Symptoms of meralgia paresthetica include sharp or achy pain, a burning sensation, or a feeling of pins and needles along the outer part of one's thigh anywhere between the hip and knee. Read more

I'm often asked to name one thing that can be done right away to get healthier. With respect to food choices, the best suggestion I have is to begin drinking freshly pressed vegetable juices. Drinking just one freshly pressed juice each day is a reliable way of infusing your body with a wide variety of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients that can protect your cells against premature aging and disease. Read more

Warts are considered non-cancerous skin growths - different strains of the human papilloma virus (HPV) cause warts to form on different areas of the body. Warts that form on the fingers are typically called "common" warts, while those that appear on the soles of the feet are called plantar warts. Read more

Dear Joshua and Noah:

I trust that you know how much I adore both of you. Being your father has been the greatest gift of my life.

As you know, I'm far from perfect. And the truth is that you will learn all that you really need to learn during your lifetimes from your own choices and experiences.

But here are some random thoughts that I hope you keep close to your hearts as you try to find meaning through the ups and downs that are ahead. Read more

Originally published in July of 2015

As a follow-up to a previous article on optimizing blood circulation in your lower extremities, this article serves to explain several physical steps that you can take to ensure healthy blood circulation in your arms and hands.

Before I get to some specific suggestions, here is a list of some of what you can accomplish by optimizing blood circulation in your upper extremities: Read more

I don't think any of us can understand how devastating it is to lose a child unless we have gone through this. I can't even go there in my own heart - such a loss is unimaginable.

In suffering the death of elders in my family over the years, I have experienced grief in many forms. Shock, confusion, disbelief, guilt, regret - these are the main emotions that I recall feeling in the months after losing a loved one.

Christina, a friend who lost her grown son late last year reached out to me the other day with the following note: Read more

This is a call for those among our readership who can draw upon their life experiences to share any advice or thoughts of comfort for Beatrice, who sent me the following note last week:

Hi Ben Kim,

Thank you so much for your unique posts. I have truly enjoyed all of them and always look forward to getting them.

This is a fabulous soup recipe for whenever you're looking to cleanse and get lighter without losing muscle mass. Green peas provide plenty of protein to nourish your muscles, while spinach, lettuce, watercress, and parsley infuse your cells with a wide spectrum of minerals and vitamins.

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