Dr. Ben Kim's blog

We had it easy with our firstborn - he was eating handfuls of lightly braised Shanghai bok choy before he turned 2. So it furrowed our brows some to discover that vegetables were not our second son's thing. We started blending our green food powder in with his smoothies from the time he could sip from a straw, but we were still eager to see him eating substantial portions of freshly cooked green vegetables.

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If you have a thing for hummus and don't mind a little variety from time to time, you'll want to give this sweet potato-based hummus a try.

All varieties of sweet potatoes are abundant in vitamin C, carotenoids, and vitamin B-6 (helpful for keeping homocysteine at a healthy level), and even minerals like iron manganese, and potassium. 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

The other day, my mind drifted back to an interview that I did with Judd Bagley of BookLoom.com almost a decade ago. I looked all over and could not find the original mp3 file that Judd expertly put together as a part of his series of podcasts for independent authors. I reached out to Judd via e-mail with just a smidge of hope that he might still have the interview, and to my surprise, I received an almost immediate reply with the original mp3 file. 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

Have you noticed that your fingernails grow more quickly than your toenails? If not, the next time you clip your fingernails and toenails on the same day, take note of how quickly they grow. I'm confident that you'll find that your fingernails need another trim at least a few days before your toenails do.

Are you curious about why your fingernails grow faster than your toenails? The answer is simple: Read more