Dr. Ben Kim's blog

For most of the year 2000, I worked and lived at a fasting clinic in northern California where I spent time with many groups of eclectic guests from all over the world.

I often tell my wife that during that year, I felt like I was floating around in a bubble, almost immune to any downers that life brought my way. Sure, there were times when I felt a bit crummy, but most of the time, I was at peace, able to feel compassion for anyone. Read more

Imagine a warm winter coat that unfolds at its bottom to tranform into a full sleeping bag. This survival tool is at the heart of The Empowerment Plan, a Detroit-based nonprofit organization that hires homeless women from local shelters to make this coat, which is gifted to homeless people with no strings attached. Read more

Many have asked for my views on the Ebola, so I'll share a few thoughts here.

My understanding is that Ebola is more transmittable than most world health authorities are generally leading people to believe.

It's true that the current form of the Ebola virus is not airborne, which is to say that the Ebola virus isn't capable of traveling through the air without fluid encasing it. Read more

Back when I ran a residential fasting clinic, my diet was virtually free of processed foods, including bread. Breakfast was usually a large bowl of fresh fruit, avocado, romaine lettuce, and celery; lunch was typically a large salad with vegetable soup and some type of legume, often chickpeas or green peas; and dinner usually consisted of a large salad, steamed vegetables, and some type of gluten-free grain like quinoa or brown rice with guacamole or another nutrient-dense dressing. When I craved organic eggs, wild salmon, or homemade chicken broth-based soups, I ate them with gratitude. Read more

Healthy blood circulation is an absolute must for healthy tissues. Strong and steady blow flow allows for constant exchange of nutrients and waste at the cellular level, and also promotes healthy flow of fluid through your lymphatic system, a key component of your immune system. Read more

A few summers ago, I mentioned that we purchased Keen Newport Sandals for our boys to give their growing bodies optimal support from the ground up.

I've since received many notes from readers who have found Keen's H2 model to be helpful for a wide variety of physical problems surrounding the feet, ankles, knees, hips, and even the lower back region. Read more

Few health challenges are as frustrating and slow-to-heal as plantar fascitis. Since feet are rarely given time to completely rest, many sufferers experience gnawing pain for several months, and in some cases, years. Read more

If you embrace the adage about an ounce of prevention being worth a pound of cure, you'll want to review the following information about your pelvic region, including four simple stretches that, if performed daily, may spare you many of the strains, sprains, and aches that are often attributed to aging. Read more

There's no question that it's healthy to engage in exercise and activities that create and maintain muscle mass. Beyond warding off osteoporosis, regular exercise that builds up and sustains muscle can significantly decrease risk of diabetes type 2, as skeletal muscle acts as a storage reservoir for excess sugar that makes its way into your bloodstream. Put another way, the more skeletal muscle mass you maintain, the greater capacity your body has to prevent diabetes and other types of cardiovascular disease. Read more

When people ask me about Achilles tendon or wrist pain, one of the first things I do is evaluate the muscles higher up that lead to the site of pain.

In the case of Achilles tendonitis, I test the calf muscles (gastrocnemius and soleus) for length and presence of adhesions, and in the case of wrist pain, I check the forearm flexors and extensors closer to their origin near the elbow joint. Read more