Dr. John Kim: Functional Medicine Expert
Dr. John Kim is a trailblazer in functional medicine and a passionate advocate for holistic health. After graduating with high honors from Rutgers University's Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, he pursued advanced training in functional medicine through the American Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine. Driven by his own personal health journey, Dr. Kim passionately educates and empowers others, presenting cutting-edge health information to manage chronic illness and advocating for medical freedom. On Episode 72 of our Catch the Moment Podcast, we were honored to sit down with Dr. Kim and learn from all of the dynamic knowledge he has to offer.
Dr. Kim shares the defining moment in his career that sparked his realization about how broken the healthcare system truly is. His first-hand experience working in hospitals revealed the vicious cycle in healthcare of using pharmaceutical drugs to merely put a band-aid on patients’ symptoms instead of addressing the real root causes. He often emphasizes that “there is no perfect medicine out there” however the root of patients’ problems often has to do with lifestyle changes surrounding eating, sleep, and even love. He aptly describes love as an “anti-inflammatory”, and stresses the importance of community to overall health and wellness.
In terms of wellness, Dr. Kim explains the significance of drinking clean water, considering it the foundation of health. He also emphasizes the impact that invisible stressors have on our health. As a solution, he encourages people to focus on foundation care and work on achieving coherence between the brain and the heart. A lack of coherency between the heart and the brain leads us to feel like we are out of control, have anxiety about the future, and lose the overall resiliency necessary to handle the daily stresses of life. This will only lead to more and more physical problems that pharmaceutical drugs can not fix.
After immigrating to the United States from South Korea at just 9 years old, Dr. Kim was raised in New Jersey. As he reflects on his upbringing, Dr. Kim credits his parents for allowing him the freedom to explore his passions. This freedom led him to pursue a career in pharmacy because of his deep-seated passion for healing rather than for financial gain. Dr. Kim’s upbringing caused David to reflect on how he is raising his own children. It is important to David to find the right balance between guiding his children in the right direction while still supporting their passions and dreams.
Dr. Kim is incredibly passionate about self-care, stressing that “self-care is non-negotiable”. In his personal life, Dr. Kim’s daily routine begins with an hour dedicated to self-care including spending time in his at-home sauna, meditation, prayer, and breath work. He believes self-care keeps you grounded and is essential to a balanced life. Another key to a balanced life that both Dr. Kim and David connect on is the importance of learning how to say no. They are both actively working on this skill which will ultimately allow them the opportunity to put their energy into fewer things and do those things extremely well. They agree that it is better to find what makes you dynamic and hone in on that instead of trying to say yes to everything.
Dr. John Kim’s dedication to holistic health and wellness is an inspiration to all as he challenges the healthcare system in order to make the world a better place. Give our podcast episode with Dr. John Kim a listen to hear his full story.