Q: Are there actually specific foods that will keep me healthy and extend my life?
A: Yes. According to the Daoist’s, there are indeed.

Q: Very interesting! Can you tell us about some of them?
A: Sesame Seeds are one of the foods, that are used for long life. Black sesame seeds, specifically, are far better than white sesame seeds.

Q: What makes the black sesame seed so extraordinary, Liz?
A: Black Sesame Seeds are wonderful and well known throughout Asia for their anti-aging properties. According to the Story of the Immortals, a woman named Lu could walk as fast as a deer and 300 li daily in her eighties. When asked for her secret to good health and vitality, she explained that she had been eating black sesame cakes all of her life!

Q: Wow! That’s incredible!
A: Yes, Black sesame seeds are really good for your blood. As we age, many of us, especially women, have less blood in our bodies. Sesame seeds help to build our blood.

Q: What else do Sesame seeds do?
A: Black sesame seeds are also good for digestion, as well as they are good for the lungs and the kidneys.

Q: How do you consume the sesame seeds?
A: I like to sprinkle a tablespoon or so in my cereal, on my yogurt, or in my smoothie. It’s really just preference.

Q: Hmmm, that’s easy enough. Thanks Dr. Liz. Can you share with us another food that the Daoist’s recommend for long life?
A: Sure. Peanuts!

Q: Peanuts are good for long life?
A: Yes. Peanuts were actually nicknamed “Longevity Nut”. You must cook the peanuts, as raw peanuts are considered to be toxic.

Q: I see! What is it that makes a peanut so special?
A: Peanuts have rich unsaturated fatty acids, along with Vitamin E, and more than 20 kinds of chemicals and vitamins. Peanuts are good for the brain.

Q: What about allergies to peanuts?
A: If you have a sensitivity or allergy to peanuts, don’t eat them. There are other wonderful foods that you can consume. Focus on those.

Q: Any good snack you can suggest for the holidays?
A: Interestingly, Chestnuts are on the list!

Q: I Love Chestnuts! I can remember roasting them as a small child at the holiday time!
A: Yes. Chestnuts are an old-fashioned snack at the holiday time. They have many great qualities.

Q: Did they have a nickname?
A: Yes, Chestnuts were known as the “King of the Preserved Fruits”

Q: What is it that makes the Chestnut so unique?
A: Chestnuts can strengthen the kidneys. They also strengthen your tendons. This is really important because it can help prevent injuries in this way. They are loaded with vitamins and fatty acids.

Q: Are they good for anyone with a particular disease?
A: According to the Taoists, Chestnuts are good for people with hypertension, coronary disease and arteriosclerosis.

Q: Thanks Liz! I’m going to include these three items in my diet now! Is there a way to get more information?
A: Yes, just come into Perry Family Health for more information.

About Dr. Liz Perry
Dr. Liz is a primary care provider with a Doctor of Oriental Medicine and a Master’s degree in Business Management from Harvard University. For over 22 years, Dr. Liz has worked as an international healthcare consultant, has traveled the world, and has written hundreds of published articles as a health journalist.