Youthful Health and Longevity:

Foods and Lifestyle

Is your biological clock ticking away? Have you been looking for that magic potion, that special tonic or elixir for longevity? This is not so far from reality in the Asian culture. There are many longevity secrets the Asian culture has embraced over the last four centuries that have shown to hold true. In Asian Medicine there is an understanding of “Jing” as your source of life energy that is allotted to each person when they are born. This is determined by your parents Jing, or “congenital” Jing passed on at birth from the health of your parents. In addition to your parents jing, you acquire it from the food you eat. Jing is the quality of KI (vitality), Blood and other substances in the body. Building jing with diet requires foods that promote the growth and development of the body and mind; such foods should also provide renewal, longevity, reproductivity capacity and protection from premature aging. The author of Healing with Whole Foods, Paul Pitchford, gives us an understanding of this concept.

  • His suggestions for a diet to increase youthful vitality are as follows:
      • Avoid overeating
      • Do not eat late at night
      • Avoid sudden, extreme diet changes
      • Foods should be easily digestible
      • Avoid weakening foods and cooling food (refine sugars and its by products, coffee and alcohol, too much salt, and highly processed foods. Cooling foods are most raw fruits and vegetable including fruit juices. Raw foods can be used to a greater extent if there are heat and excess symptoms.
      • Avoid a high protein diet of heavy meats (this can weaken the bones and can tax the organs of digestion, respiration and circulation.)
      • Eat mineral rich vegetables coming from seaweeds.
      • Eat a diet of complex carbohydrates such as whole grains such as millet, barley and brown rice, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, seaweeds and regional fruits. Sprouted grains, beans, and seeds are recommended.
      • If you are eating dairy limit it to only fermented dairy products such as yogurt, keifer and cottage cheese to name a few.
      • Eat Longevity soups made from Chinese herbs.

    • Start to increase your youthful vitality NOW, the sooner you start, the quicker you get results. Nourish your Jing now and Sustain your Vitality for Longevity.

    This article was written by Deborah Thum, as a patient education resource for The Center For True Harmony Wellness and Medicine. Edited and revised by Sherry VanGoethem, Dr.Christine Brass-Jones OBGYN, and Dr. Denise Quance Grobe N.D. If you have any questions or comments contact the office at (480) 539-6646 or through email at info@trueharmonywellness.com