Ch'ang Ming (長命 Pinyin: Chángmìng) is a series of dietary and health recommendations based on the theory and practice of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The Ch'ang Ming or long life diet was first introduced to the West by Chan Kam Lee (李陈金 Pinyin: Lǐ chén jīn) who was a Taoist teacher and herbal medicine practitioner who came to London in 1930 from Weihaiwei in Shandong Province, China. He took the Taoist principles of Traditional Chinese Medicine and adapted them to Western foods and eating habits. Ch'ang Ming gained popularity in the West when Chee Soo who was a student of Chan Kam Lee published his book The Tao of Long Life in 1979 for the Aquarian Press which went on to become an international best seller for Harpercollins and has been translated into Italian, French (distributed in France, Canada and Belgium), Spanish and Indonesian. Chee Soo ran a herbal clinic in London in the 1970s and used Ch'ang Ming to help people with various illnesses. He also published several books which include details of the Ch'ang Ming diet which was recommended to be used in conjunction with other methods of Traditional Chinese Medicine such as Anmo or Taoist massage, Tao Yin breathing exercises, K'ai Men Qigong, herbal therapy and contact thermogenesis or heat treatment (including moxibustion).^[1][2]

• Whole grain foods: Wholemeal bread, Brown rice, Barley, Oats, Buckwheat, Rye, Maize, Millet, Quinoa, anything made with Wholegrain flour: Pasta and Noodles; Biscuits; Cakes; Shredded Wheat; Muesli.
• Vegetarian food such as: Beans; Nuts and Seeds (roasted); Soya Bean curd (Tofu); Vegetarian mince, etc.
• Free range white meat such as Chicken or Turkey; eggs; non-fatty white fish or Seafood, Prawns.
• Soya Milk, Rice Milk, Skimmed Milk, Soya Yoghurt, Low fat yoghurt, Low fat vegetarian cheese.
• Seaweed: Nori; Kelp. Natural Soya sauce: Tamari or Shoyu. Vegetable cooking oils and fats, unhydrogenated.
• Fruit which is local and seasonal preferably cooked or dried: Dates, Sultanas, Raisins, Figs, Apple, Strawberries.
• Sea salt only, in strict moderation, or Gomasio - sesame seeds and sea salt as a condiment.
• Herbs, herbal teas and coffees, Caro, Barleycup, China Tea: Green or Black.
• Honey, in moderation, unrefined sugar only if you must.

• White bread, White flour, White rice, Refined or Processed, Tinned and Packet foods
• Chemical additives, Colourings, Preservatives, Flavourings, Fruit acids, (remember to read the label).
• Red meat: Beef, Pork, Veal, Lamb, Bacon, Sausages, Meat products or extracts.
• Red or blue fish - Tuna, Salmon, Mackerel, Swordfish, scavengers such as Crab.
• Poultry or fish that is high in fat - Duck, Goose, Haddock.
• Boiled, fried or poached eggs. Scrambled or in omelettes is better, or in baking.
• Dairy products - Full fat milk, Cheese, Butter, Lard, Dripping, animal fat products.
• Alcohol, Tobacco, Coffee, Sugar, Sweets, Chocolate, Drugs, Artificial vitamins, supplements etc.
• Spices, Pepper, Mustard, Curry, Vinegar, Pickles, Rock Salt.
• Nightshades: Potato, Tomato, Aubergine.
• Rhubarb, Spinach (high in Oxalic acid)
• Ice cold food and drink especially Ice Cream, Cream, Carbonated drinks etc, Raw and uncooked food .
• Fresh fruit which is out of season or imported from a different climate, Tropical fruit drinks.
• Deep fried food. Grilled, Braised, Roasted or Stir fried food is better.^[3]

Ch'ang Ming is practised by groups who are teaching the Lee style Taoist Arts such as Lee style T'ai Chi Ch'uan, Feng Shou Kung Fu and Traditional Chinese Medicine based mostly in Britain and in France, Germany, and The Netherlands who were students of Chee Soo.

• Taoist Cultural Arts Association
• East - West Taoist Association - based in Scarborough
• Lishi - based in Leeds
• Taoist Arts Organisation - based in London
• Lee Family Internal Arts Association - based in South Wales

• The Tao of Long Life on Amazon
• [1] An article on Chang Ming by Chee Soo
• Seahorse Books (Chee Soo's publisher with sample pages available online)