In the tale of Ali Baba and the forty thieves, `Open Sesame' was the secret password to open the treasure cave.

It is indeed a treasure in Ayurveda, Sesame is given very much importance, in the search of energy and longevity. Sesamum indicum, is a native of India, and its usage dates back to 3000 B.C. While light coloured variety is considered warming and giving energy, black variety is considered for reducing menstrual pains, excess discharge or bleeding in menses, piles. Since the Ayurvedic usage of Til or sesame seeds was dealt with last year around this time:

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/ayurvedaonline/message/5479

author restricts this post to black variety of sesame. If a lady gets severe pain during menstruation or has irregular menstruation, excess bleeding, then eat sesame seeds. Boil 10 gram of black sesame in 200 gram of water. When the water reduces to 50 ml, add jaggery in it and again boil it. Drink this water, for proper menstruation. It has influence on bleeding during pregnancy too.

We recently had some discussion on Graying of hair in this list. Growing long, healthy and beautiful hair requires that a lot of different health variables be functioning well. Body needs to have the proper balance of nutrients and supplements. Black sesame seed is said to be effective in mitigating premature gray hair. And a herb which mitigates gray hair, will also help restore fertility. An excellent source of calcium for those avoiding cow's milk. Used in traditional Chinese medicine to nourish and fortify the liver and kidney meridians. Said to help blurred vision, tinnitus, and dizziness. Used traditionally to help patients recover from severe illness. Will nourish blood deficiency in the body, lubricates the intestines and deep internal organs. Thus helps move the bowel.

Helen Lee provides many of the latest beauty secrets that are thousands of years old, in her book "The Tao of Beauty". According to her, long term consumption of the Black Sesame Seed Soup helps to beautify the scalp and the hair and also provides benefits to the skin. Any remedy which beautifies hair and skin, essentially balances and boosts fertility hormones, as per common observation.

Black sesame seeds are also useful in hair oil to take care of premature graying. For a recipe, see.:

http://www.ayurveda-herbal-remedy.com/beauty-care/hair-care.html

Chinese medicine finds that herbs and foods that are black colored are particularly good for the kidneys. Black sesame is rich in certain oils and is taken regularly, about one tablespoon daily, to prevent greying and help restore normal hair color. Black sesame seeds can be dry roasted and ground with a little salt to make a delicious condiment that can be sprinkled on rice and other foods. Black sesame seeds taste more bitter after toasting and hence sweetener needs to be added. A delicious sweet can be made by mixing the ground black sesame with honey or dry powdered pure jaggery. When jaggery is not available, use candy sugar or honey; honey will enhance the fertility cure since it is a glycosugar. Nature provides sesame crop in October November, just sufficient in advance of fertility season.

Black sesame seeds have very little carbohydrates but are rich source of calcium(85 milligrams per gram of seeds), phosphorous, magnesium, zinc (to fight osteoporosis), copper, potassium even a little selenium. Rich source of essential fatty acids. Even B-vitamins and folate exist. Large amount of phystosterols contained in them help reduce cholesterol, triglycerides and help peri and post menopausal ladies, in addition to those wishing fertility..

You can make a delicious sweet "Til Poli" from sesame seeds according to recipe on:
http://www.bawarchi.com/festivals/sankranti.html

Black sesame seed is a very good tonic herb. It builds liver and kidney, both being internal doctors, it is a longevity herb. In addition to its essence-building capacity, Black Sesame also builds blood. Black sesame seed is moistening to the intestines and helps move the bowels. It prevents and relieves constipation due to dryness of the intestines. Food therapy provides additional natural elements to help the body to repair and regenerate itself; in other words, it supplies what our body needs as we age and thus assist the body to function as if we were younger. Common foods recorded in ancient books for "beauty", "anti-aging" and "rejuvenation" purpose are sesame, amala, honey, mushrooms, milk products, pumpkin seeds, lotus root, water melon, cherry, wheat and radish. It is unfortunate that some of these are now genetically modified for higher yield at the cost of lower medicinal value.

http://www.shen-nong.com/eng/lifestyles/tcmrole_aging_skinyoung.html

Black sesame seeds have been used by Chinese herbalists for the treatment of tinnitus, blurred vision, numbness and dizziness, recovery after illnesses.You can add it to foods. The peanut-butter- like spread made from sesame seeds, and halvah, a popular sesame candy is distributed on Makar Sankrati (January 14) to sweeten the relationships with friends and loved ones. So the message of love is built in in this herb.

Eating bananas with toasted black sesame seeds relieves constipation. Chinese medicine uses black sesame seed in treating vitiligo:

http://www.itmonline.org/arts/vitiligo.htm

More recently, black sesame seed is used in arthritis cure, competes with a well known anti-inflammatory drug Voltaren from Novartis.

http://www.time.com/time/asia/features/asian_medicine/cover3.html

Lastly, one important tip. While sesame seeds (white) are considered warming, so are black seeds, but it is only when they are mixed with glycosuagr (jaggery, honey etc) they come useful to stop bleeding. In Northern Karnataka (India) they make a very tasty chutney mixing black seeds with chili powder and onion/garlic sometimes. If you take this chutney for a few days, nosebleed is sure. If you wish to avoid this, take this chutney with yogurt or butter. When black sesame is used to stop bleeding, one can enhance the effect by adding fresh cow butter.

This is what makes Ayurveda slightly difficult to understand and practice.