In Chinese the peach is called the longevity fruit. There are many nutritional benefits from incorporating peaches into your diet. One raw medium peach has 50 calories, 0.5 grams of fat, 0 grams of cholesterol and sodium, 15 grams of carbohydrates, 13 grams of sugar, 2 grams of fiber and 1 gram of protein.

Springtime in Chicago is a special season where Monday we are wearing parkas and barely recognizable under hats, gloves and scarves. Tuesday is warm but rainy and gray. By Wednesday half the city has painful joints and is sneezing on their coworkers.

The end of summer is generally the hottest and most humid time of the year. In Chinese medicine summer-heat and dampness can cause pathogenic symptoms in the body including a heavy sensation in the head or the whole body, indigestion, fatigue, nausea and diarrhea.

Gua sha has been used for thousands of years in traditional Chinese medicine. The technique uses a smooth edged tool of various makings. The most common tools are made of stone, wood, bone, ceramics or metal. One of my favorite tools is a simple Chinese soup spoon.