Here are seven painless and simple at home acupuncture steps you can do to maintain good health and vitality.

1. Brush your gums and tongue. Spend at least 5 minutes each time you brush (longer is even better). Set a timer because 5 minutes becomes a long time at first. The acupuncture points along the gums match with the entire body system as does the tongue.

2. Brush your scalp. Remember the 'olden' days when mom reminded us to brush 50 strokes? Spend time massaging your scalp with your fingernails and even while you shampoo. There are hundreds of acupuncture points on the scalp itself. For a quick session massage the governing vessel 20. This point is located at the very top of the head, the point of 100 meeting points, which enables you to access several channels at once.

3. Push back your cuticles on your fingers and toes. Just the act of pushing back your cuticles stimulates acupuncture points that go directly to every muscle and tendon in the body. To relax push back your cuticles and don't forget your toes. Need to keep a small child quiet at an event? This works like a charm. Plus you can trace every finger front and back as well.

4. Loufa your body. This is a hard sponge that softens with use. In Florida you can actually grow Loufa plants or you can purchase one at most Wal-Mart/K-Mart stores. Be sure it says 'Loufa' on the package. Ones grown in your own yard are much softer than those commercially sold. Use the Loufa wherever there is skin. There are thousands of acupuncture points all over the body. If you find a sore or itchy spot spend extra time there. It is likely that it is an acupuncture point that needs stimulation. Electricity is accumulating there and stimulation via massaging or using a Loufa disperses this accumulation.

5. Moisten your nasal membranes. When you splash water on your face keep water on your little fingers. Put your little fingers inside your nose and moisten all around. You do not need to sniff water up into your sinuses. Moistening your nasal membranes increases your chi (your body's bio-electrical energy).

6. Breathing exercises. Most of us are chest breathers, rather than abdominal breathers, so we tend to breathe shallow most of the day. On inspiration (breathing in), push your stomach out as far as you can. On expiration (breathing out) let your stomach fall back to neutral. This is very difficult to do without thinking about it. When you breathe with your abdomen it forces the diaphragm to drop and thus increases your lung capacity. This is why singers practice breathing so that they are able to sustain notes much longer. Breathing leads to more oxygen, more chi and more energy.

7. Massage your face, hands, feet, and ears. You can do this yourself, but it is more relaxing and fun if done by someone else. These areas also treat the entire body individually. There are several good books available on massage at the library.

Patricia S. Wesley, D.C. of Wesley Chiropractic & Acupuncture is located at 1014 Florida Avenue near Cocoa Village. For more information visit www.wesleychiropractic.info or call 321-631-2225.