Healing Home Spa: Soothe Your Symptoms, Ease Your Pain, and Age-Proof Your Body with Pleasure [Paperback]

Valerie Cooksley (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 30, 2003

Unlike most spa books that emphasize beauty regimens, Healing Home Spa features an A-to-Z section of more than 100 common ailments and everyday health challenges with therapeutic prescriptions for prevention and healing-from acne to aging skin, congestions, eye strain, stress, varicose veins, and wound care. Hundreds of original, feel-good recipes for masks, tonics, soaks, inhalations, and oils can be found throughout the book, making this a unique therapeutic treat that readers will use alone or with a partner to indulge in the healthy pleasures of the home spa.

Healing Home Spa shows readers how to turn their home into a harmonious retreat by incorporating natural home spa treatments that are easy to follow, while including many of the latest trends practiced in spas throughout the world: essential oil and herbal therapy, hydrotherapy, flower essence therapy, massage, body wraps, skin brushing, sound and music therapy, teas and tonic, yoga, and more. In all, more than a dozen techniques are described, including their healing benefits and current studies to support their efficacy.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Whatever ails you, there's probably a natural remedy for it in this volume. Cooksley (Aromatherapy: A Lifetime Guide to Healing with Essential Oils), offers this A-to-Z reference with treatments that rely heavily on aromatherapy, as well as on other therapies, including breath work, diet, herbs, hydrotherapy, massage, salves, teas and yoga. The book's tone is friendly and conversational, not medical, and Cooksley reminds readers her suggested treatments shouldn't be used as replacements for current allopathic treatments or in lieu of seeking qualified professional help. Cooksley's "pleasure remedies" supposedly treat everything from acne, arthritis and asthma to varicose veins and warts. Many treatment recipes require a stockpile of essential oils, vinegars and herbs that few lay readers are likely to have on hand, but picking up some anise, fennel or caraway seed to see if the combination really cures bad breath-or giving the chamomile, coriander and vegetable oil brew a go to fight flatulence-is certainly worth a shot. This is a good manual for those intrigued by homeopathic remedies or looking for ways to relax at home.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Valerie Cooskley, RN, is a certified oncology and infectious diseases nurse who holds an International Certificate in Aromatherapy and has graduated from both the Institutes of Aromatherapy, Bastyr University, and is the co-founder of The Institute of Integrative Aromatherapy. She lectures and teaches throughout the year and is the author of Aromatherapy.

Product Details

• Paperback: 528 pages
• Publisher: Prentice Hall Press (September 30, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0735203326
• ISBN-13: 978-0735203327
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.6 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #329,533 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great reference & well worth the price!, February 29, 2004

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Healing Home Spa: Soothe Your Symptoms, Ease Your Pain, and Age-Proof Your Body with Pleasure (Paperback)

This comprehensive "health & wellness" book not only covers aromatherapy (my main interest), but also covers breath work, diet/lifestyle tips, herbal remedies & teas, sound & music therapy, and yoga. It provides a variety of remedies for an exhaustive list of ailments, such as: Allergies, Chicken Pox, Colds, Depression, Headaches, Hyperactivity, Insomnia, Muscle Cramps, Nausea, Dry/Oily/Sensitive Skin, Stress & Anxiety -- to name a few.

A wide variety of aromatherapy, herb, and food recipes are included, such as: Asthma Oil Blend; Bachache Massage Oil; Cool, Calm, & Collected Tea; Peaceful Sleep Spray; Farm Fresh Facial Scrub; Lavender-Rose Silken Lotion; Sore Throat Gargle; Stay-Healthy Spice Seasoning; Tasty Teething Biscuits; and Old-Fashioned Garlic and Onion Soup. Pure essential oils are a must for the aromatherapy recipes, but most other recipes include easily-obtained ingredients, which can be found at a grocery or health food store.

Packed with useful information, some case studies, and factual data, it's also written in an easy-to-read, conversational style. My only complaint is that the Essential Oil References section in the Appendix could have been lengthier & more helpful. For instance, the author lists only one company as a supplier of pure essential oils. And only lists HER OWN company as a source for additional Aromatherapy and Holistic Education information. Also, one future recommendation for the book would be to have an additional index of recipes by title (e.g., currently, you have to remember that the Garlic Soup recipe is in the "Bronchitis" section or look up "soup" in the index).

Overall, I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for ways to cope with everyday stress or specific health/emotional problems, or just to improve their quality of life!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book, April 17, 2007

By 

H. Schulte - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Healing Home Spa: Soothe Your Symptoms, Ease Your Pain, and Age-Proof Your Body with Pleasure (Paperback)

Don't let the name fool you. There is more to this book than "spa" recipes. It is full of common sense home remedies for more than 100 ailments including everything from vericose veins to alergies.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Pretty Good!, February 20, 2007

By 

Allyson C. Apunte "Ally-Sun" (Jacksonville, FL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Healing Home Spa: Soothe Your Symptoms, Ease Your Pain, and Age-Proof Your Body with Pleasure (Paperback)

This was a great book for do-it-yourselfers. I've enjoyed the different recipes that focus on different conditions. This did not introduce many different types of beauty products or treatments, but offered a tremendous amount of work in aromatherapy treatments for different types of conditions. It's a great book to keep on hand.