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In-Home Health Spa
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(ARA) - In the hustle and bustle
of today's busy lifestyles, weekend health spas have become a
welcome retreat, but are often too extravagant and costly for
frequent visits. With a little creativity and imagination, you
can create the therapeutic and rewarding effects of a spa in
the privacy of your own home -- with a sunroom.
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A sunroom is an ideal space to create
a relaxing, in-home spa. Typically surrounded by the beauty and
serenity of the outdoors, sunrooms often provide a dramatic yet
private setting. Moreover, the natural light that they provide
has the power to change your mood, according to doctors, who
believe that sunlight has positive effects on a person's overall
well being. Combined with other spa-like features, such as aromatherapy,
the practice of using plant-derived fragrances to change your
mood, you can have your own private retreat in no time. |
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"People are discovering all the added benefits a sunroom
can have," explains Rick Jones, president of Patio Enclosures,
Inc., North America's largest designer and installer of sunrooms.
"From their therapeutic sunlight, to their versatility and
beauty, sunrooms are perfect places for personal relaxation,"
he said.
With some creative planning -- and planting -- you can treat
yourself to a restorative herbal mask or an aromatherapy message.
Here are a few basics for starting your own home spa. You might
even try growing some of the ingredients on your own, possibly
in your sunroom.
 Roses
are for more than smelling. Tea with rose hips offers more vitamin
C than oranges. In a coffee grinder, grind the hips and add to
a cup of very hot water. Add one-quarter cup of fresh leaves
to one cup of boiling water. For a lemon-flavored tea, add lemon
balm. This tea is ideal for soothing nerves and aids in digestion.
Marigolds
act as a natural antiseptic when picked as they begin to bloom.
Mixed with oil, they help relieve cuts, burns, itchy skin and
chapped lips.
For
soft skin, try a homemade oil with lavender. Fill a jar with
lavender flowers. Gently crush the flowers and add enough olive
oil to cover the herbs.
Cover the jar and place it in the sun, shaking every day. Strain
the oil after a few weeks. Massage the oil into your skin or
add to your bath.
For
a refreshing facemask, mix the following ingredients in a
blender: 1-cup mint leaves, 2 tablespoons oatmeal and 2 tablespoons
water. Keep on your face for 15 minutes.
Lettuce
is for more than salads. To soothe sunburned skin, boil lettuce
with water and after it has cooled, add the liquid to your bath.
Grow
your own loofah. This relative of the cucumber works great
as an exfoliator.
Follow the growing instructions on the loofah packet, which can
be purchased at most nurseries. After harvesting, soak them in
water. Peel the brown skin and remove the seeds. Place them in
the sun to dry.
For
a refreshing foot soak, mix 3 drops tee tree, crushed lavender
petals and a fresh squeezed lemon to warm water.
For the added spa-esque feeling, try arranging scented candles
throughout your sunroom. You can also play soothing music or
purchase a miniature running fountain, available at most home
stores. To really go all out, the investment of a Jacuzzi is
sure to offer years of enjoyment and relaxation. In addition,
your new sunroom spa is an ideal setting to practice yoga. Earth-tones
pillows and rugs add an element of relaxation and there are many
casual furniture and window treatment options available to you
for your sunroom spa.
"The great thing about your sunroom spa is that it can transform
into a romantic dinner setting or a planetarium on a starry night,"
adds Jones. "A sunroom is the one room in the house that
can be used for almost anything." |
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The Author  |
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Courtesy of ARA Content |
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