While exhibiting my book Easy Portland Outdoors at the East Portland Community Center Fitness Fair this month, I met a friendly wellness specialist with Young Living Essential Oils named Kaylah Alicea. Like most people I’ve met who are involved with oils, they love, love, love them and are very enthusiastic about sharing their experience. I’m an oil fan for the way they smell, and often use them for scent and unofficial aromatherapy to calm down or cheer up. But I haven’t much delved into their further therapeutic uses. So I asked Kaylah if she’d like to tell Veg Travel & Fitness readers about how she got into essential oils, what they’ve done for her and how she wants to help the world. Here’s what she told me.

Teresa: How did you get interested in healing with oils?

Kaylah: I have a passion for getting oils and plant based products into people’s hands so they can see that there are other options available to help them pursue wellness within their lifestyle. I specifically got interested in oils because I had lived in Puerto Rico for 5 years and had my two children there. When we moved back to the states, I knew their immune systems would not be ready for what the states had to offer. So, I started researching natural ways to boost their immune system and ways to help me through my postpartum emotions.

Teresa: What brand of oils do you use? What’s the difference between brands?

Kaylah:  I was introduced to Young Living and realized quickly what a reputable company they are and how deeply they care about their products, honesty, and their customers. Young Living also offers me plant-based products I could use in my household that allowed me to get rid of toxic things we were using that were actually hurting us. I quickly began to “switch and ditch” the things I had in my home that could be replaced with plant based products.

The reason I chose Young Living compared to any other brand was because they have a Seed to Seal promise. There is no specific governing body over essential oils, which means any company or store could take one drop of essential oil and fill the rest of the bottle with a synthetic substance that mimics the oil. Young Living promises that from the moment the seed is planted until it is harvested and distilled, that no synthetic products will be added to or on the plant. It is 100% pure, therapeutic grade oil.

They also allow you to enter into their farms whenever you choose to make sure they are staying true to their distillery process. Gary Young, who started Young Living, took 25 years to perfect the distillation process and also took the time to make sure our company owns all our own farms and is protecting the environment, the workers, and the amount of waste we are using. This is important to me and shows that Gary Young took the time to make sure all he was doing was only going to better the products and the world.

Teresa:  What have been some of your essential oils-related successes?

Kaylah:  Some of my own oil-related success have revolved around my own emotional support. Since essential oils interact directly with the limbic system which is controlled by our sense of smell – oils can help bring about a positive emotion when used due to their scent. I was first very skeptical of this but began to see that when I used my oils regularly and consistently my emotions were better controlled and calming atmospheres were instilled. My kids also began to benefit because they, too, would be impacted by the oils and their calming effects. We also have now switched out all the toxic products in our home and benefit greatly from plant-based products that are boosting our immune systems, helping us naturally heal, and allowing our bodies to function apart from toxicity.

Teresa:  Do you blend the essential oils yourself? How does that work?

Kaylah:  As far as blending goes, I do take the time to blend the oils myself. I have specific muscle tension rollers I make, immune rollers, skin support rollers, and many more. I love to research how the oils interact together and support whatever I am trying to accomplish. I also think this is part of the reason why oils have become popular again. Because people are starting to realize that they themselves can take their health and wellness into their own hands. They know essential oils have been around for thousands of years and can help our bodies naturally heal and work to the best of its ability.

Teresa:  Any oil recommendations for fitness aficionados?

Kaylah:  If you are into fitness and researching ways you can better help your journey I have a few suggestions. We have a roller blend called “deep relief” that is amazing for muscle recovery and head tension. We also have a post workout drink called “amino-wise” that supports amino acids and a meal replacement shake full of protein. We also have supplements that are plant-based and many other oils that can help with respiratory support, sleep, hormones, and emotions.

Kaylah to the Rescue!

Kaylah: If you are looking for someone to walk with you through your wellness journey – I’d love to help! I think that is the biggest misconception about oils these days – that they are too complicated to use and difficult to understand. My ultimate goal is that you would be able to understand what ways oils can benefit your daily life and how to use them safely and effectively. I am also huge on education and allowing you the time to understand what the oils are meant to do. Please feel free to reach out via email if you’d like to talk more!

If you’d like to start your oily journey today I’d love to have you join my team and take the first step! Below you will find my link and my email. Feel free to also follow me on Facebook and Instagram for oily ideas and education!

Facebook/Instagam – Pine and Palm Essentials

Link: oilwith.me/pineandpalmessentials

Email: kaylahalicea@gmail.com

 

Teresa Bergen owns the Veg Travel & Fitness site. She’s a long-time yoga teacher and certified as both a personal trainer and a health coach by the American Council on Exercise. Teresa is a member of the Society of American Travel Writers and the Wellness Tourism Association, and is the author of Meditations for Gym Yogis.