The world swirls and twirls faster than ever during the holiday season. While it is a festive time for family and friends, it can also spell stress and discomfort to fragile mortals who juggle various personal and professional responsibilities.
Three women—a former beauty queen, a yoga instructor, and an English teacher—share how the gift of essential oils (EO) can spell the difference between stressed and blessed.
KARLA BAUTISTA-SIAO
Miss World Queen of Asia and Oceania 2004, mother to Kallie and Izzy
Her recipe in helping her husband deal with allergic rhinitis: two drops of lemon, lavender and peppermint topped with grapeseed oil.
Apply some on sinus points on toes and achoos went away.
Playing “oilbularya,” she inhales the same oils to clear sinuses.
A diluted version of this inhaler is given to six-year-old Kallie, who also has allergic rhinitis.
“The scent alone is uplifting and helps her focus so she can have it anytime at school,” she said. For baby Izzy, a drop of lavender diluted in sunflower oil and applied on the chest and soles ensures a good night’s sleep.
She has since concocted oil recipes to ease migraine for a friend and manage arthritic pain for Nana (Kallie’s nanny).
Karla has been using Young Living Essential Oils for a month now, an answer to her search for alternatives to chemical-based products, over-the-counter medications and prescription medicines.
“I’m still in the discovery and testing phase. Hopefully this ‘oily journey’ would prove to be really fulfilling,” she said.
CLAIRE PAREDES
Teacher/yoga instructor, wife to Radel and mother to Celina
Claire is surrounded by art at home, what with Radel Paredes as husband and a talented daughter Celina, who is set to open her first solo exhibit in March 2018.
Claire, a registered teacher, taught elementary school for 10 years. In 2012, she became a yoga teacher, a calling she embraced with passion. She used essential oils to set the mood and create a calming atmosphere in her classes.
“Back then, I didn’t know that essential oils have different grades and what I have been using were perfume grade oils only,” she shared.
Later, she switched to therapeutic grade ones starting off with lavender.
“It’s one of the favorite oils of yoga teachers together with peppermint and eucalyptus. I got encouraged by the positive feedback I got from my students,” said Claire.
She became a true believer after one incident that happened at a food court. Her husband experienced rapid blinking of his eyes because of stress.
Claire got scared, but a quick thinker, she placed a few drops on her husband’s temple.
“After just a few seconds, his blinking came back to normal and he was already smiling and didn’t look as stressed as before. His aura changed right away,” she said.
Since then, Claire has grown her collection of therapeutic oils and swears by their positive effects.
CHIARA MARTINEZ
English teacher, Beauty/health/fitness enthusiast
Chiara initially thought that the main purpose for EOs is to make a room smell better. In Manila, a friend whipped out PanAway (Young Living), an oil which was blended to specifically kill pain.
“I have a nagging tightness on my shoulder since I lift weights. When she applied PanAway on the area, the pain and tightness disappeared. I was sold from that moment on,” she said.
Despite the general reputation of EOs to be expensive, Chiara said they are definitely worth the price. She uses them for rhinitis, dysmenorrhea and hyperacidity. She also uses them for facial products which include facial wash, toner and day and night moisturizer.
“Everything in my house is almost toxin free. Even my bug spray and room and linen spray. Laundry soap is my next project,” she shared.
Chiara hosts Oils 101 classes and started her own Facebook business, Oil Moxie, where she shares information tidbits about the history and specific
benefits of each EO.
“I am not hesitant to do these things because I know they will love the oils and be benefited from them as much as I have been,” shared Chiara.
