My interview this month is a special one for me (not that the other ones weren't special!!): It's with my cousin Krista! Krista and I go way back to when she was one year old and I was born and when we were kids we were inseparable. I have fond memories of playing with Krista and our sisters in their back yard or having sleep overs on the floor in the living room. Krista and I grew a bit apart over the years but in the past few years we've gotten to know each other once again and realized we still have so much in common. I wanted to interview Krista because she has gone through some major life-changing events over the past 10 years which have led her to her current passion: alternative healing & health. I'll let her share more with you in the interview below.
Tell me about Krista Hare. What do you love to do, hate to do, wish you could do?
I love to spend time with my son. He’s a compassionate kid and his sense of humour is getting wittier every day. He’s in the double-digits now, and I realize how quickly time flies. It seems like yesterday that he blessed my life and started me on this amazing journey of motherhood! Now, he’s almost as tall as me!
Next to that, I love being outside…by the water, in the woods, camping…any thing that brings me outside with Mother Nature.
What do I hate to do? House clean. I’d rather be outside - or doing ANYTHING other than house cleaning. I try to like it…but I don’t. On a positive note… since I’ve started using Young Living’s line of all-natural Thieves cleaners, now at least my nose enjoys cleaning. ;)
I wish I could travel more. I have so many amazing destinations on my bucket list - places that I want to experience with my son. I’m from a small town and am fascinated by the cultures in different parts of the world. It’s my dream to see various parts of the world, learn their culture, taste their food, breathe their air and see their sights.
How did you become interested in essential oils and whole health in general?
Being a mom was something that I always dreamt about. I loved kids and knew that I was going to love being a mom. When I was diagnosed with postpartum depression after my son was born, it didn’t seem possible. I was put on anti-depressants and experienced a bizarre balance between the darkest days that I’ve ever seen and the incredible feeling of falling love with my new baby. I knew there needed to be a way that I could alter my emotional health without the use of drugs, so I dove into the field of alternative healing with the goal of removing the medication from my healing regimen.
I overhauled my diet, learned meditation, practiced mindfulness, learned yoga and stopped watching the news (it’s way too disturbing). I made a decision to surround myself with books, music and people that would raise me up. When I started to “see the light at the end of the tunnel”, I went on a yoga retreat, where I practiced yoga twice a day and learned about Ayurveda.
As part of the Ayurveda course at the ashram, I started to learn about essential oils. When I got home, I started looking for a company that creates essential oils that don’t have chemicals and additives. When I found Young Living Essential Oils and learned about the company and the integrity that they stand upon, I knew it was something that I needed to share. Young Living has a Seed to Seal guarantee and the only thing in the bottle is what comes from the plant.
The more I learn about essential oils and the many ways they can be used for health and wellness, the more I want to share them with everyone I know.
How has it changed your life for the better?
I’m not the same person that I was 10 years ago. I have a different perspective on life and believe in the importance of having a well-rounded approach to health. I’m raising my son to be aware of his health and how it affects his body, mind and spirit. Using essential oils in our daily health regime has allowed us to remove even more toxins from our medicine cabinet (deodorant, burn cream, cough syrup, cleaning supplies, bug repellent and sun screen).
I’ve heard wonderful testimonials about the experiences that people have had once they’ve started using Young Living Essential Oils and the improvements in their wellness have been incredible. I love the feeling that I am able to provide tools for people to help them improve their wellness and the wellness of their families. The fact that I’m getting paid to do it is a bonus…I love this work!
Tell me about your business Essential Whole Health. What do you provide for people outside of offering essential oils?
I chose the name Essential Whole Health because it reflects my belief that our optimal health is comprised of our environment, the friends we have, the conversations we have, the thoughts we think and what we put in - and on - our bodies. At the moment, my business is based primarily around the oils. I teach classes about essential oils, sell the oils and offer Raindrop Technique with the oils.
Raindrop Therapy includes specific techniques, energy work, and aromatherapy. Using a sequence of antimicrobial and therapeutic grade essential oils (made from parts of flowers, herbs, shrubs) designed to reduce inflammation and eliminate viral/bacterial toxins; they are dropped directly onto the spine like raindrops. Then, they are lightly worked into the vertabrae. It’s ideal for improving circulation and immune function and enhancing overall physical balance and emotional health. Mind, body and spirit are enhanced by this procedure and the immune system is elevated. It leaves people feeling relaxed and rejuvenated.
What is your vision for this business?
I’m studying to become an Ayurvedic Practitioner and my vision is to turn Essential Whole Health into an online space for wellness information, as well as an avenue to purchase Young Living Essential Oils, learn about how Ayurveda can improve their health and book online or in-person consultations to improve health and wellness.
I believe that everything happens for a reason. The experiences that I have had with my health have given me the drive to help others achieve their best self naturally.
Favourite oil?
I have three. My favourite first-aid oil is Lavender. It was the first essential oil that I had personal experience with. At first, all I knew of lavender was its benefits for relaxation, but as I grew to become familiar with therapeutic-grade essential oils and the broader range of benefits, I realized how versatile Lavender is. I’ve used it on burns (only therapeutic-grade essential oils - as others can make the burn worse), rashes, bug bites, tense shoulders and in the bath. It’s my go-to for a lot of different things!
My second faves are Clary Sage and Ylang Ylang. These are always in my purse and I wear them as a perfume. Clary Sage has phytoestrogen and is reported as being helpful with feminine hormonal support (can’t we all use a little balance in our lives?). Ylang Ylang has a light, flowery scent that is calming, relaxing and offers support with emotional balancing.
What are you passionate about?
Life. My journey has been about focusing on how to push through tough stuff and find ways to make every day brighter. Life is too short to do anything but try to make the best of every moment.
Favourite thing to eat?
My favourite thing to eat is not something I should eat very often…so I’ll give you two favourites: Cheesecake. Cheesecake is the one thing that I would eat everyday if its health benefits were as wonderful as its taste. But…unfortunately that is not the case. So…my favourite body-does-me-good food is a giant bowl of baby spinach with hemp oil, pureed garlic, salt, pepper and lemon essential oil. I could eat it three meals a day.
If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?
That’s a tough one. There are so many places I’d like to travel and yet some of my happiest moments are by the St. Lawrence River or on a hiking trail near my house.
In terms of destinations, I’d pick Hawaii, but there are many places I’d like to see. My reason for building a business is to have the freedom (and money) to take my son on volunteer vacations. I want to show him the world, while letting him experience the side of life that doesn’t show up in a travel brochure. One of the first volunteer vacations we will do is a place where he can teach underprivileged kids how to play one of his favourite sports - hockey or soccer. We’ll go wherever there is a need and an opportunity.
Thanks Krista! For more information on Krista visit her website here and Facebook page here.
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