Taking on the Controversies that Arise with Young Living, MLMs, and Other EO Companies

Today on FaceBook, my sister-in-law tagged me in a link asking if I had heard of it. I had, and posted an answer in reply not only to that link, but also to a few statements made in the comments below. Then I decided I'd put my answer here and address some things I've heard more than once in just the six months since I began using and telling others about Young Living, and changed my original answer because I realized that I had helped in the hijacking of someone's paid-for ad, since there were SO many others who were using it as a platform to talk up Young Living.

The truth is, we Young Living users are very enthusiastic folks, but generally speaking, we're out to do good and truly help people lead healthier lives, and NOT looking to hijack someone else's business. By and large, we also think YL is the best Essential Oil company going and that they verifiably have the purest Essential Oils sold in the United States (an important distinction because in other countries there are companies that sell pure oils - just not here.)

Something else I've learned is that there are bound to be comments made about Young Living, MLMs, Essential Oils, etc (and the inevitable link to Quackwatch) whenever so many Young Living enthusiasts comment on a thread like this one. So here are some thoughts on those issues. (I'll take the comments as I can... 

On using essential oils from a the company in the picture above:

I looked at their site and while it is likely a good site for containers if you want to make your own soaps, lotions, lip balms, etc. or for things like Shea butter or coconut oil, I would not purchase my Essential Oils from them without serious research first. It takes a huge amount of raw material to make a relatively small amount of pure essential oils. In order for this company to sell at their advertised prices, 

I would be hard-pressed to think they had not adulterated it with something else to lower the cost. 

Along the same lines of Their-oils-are-likely-not-pure: When I use my Young Living Oils, I am able to use them internally. In my experience, other companies put "Not for Internal Use" (or something similar) on their bottles. If Mint is an edible plant, 

what have you mixed with the oil to make it unsafe to eat?

Now to get to the comments made directly about MLMs or Young Living. I'll include another screen shot here because I'm really responding to one commenter but the truth is, I've seen these comments before in other places, and I don't really understand the disconnect with some people...

Well, Charles, you'll likely never read this blog post, and that's okay. You've given me a means of addressing this for others who might have encountered similar comments, so thank you.

On getting your healthcare needs met by a MLM company:

How is getting some or most of your healthcare needs met through a MLM so much worse than going to your local GNC store, Trader Joe's or even someplace like Costco? Each of those retail companies is there for three reasons:

1. to make a profit
2. to help other companies make a profit
3. to bring products to the local people in a way that is easy and efficient for them.

A MLM does have some of these goals as well, but there are also some key differences:

1. most MLM distributors are talking to friends and family about their products, at least in the beginning, and genuinely care about what happens with their health
2. MLM distributors are able to form a more personal relationship with their customers and their fellow distributors, and are therefore somewhat obligated to try to maintain a certain level of integrity
3. MLM distributors use the products they sell (unlike retail stores)
4. I talk to people every day who use Young Living Essential Oils to help with the health issues I know they deal with - allergies, diabetes, high cholesterol, fibromyalgia, etc. Many of them have stopped using conventional medicine because the EOs have proven their effectiveness without the side effects. 
5. The money I earn as a distributor is more of a referral payment than a true "commission." 

• I am never pressured to meet a minimum sales quota each month (doctors often are), 
• I never pressure anyone else to spend more than they're able or more than they want to,
• and as my team uses their oils (using a reference book provided by me so they're able to experience the full benefit of their oils), they share with others, who want similar health benefits. We all win this way.

Finally, the Quackwatch link... 

What to say about a website that seems to dismiss any and all alternative treatments out of hand? There isn't much to say - how do you give rebuttal to someone whose mind is so clearly closed to the possibility that other things might work as well as, or better, than "conventional" medicine? 

First I'll say that there are several other sites out there who have given argument to the Quackwatch deal. I have looked at it, Jeff and I discussed it, and he is far more scholarly than I am. Here is one link to start with:

Essential Oil Seeker

Also, Young Living has issued a rebuttal to the Quackwatch article. It is long so I'll have to post it in a different area. Once I do, I'll link it here as well.

On my side of the argument though, I can go to the Young Living farms, see the distilling machines, see where they put the nearly 30% of YLEOs that are rejected as not being pure enough for YL to sell to customers, I can see and help in the harvesting process... In short, they're open about what they do. I can also ask for the chemical reports on Young Living oils and see that nothing has been added (a percentage of the oils made are sent to Europe for independent testing and certification of purity.) 

On top of that, I have not taken YL claims of the health value to Essential Oils in blind faith. I have asked questions (and still do) that have challenged my leadership team and they have helped me and other distributors that I know find answers. They have not shied away from the harder questions at any time. 

Finally, (and this one is just me and "conventional" western medicine in general): for a long time, acupuncture was mocked and shoved aside by western medicine, and most especially in the United States, largely because it could not be tested in a double blind study and how it works could not be easily explained (if at all). But, again, I personally know people who have been helped by acupuncture when nothing else was effective, and grudgingly, the medical community is starting to look at it as a possibly viable option for treatment. In my experience, much of Western medicine and dentistry views alternative treatment this way. I'm willing to try branching out some.

In short:

Our family has seen benefits to using Young Living Essential Oils. It has made enough of a difference to justify spending a portion of our single-income, large family budget on purchasing more each month.  I am happy to share, I give out samples and hold classes and information nights because I enjoy the fellowship time, and each family has to decide for themselves what is right with regard to medicine - natural vs. synthetic, "alternative" vs "conventional". The more I read and learn the more I know what my choice is. 

If you would like more information about what Young Living Essential Oils can do for you and your family, drop me a line - I'd love to talk, answer questions, and see how your health can be improved by using natural products instead of synthetic medicines with ingredients you can't pronounce and have never heard of.