Why I Will NEVER Use Young Living Essential Oils

Some of you may be shocked or offended but the title of this post (and it's gonna be a LONG one) but there is so much mis-information out there and I am hell-bent on educating the public about safe use of essential oils, so this post has been a long time coming. What has put me over the edge was reading a blog post from a YL rep about natural eye drops using essential oils.  Please read this! I have years of training and experience with using essential oils safely and what I know is scientific. I get none of my information from a multi-level marketing company that only cares about making money from the gullible. Many of the reps for Young Living (and Do Terra) are like brainwashed cult members who receive all of their "training" from the company.

The oils are drastically overpriced. Yes, good essential oils are going to cost more money but in this case you are NOT paying for better quality. You are paying for layer upon layer of commissions for the reps and recruits.

They claim to be the only company with pure therapeutic quality essential oil, therefore making them safe to be used undiluted on the skin. I'm not even sure where to start with this BS! First of all, there are LOTS of companies who sell pure, high quality essential oils and even have them tested to prove it.  Second, there is no such thing as "therapeutic grade".Who is grading them? There is no certifying body for essential oil quality. As far as using oils undiluted, or "neat" on the skin-well, that depends on the oil. Very few can be safely used this way (lavender, tea tree, rosalina, MQV and not much else). Their claims with this are all over the place. They say if you experience burning with anybody else'soils it's a sign that they are contaminated. If you experience burning with their oils it's a sign your body is detoxing. Well, how convenient. Sorry to burst your bubble but if an essential oil burns your skin it's because of the chemistry of the oil. If you put straight cinnamon or oregano oil on your skin itWILL BURN.  I say if it doesn't THAT is a sign it isn't pure, no matter whose oil it is!

Young Living claims that their steam distilled Frankincense contains boswellic acid. No it doesn't.That molecule is far too heavy to be carried over in a steam distillation. If you bother to do any honest research on essential oil chemistry you will find out that diterpenes are the absolute heaviest molecule that can be carried over in steam and even at that not many oils contain diterpenes.

Young Living promotes dangerous practices. He recommends all of his oils and blends for internal use.  I am NOT opposed to internal use of essential oils but, here, you need to understand the chemistry and what you are ingesting. Some of his blends contain Tansy oil. Which one? The safe annual kind (AKA Blue Tansy) or the very toxic perennial? I can't emphasize enough that a substance isn't safe just because it's natural. Petroleum is natural-would you drink oil? Poison Ivy is natural-would you roll naked in it? Would you let your child eat all the pokeberries they want or let your dog chew on the Christmas poinsettias?

We live in the age of the internet and we have more information available to us than ever before in the history of our species. It never ceases to amaze me how many people are too lazy to find information for themselves. I absolutely believe in the power of aromatherapy but I also understand it has its limits. It is NOT a magic bullet for all of your problems. And you certainly MUST learn how to use them SAFELY and with RESPECT. You shouldn't put straight orange oil on your wood furniture and you sure as HELL shouldn't put rosemary oil IN YOUR EYES!

Here are some important links I want everyone to look at.

Gary Young Arrest

The Truth about Gary Young

Gary Young Shocking Exploits

Young Living’s Fake Products

Is Gary Young an MD?

The FB page for Essential Oil University is run by Dr. Robert Pappas who has an actual PhD in chemistry. Not a mail-order degree, and actual degree and he is an actual college professor and works as a chemist in real life. He tests essential oils for various companies, including Young Living. He is currently testing samples of frankincense to prove the boswellic acid thing.

In short, I won't use Young Living oils because they are MASSIVELY overpriced, and no matter how good they are, I will not put one penny in the pocket of a man who I consider to be unethical and dangerous.

Essential Oils Scam: NOT a Medical Treatment

Social media has been exploding over the last year with claims that essential oils have cured all sorts of diseases and illnesses. Obviously, this is a total scam. Even worse, essential oils are being pushed through multi-level marketing (also a scam) with companies such as doTERRA and Young Living.

What is the real story about essential oils and multi-level marketing? As our friend Lazy Man has said: No, Your MLM Health Product Doesn’t “Work.” (This most definitely includes Medifast, Herbalife, Xyngular, Isagenix, Usana, and any other MLM with a “health product.”) 

Essential oils are the oil of particular plants, and can come from the flowers, leaves, roots, bark, or peels of plants. They are called “essential” because they contain the “essence of” the plant’s fragrance, but not because they are essential for any health needs. Essential oils have been used for years in aromatherapy, household cleaning products, and some personal care products.  They smell good, which can be relaxing and can also enhance different cleaning processes. They may also help moisturize skin, assist in the treatment of conditions such as acne, and enhance the appearance of skin.

The controversy about essential oils relates to their supposed medicinal properties. Some claim they have antioxidants, antrimicrobials, and anti-inflammatories. I don’t doubt that essential oils may have some of these properties on a small scale. But essential oils most certainly do not heal broken bones. While the oils can help with minor burns, they definitely do not heal serious burns. They don’t cure autism, Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, arthritis, multiple sclerosis, cancer, or any other potentially serious illnesses. Some of the advice being offered by pretend doctors and pretend scientists can be downright dangerous. (And essential oils shouldn’t be ingested EVER or used without diluting them first.)

Harriet Hall, MD, who we have quoted here before, takes doTerra to task for its unsupported claims about essential oils:

They say modern science is validating “the numerous health and wellness benefits of essential oils” but they don’t identify those benefits or offer any evidence. No clinical studies are cited, and there is no research section on their website.

The published evidence is sparse to nonexistent. There are clinical studies to support a few of the recommended uses, but they are generally poorly designed, uncontrolled, and unconvincing. Research is difficult, because patients can’t be blinded to the odors, and mental associations and relaxation could account for most of the observed effects.

And Dr. Hall points us to some really interesting information about D. Gary Young, the founder of Young Living. Be careful who you trust. Dr. Hall writes:

I first heard of essential oils years ago in connection with Gary Young, described on Quackwatch as “an uneducated huckster with a track record of arrests for health fraud.” Gary Young and his Essential Oils are still in business despite the devastating critique that has long been featured on Quackwatch. The record of misdeeds there makes for painful reading. Among other things, he practiced medicine without a license, was arrested repeatedly, did bogus lab tests, and contributed to the death of his own child by performing an underwater delivery and holding the newborn infant underwater for an hour. His judgment about medical matters is obviously not very trustworthy.

I did some very brief research on these claims, and found additional information on Mr. Young in this article and this article, both by Eva Briggs, MD.

Roy Benaroch, MD (yes, an actual doctor!) writes about essential oils:

Is there any reason to think there are broad health benefits from essential oils, as a group? Many of them smell good, and I imagine that used in a sort of aroma therapy they might be relaxing to people who like the smell of lemon, cedarwood, patchouli, or hyssop. But statements referring to essential oils collectively as having near-magical health benefits are just plain silly.

Some essential oils probably do offer health benefits, but many can be harmful if used incorrectly; and since selling these is intertwined with questionable business practices, it’s unlikely that Kayla is going to get reliable or balanced health information from local distributors. Don’t waste your money or endanger your health—stay away from the multilevel marketing of essential oils.

In order to make the products look legitimate (or look like they’re superior to other products out there), MLM companies are prone to lying, exaggeration, and misleading. One such example is doTERRA’s claim that their products are Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade. What does CPTG mean? Absolutely nothing. It’s a phrase that doTERRA made up and got a trademark on. In essence, doTERRA is saying “our essential oils are high quality because we say they are.”

It is common for the representatives of multi-level marketing companies to make all sorts of false claims about the healing properties of their products. These essential oil companies are no different, and the Food and Drug Administration has taken notice. Young Living received a warning letter from the FDA last year, telling the company that representatives are not permitted to make drug claims about the products.  doTERRA also received a warning letter from the FDA last year, pointing out that the essential oils “…are not generally recognized as safe and effective for use under the conditions prescribed, recommended, or suggested in their labeling.”

Both product lines were falsely pushed to cure or prevent ebola:

The website www.theoilessentials.com reportedly wrote “[T]he Ebola virus cannot survive in the presence of a therapeutic grade Cinnamon Bark and Oregano essential oil.” 

The website www.essentialsurvival.org wrote “Thieves [a proprietary Young Living blend] oil can be . . . applied topically on the skin to help the body fight off infection . . . If Ebola was going around in my area . . . I would apply it to my feet and armpits 2x/day or more and take it in capsules at least 2x/day for preventive purposes,” and “If I were exposed to Ebola or had reason to believe I could be sick with it, I would use some of these oils every 10 minutes for a few hours, then cut back to every hour for the rest of the first day. Then I would use them every 2 waking hours of the day for at least a week, or longer if it was known I was sick.”

A doTerra distributor wrote “Many Essential Oils are highly Anti-viral. I list here a few of them those (sic) oils that could help prevent your contracting the Ebola virus . . ..” on a Twitter account credited to “MrsSkinnyMedic.”

There were also claims that doTERRA and Young Living essential oils cured all sorts of other illnesses, such as “…Parkinson’s disease, autism, diabetes, hypertension, cancer, insomnia, heart disease, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), dementia, and multiple sclerosis,” according to the FDA letter.

Here’s the bottom line: Essential oils do not cure illnesses or medical conditions. They possibly make people feel better, and may have a minimal effect on very minor skin conditions. But that’s it. Essential oils won’t heal your cancer, broken bones, migraines, dimentia, fybromyalgia, autism or anything else. And if used incorrectly, essential oils can be dangerous.

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Gary Young Arrest

The Truth about Gary Young

Gary Young Shocking Exploits

The day Young Living broke my heart

Gary Young somolia

Shady Sourcing: Why I Can’t Trust Young Living’s Essential Oils

Last week, was a total treat—I was invited to tour the farm that supplies the organic milk and free-range eggs that I buy at my local health store. Let's just say that getting some face-to-face time with the farm’s five new calves, was the highlight of my summer. Anyways, the drive home was filled with an epiphany moment: that brand's ethics matter—really, really matter.

It might sound overly sentimental, but knowing where/how a product is sourced can make a profound difference. Being “source aware” is good for the soul, it’s good for the body, and it’s good for this friendly place we called Earth.

I started thinking about the origins of other products that I use on the daily.  I was feeling pretty good about my Mrs. Meyers cleaning products, Puracy Shampoo, and SSEKO bags (gold, leather, and fair trade—yes, please!)  but what about all my EO's (essential oils)?  Somewhere between pouring drops of Lemon and Eucalyptus oils in my diffuser and sparkling water, I thought "Wait, where is this really coming from?"

So, I dived into some research.  First off, I have to admit (blush) I wasn’t the brand-loyal girl out-there, so my essential oils drawer had a bit of everything—Young Living, doTERRA, and a couple other labels like Aura Cacia and Fabulous Franny.  Anyways, turns out a little digging revealed quite a lot:

The (Seemingly) Good:  Of all the brands I had in my oil entourage, both Young Living and doTERRA seemed to address and publish both their sourcing and ethics the most openly. doTERRA stands by their “Source to You” (a really indepth program that covers all sorts of good policies—from partnering with underdeveloped countries/fair trade to super transparent sourcing) and Young Living had this neat "Seed to Seal" promise. Their website emphasized their oil’s purity came from owning their own farms and controlling what goes into every bottle.

The Sketch: Okay, here’s where the bad news comes in, as I was looking into whole "Seed to Seal" from Young Living, I realized it’s sounds fantastic, but it is a bold-faced lie. Young Living claims to control all their oil sourcing, but when you take time to look at how many farms they own (and compare it to the amount of products they sell) things really, really don’t add up. We're talking about seven farms creating all products every year? Yep—that’s impossible. The more research I did, the worse it got.

On the flip side, when it comes to sourcing,  I give the thumbs up to doTERRA’s oil origins. First off, they are a heck of a lot more realistic. I really appreciated all the material they publish about where each oil comes from—with a map, links, and stories describing the partnership farms all over the world. Plus, I became an ever bigger fan when I read about their Co-Impact Initiative. Three cheers for transparency! You can even find super specific details on doTERRA setting up ethical working practices everywhere from Nepal to Somalia and Madagascar.

And then the Ugly: Jumping back to Young Living, things went from bad to worse when I found this article all about false documentation. This lead me to a chain of examples where third-party testers discovering synthetic substitutes in Young Living’s oils, like Jasmine and Birch. All that info made me more than a bit sad—the whole purpose of essential oils was to embrace Mother Nature’s way of bringing us back in balance. But touting an oil is “all” natural when it’s synthetic is just aggravating. It’s like putting a “12-grain Sprouted Wheat” label on white bread. Not okay.

Anyways, on Saturday, when I went to purchase frankincense oil—it wasn’t a hard choice.  Young Living’s and Doterra’s prices are about the same (in fact doTERRA is slightly less expensive) but I felt a lot better swiping my card for doTERRA because A.) they aren’t hiding their sources B.) their third party testing C.) their actively working to be ethically/socially responsible.  Here's to the investing in the good stuff!

WHY I PASSED ON YOUNG LIVING ESSENTIAL OILS

This may come as a jolt to my doTERRA friends — prepare yourselves — but I used to love Young Living oils (blush). I was even an avid Gary Young fan (oh remorse). Fortunately, just as I was gearing up to attend the 2013 Young Living convention, I had a candid conversation with my sister (the skeptic in the family) that started me down a path of research and realization. (I hate it when my sister’s right). Here’s what I discovered so you can avoid making my embarrassing mistake.

The Founder is a Criminal

Gary Young has a very colorful past. I didn’t want to believe it at first, but the police records and court documentation is all legitimate. The first three arrests occurred back in 1981, 1983, and 1988 — when Gary Young consistently practiced medicine without a license (he only has a high school diploma). Gary Young served a total of 120 days in jail and spent two years on probation.

Then in 1993 Gary Young was arrested in Fife, Washington, for setting up an unlicensed medical practice. This time he plead guilty to the charges. In response to Gary Young’s less-than-ethical business practices, Young Living notified Gary Young of his imminent termination as CEO. This is where things get bizarre. Police documents and court records give a detailed account of how Gary Young broke into the Young Living’s premises and threatened multiple employees (including family members) with an axe. He had to be forcibly detained by police, and the Superior Court of Washington issued both Young’s family and his employees protective orders due to Gary’s violent behavior. True story.

“Seed to Seal” is a Sham

Young Living loves to boast that they control the entire process from “Seed to Seal,” but the numbers simply don’t add up. Consider this: Young Living only maintains seven[1] farms while still claiming to grow 90 different oils (for approximately 3 million distributors). There’s no way those limited hectares could produce their entire line of products.

Young Living actively hides the fact that they outsource many of their oils. Which makes me wonder, who are these shadow growers and distillers? Can they be trusted? In stark contrast, doTERRA is fully transparent in their partnering with hundreds of fair trade co-ops in over 33 different countries — often relying on small, community-run farms to grow plants in their indigenous locations (because location key in plant potency).

The Evacuation

Some people refer to this transition as an “exodus” but honestly, it was more of an “evacuation.” Emily Wright, Dr. David Hill, Greg Cook, and David Sterling left Young Living after repeatedly witnessing Gary Young’s alarming lack of ethics. For example, Gary Young claimed in Young Living seminars to have performed life-saving surgeries!? This, from a man who only has a high school diploma!? I say bravo to the doTERRA execs for putting their conscious ahead of their financial security and walking away.

More Isn’t Merrier.

When it comes to oils, I appreciate that doTERRA puts purity over profit by focusing on 40 oils instead of the 90+ that Young Living mass produces. This may sound a bit counterintuitive, but consider which restaurant you would trust more: one with dozens upon dozens of entrees or one with a selective list. Whose ingredients do you think will be the most fresh? Which dishes will be the most refined?

Likewise, when you consider how much time and rigorous testing it takes to secure its CPTG certification, I love that doTERRA doesn’t spread their resources too thin.

Counting the Cost

I approach essential oil pricing like I do at Costco (ahh…the magic of unit pricing). So that’s another big plus when it comes doTERRA oils. Let’s say you were looking for a generic starter kit with about 7 oils. You’d probably compare Young Living’s Everyday Oils Kit (6, 5-ounce blends and 4, 5-ounce oils: Wholesale cost $130) to doTERRA’s Introductory Essentials + Mood Management Kit (5, 15-ounce blends and 3, 5-ounce oils: Wholesale cost: $20 + $115= $135). With doTERRA you’d 25ml more. Worth the extra $5? You bet!

Spurious Marketing

Young Living has a history of bold-faced lies. It’s a habit that started with their founder and continues to this day.

● In 1983, Gary Young claimed in flyers that he graduated from the The American Institute of Physioregenerology. Yet according to the Institute’s founder, Gary Young was a dropout. He never completed 2/3rds of his coursework and owed a significant amount in tuition.

● In a brochure from 1987, Gary Young stated that his paralysis was healed by “Oscillation Frequency Infusion,” alone. In the 90s, his story conveniently changed. He now claims that his recovery was solely due to essential oils and fasting.

● Gary Young touts he received the Humanitarian Award from the State Medical Examiner’s Office of Baja, California. The State Medical Examiner’s Office has flatly denied that they have ever awarded Gary Young anything.

● Gary Young asserted he trained in aromacology from the Royal Masonic Hospital in London. The Royal Masonic Hospital stated that they have no record of Gary Young at all.

● Up until 2002, Young Living’s website boasted that Gary Young was Utah Certified Neuropath. The Utah Division of Occupational and Professional Licensing (UDOPL) contacted Young Living and insisted that the statement be removed. You can still find this blatant lie on Gary Young’s personal website.

Wrap Up

Ultimately, I am relieved to now secure my oils from an organization named one of “America’s Best Employers” by Forbes. Every time I rub lavender oil on my toddler’s feet, I know that I can trust both doTERRA’s products and their roots.

And that, my friends, is why I chose doTERRA.

this is how many they list on their “Seed to Seal” website…do you know of any other documentation?

A Colorful, Criminal Past: Gary Young

Over the past month I have come to reluctantly accept that Gary Young—the founder and CEO of Young Living—is not the man he claims to be.

The process of admitting that someone you admire is actually, well, a con artist, is painful. So, I understand the impulse to rationalize in his defense. (“He’s a great healer!” “You are just a hater!” “Where’s the proof?” etc.,)

Heck, I’m guilty of writing all of those comments myself. Yet, as more documents surfaced online, justifying it all became emotionally exhausting. I was practically carrying lavender oil everywhere I went.

Eventually, I had to come to terms with the fact that this man is a convicted psychopath. Yes, Gary Young was arrested not once, not twice, but five times (one of which involved threatening his own family members with an axe)! I have listed the sources below. Check them out; unfortunately, they’re all legit.

1981: First Arrest—Spokane, Washington

Gary Young was arrested and convicted for practicing medicine without a license at Golden Six Health World (his first clinic). Despite lofty claims to the contrary, Gary Young only has a high school diploma. He was sentenced to 30 days in jail and a year-long probation.

See Colwell C.D. State of Washington v. Donald Gary Young. In the Superior Court of the State of Washington in and for the County of Spokane. Information No. 83-1-0235-5; filed March 8, 1983.

1983: Second Arrest—Spokane, Washington

On March 9, Gary Young offered cancer treatment and prenatal care to an undercover cop. He was arrested by the Washington State Police Force for again practicing medicine without a license.

It was discovered that he distributed literature claiming he was a graduate of “The American Institute of Physioregenerology.” The institute’s founder went on record stating that Gary Young had dropped out after only a few classes and owed $1,800 in unpaid tuition fees.

Gary received a 60 day suspended sentence and another year probation.

You can read about this arrest here in the Spokane Chronicle.

1988: Third Arrest—Fife, Washington

Again, Gary Young was arrested for practicing medicine without a license. He served 60 days in jail and another year in probation.

You can find articles chronicling this arrest in the San Diego Union on March 8, March 11, and June 18.

1993: Fourth Arrest—Fife, Washington

Gary was arrested yet a fourth time for an unlicensed medical practice and plead guilty to the charges[1] .

1993: Fifth Arrest—Spokane, Washington

On September 27, Young was terminated from Young Living, Inc. for fraudulent misrepresentation of himself as a doctor, misuse of company funds to support his personal endeavors, and overall erratic behavior.

Court and police records reveal that two days later, he returned to the company. He attempted to force entry into the office by removing a door’s hinge pins and battering at the door with the axe. He then shoved his second wife down the stairs and confronted his son and an employee at the back door with the axe. He had to be forcibly removed by the police. His shaken victims were each issued protective orders by the Superior Court of Washington.

In later court action in Utah County, Utah, several of Young’s family members including his mother, sister, and niece, filed sworn affidavits. These documents reveal that Young was physically abusive to his children (spanking them when they were infants and kicking them with his pointy-toed cowboy boots). Even his own mother went on record stating that he mentally and emotionally abused her[2] .

Ultimately, I don’t know which is more disgusting: the truth behind Gary Young’s slick facade or Young Living’s continued cover up on his behalf.

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I think it is worth releasing this source.

I think it is worth releasing this source as well