Myths & Truths About Essential Oils

77% of essential oils on the market are synthetic, fake, toxic and dangerous; 22% are adulterated with fillers and 1% are the REAL McCoy.

In the US, essential oils are governed by the perfume act. That means a label can say 100% essential oil, but by law only has to have a small amount of plant material in it. The rest of the bottle can be filled with all kinds of chemical fillers. A common one is propylene glycol - commonly known as anti-freeze. It takes great knowledge and skill in many specialties to cultivate and produce true medical grade essential oils. Young Living herb farms and distilleries are the largest, internationally certified medical grade pure oils grower, distiller and distributor in the world.

What are essential oils and why are they so special?

Essential Oils are the life-blood of the plant. They have a similar biochemistry to human blood - oxygen, nitrogen and carbon. They perform very similar functions: remove waste, transport food and oxygenate cells. Oils have been shown to stimulate the immune system and help the body balance itself for optimal health. Essential oils can kill virus, bacteria, molds, fungus and parasites. They can also help shift your moods and emotions. One drop of Young Living’s peppermint oil is equivalent to 28 cups of peppermint tea.It often requires an entire plant or more to produce a single drop of distilled essential oil.

The Essential Oil Desk Reference defines essential oils: "Essential oils are aromatic volatile liquids distilled from shrubs, flowers, trees, roots, bushes, and seeds. Vegetable oils can become oxidized and rancid over time and are not antibacterial. Essential oils on the other hand cannot go rancid and are powerful antimicrobials. They are chemically very complex, consisting of hundreds of different chemical compounds. Moreover, they are highly concentrated and far more potent than dried herbs . The distillation process is what makes essential oils so concentrated. Essential oils are also different from vegetable oils, such as corn oil, peanut oil, and olive oil. They are not greasy and do not clog the pores like many vegetable oils can."

All Young Living oils are quarantined until they have been thoroughly tested. If there are any discrepancies, they are sent out to other labs to be tested again. Because of Young Living’s commitment to purity, these oils have a very complex testing process that they go through.

The problem is that even if an oil is pure, it may not contain the ingredients that make up and excellent oil. For example, the standard process, in the industry, for distilling an oil may include high temperature and high pressure during distillation, to maximize yield. The plant may have laid in the field for a long period of time before it is processed causing the plant to be too dry and loosing vital chemical compounds. It may be distilled in an aluminum distiller, or chlorinated water might be used compromising the potency. The plants might be laden with petrochemicals like pesticides or fertilizer. If so, during distillation, the chemicals may adversely affect the oil. A hybrid of the plant may be grown, which may not contain the desired molecules. The plant can be harvested at the wrong time in its growth process. Any of these factors can be present, and yet, a manufacturer can still call their oil, "pure". Young Living goes to great lengths to grow the plants that will provide us with what we want in an oil. Young Living is very specific about the soil that the plants are grown in, spring water to water the fields and only stainless steel distillers.

The benefits of diffusing, inhaling and applying therapeutic grade essential oils include:
* Increase cell oxygen
* Increased secretions of endorphins
* Increase secretions of antibodies
* Increased production of ATP (energy fuel used by cells)
* Increased secretions of serotonin
* Increased secretions of hormones
* Increased histamine release, which speeds up the healing process
* Increased circulation and supports immune function
* Increased conversion of amino acids and proteins
* Helps in dealing with emotional trauma
* Helps in promotion of secretion and receptivity of human growth hormone
( HGH )

I am extremely grateful for the knowledge Dr. Gary Young ND, Founder, President and CEO of Young Living Essential Oils has shared with me since 1996. The oils quite literally saved my life from a severe scooter accident in Mexico on the island of Cozumel. I veered of the road, flew over the handlebars and plowed my face into a coral rock at 25 miles an hour. I broke my cheekbones, upper-palate in half, right orbital bone (right eye) and my nose was hanging off on the right side. In a word my face was “hamburger.” Synchronistically an American doctor and the island ambulance came on the scene almost immediately even though my traveling companion, Julie and I were in the middle of no-where. Once in the ambulance Julie and I began chanting a Tibetan chant silently to ourselves to calm the situation and it worked quite well.

After the Cozumel Hospital finished all the X-rays and determined that I would be staying with them for a while. The ear, nose, eye and throat doctor immediately sewed my nose back on. In the meantime Julie was taking care of all the logistics; jamming our suitcases in record time to get our belongings off the cruise ship before it left port and notifying family members, etc. Once settled in my new hospital room equipped with a bed for Julie too. She began applying our abundant supply of Young Living essential oils several times a day directly on my face and neck and shrunk the swelling by 80% in two days. This prepared me for the really big six and a half hour surgery of inserting seven steel plates and 34 screws to hold my face together. As a result I have never suffered any pain what so ever, not even a headache. I was discharged from the hospital after eight days and my life slowed down for about six months. Even within those six months I fell in love, vacationed in Hawaii and got married in Damanhur, Italy. I have very little scaring and no typical head injury symptoms at all. I also began writing a book that is now published about the sequence of events that are truly extraordinary and quite mind-boggling.

Here are the four main essential oils I used to repair the damage. (1) Helichrysum can help support the skin, liver, and nervous system. (2) Frankincense can help boost the immune system, relax muscles and decrease inflammation and depression . (3) Juniper can help nerve repair, release toxins, increase circulation, work as an antiseptic, and release fluid retention. (4) Lavender can help with scaring, pain, and nervous tension.

Young Living has an essential oils first aid kit with nine oils called the “Everyday Oils Kit.” It contains: Frankincense, Lavender, Lemon, Peppermint, PanAway, Peace & Calming, Purification, Thieves, Valor. Essential oils can reduce swelling, slow bleeding, relieve pain, be calming, prevent infection, colds and flu, boost immune system, natural insect repellent, arthritis , memory loss, headaches, hormone balancing, release negative emotions and the list goes on.