“Guess what…, I have this oil that cures <insert ailment here>!” is something that you will never ever hear me say. This is not because I don’t believe an oil can help, but because essential oils work to support health, not cure illness. Additionally, there are many different factors that may affect how an oil works with our bodies. If I were to make such a claim, and it transpires that this oil does not work for someone else (perhaps because of a different underlying root cause), then I could be personally liable if something was to go awry. Medical professionals have professional liability insurance for just these sorts of concerns.
As a representative of a company that is regulated by the FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) I must adhere to strict guidelines and laws about what I can and cannot say. If you were to look at the Young Living website, you will notice that they take FDA compliance extremely seriously and you will not find any non-compliant information. At times I have found this obligation frustrating because I want to shout from the rooftops about something that has personally worked for my family, but these rules are in place to protect us from false advertising; what works for one person may not work for you, as all bodies are different. Instead, I am grateful for the opportunity to share insights about how oils can support our health and wellness, rather than cure disease and illness.
I should mention at this point that a customer (or anyone that does not actually sell the products) is allowed to speak freely and is not constrained in any way by the FDA, and so a quick google search will reveal plenty of testimonials and information about the power of oils. There are even books and apps from verified third parties that will give information and suggestions about how oils might be used; remember that this is permissible only because these parties are not selling the products. However, something to be mindful of is that the properties of oils from different companies vary and therefore it’s important to consider the source when looking at information on the World Wide Web – but that is a topic for another blog!
First published August 24, 2018
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