What are Bach flower remedies?

Bach flower remedies were created by a Harley Street doctor in the early twentieth century. Dr Edward Bach believed that illness originated from conflict within an individual, which indicated an imbalance in their psyche. Dr Bach observed that people who acknowledged the relationship between their emotions and physical health often recovered more quickly from illnesses.

He created thirty eight healing remedies using plant essences, which each treat particular characteristics. For example, Clematis is used to treat those who are dreamy and drowsy, helping them to become happier with their present circumstances and Agrimony helps to bring peace to those who hide worry behind a carefree, cheerful mask.

How do they work?

Dr Bach felt that disease helped to identify the points of conflict within us, which indicate the areas of our personality that we need to work on. Bach believed that the psychological state of an individual will affect the physical body. For example if someone is irritated, they tend to frown. If this continues for a period of time, lines of irritation will develop on the person's face as creases or wrinkles.

So by changing the internal psychological life of an individual, it should be possible to affect their physical well-being. Working from this principle, the remedies should also be able to prevent illness from occurring, by balancing the psyche.

How are they prepared?

The flowers are boiled or steeped in a bowl of water in direct sunlight to prepare a 'mother tincture'. This is the concentrated essence of the flower, which is then diluted before personal use, and suspended in a solution of water and brandy. Brandy is used because it is related to two of the remedies, it is the fruit of the Vine and it is matured in Oak cases. The solution is then diluted in spring water ready for use.

Are they safe to use with pets?

The remedies are safe for all animals, and can be taken directly from the stock bottle and dropped on the animal's mouth or gums. Care should be taken not to break the glass dropper, and to clean it thoroughly if it touches the animal's mouth. Alternatively, two to four drops can be placed in the animal's water or food or rubbed on your hands before petting the animal.

It is not possible to administer too high a dose of the remedies, since they are non-toxic, but if you prefer to use versions of the remedies which do not contain alcohol, you can use the cream or granules, which are also safe for children.

How can they help?

Bach flower remedies can be used to treat animals experiencing emotional or physical distress. For example, pets having trouble settling into a new home or animals recovering from surgery may benefit from the Five Flower remedy, which is a combination of five remedies recommended for times of trauma. It can have a calming and soothing effect on animals in a state of agitation.

This remedy can also help animals which have been abandoned or abused by their owners or on noisy occasions like bonfire night. Many vets use the Five Flower remedy to calm animals before surgery because it is quick acting and has no known side effects. The cream can be applied directly to cuts, since it lowers the risk of scarring and can reduce the recovery time. The cream includes a natural antiseptic and the remedies have gained popularity among pet owners since they contain natural ingredients and can bring relief to animals in distress.

For more information on the Bach flower remedies and their applications, visit www.healingherbs.co.uk