Bach flower remedies were created by Dr˳ Edward Bach˳ He thought that negative emotions were the cause of illness˳ He devised 38 negative feelings that people have˳ Dr˳ Bach matched a flower remedy to each of emotions˳ The Bach Flower remedies are each used for a different type of emotional state˳
Contrary to popular belief, Bach flower remedies are not homeopathic˳ It is true that both forms of medicines are diluted and create no side effects˳ Homeopathy and Bach Flower essences are both diluted but in a totally different manner˳ Flower remedies are diluted via the sun method for some essences˳ For plants that bloom when there is limited sunlight, these remedies are diluted by boiling method˳ Bach remedies do not follow the homeopathy laws of similars or successive dilutions˳ Bach flowers try to create a positive energy to negate a negative energy˳
In the sun method, the flowers are placed in a container with fresh water˳ The container is left in the sun for several hours˳ Bach believes the sun rays would transfer energy to the medicine˳ After the flowers are taken out of the water, they are put into a container˳ Alcohol is added to preserve the flower˳ An equal amount of water is also added to dilute the remedy˳ The final product is a liquid based flower essence˳ The dilutions can also be made into a cream or spray˳
In the boiling method, flower essences are put into a pot of water˳ They are boiled in water˳ The remedies are boiled several times with the water being replenished after each boiling interval˳ After several boiling intervals, the remedy is mixed with an equal amount of alcohol and water˳ The boiling method is necessary due to the fact that many flowers bloom when the sun is not shining˳ This is really the only way to create the essence without the sun˳
The most popular flower remedy is called rescue remedy˳ Rescue remedy is a combination of 5 flower essences which are Rock Rose, Impatiens, Clematis, Star of Bethlehem and Cherry Plum˳ There is also a rescue remedy cream that contains these 5 flowers plus Crab Apple˳ Rescue remedy is suppose to be used during anxiety and panic attacks˳
Research on the Bach flower remedies is limited˳ These flower remedies were tested in a few double blind placebo trials˳ The results of these studies are given below˳
In one trial, 100 university students in England were recruited˳ The trial examined whether rescue remedy could help relieve stress and anxiety as compared to a placebo˳ The students were given questionnaires to fill out so researchers knew of their mental state˳ After 8 days, the students were reevaluated˳ The Bach remedies show no better effect than a placebo˳[1]
In a second trial, children with ADHD were given Bach rescue remedy˳ In the three month study, Bach flower remedies showed no better effect than a placebo˳ Although, both the placebo and the flower remedies reduced the symptoms with ADHD˳[2]
The final trial is the most recent trial with Bach Rescue Remedy˳ This trial observed 111 people between ages 18-49 in a double blind clinical trial˳ The standard mean to evaluate anxiety was used before and after administering the rescue remedy and the placebo˳ The study suggest that rescue remedy may be able to reduce high level of situational anxiety as compared to the placebo˳[3]
Bach flowers have not been research extensively˳ Some studies suggest the remedies are no better than a placebo˳ Other study suggest that these remedies may help in stressful situations˳ More research using well conducted placebo based trials needs to be done to give a definite conclusion on how effective these remedies can be˳
References
1) E˳ Ernst (December 30 2002)˳ “”Flower remedies”: a systematic review of the clinical evidence”˳ Wiener Klinische Wochenschrift 114 (23-24): 963-966˳ PMID 12635462˳
2) H˳ Walach, C˳ Rilling, U˳ Engelke (July 2001)˳ “Efficacy of Bach-flower remedies in test anxiety: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial with partial crossover”˳ Journal of Anxiety Disorders 15 (4): 359-366˳ doi:10˳1016/S0887-6185(01)00069-
3) University of Miami School of Nursing in conjunction with The Sirkin Creative Living Center (SCLC) research study on Bach Flower Remedies˳
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