Bach Rescue Remedy® For Coping with Stress (and a small tribute to Snicklefritz)

Bach Rescue Remedy® For Coping with Stress

This posting presents information based mostly on anecdotal evidence. The technology is currently not available to measure how flower essences work. Bach Flower Essences® fall into the realm of complementary and alternative medicine along with Chinese medicine and acupuncture, herbal medicine, aromatherapy, homeopathy, and others. You do not find exhaustive scientific data supporting these modalities, but still much of the worlds population benefit from these modalities. This posting is primarily based on my experience with Bach Rescue Remedy®. First we will look at what Rescue Remedy® is before I get into why I use it.

What Are the Bach Flower Essences®
The Bach Flower Essences® are all natural, very dilute solutions made from spring water, an alcohol preservative, and the parts of specific flowers. They are used to help balance the emotions and bring about a state of equilibrium in living organisms, and have been successfully used with people, animals, and even plants. Bach Flower Essences® are listed in the Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia of the United States (HPUS), have been issued with National Drug Code (NDC) numbers by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and are sold as over-the-counter homeopathic products in the United States.

Although the Bach Flower Essences® are listed in the HPUS and are prepared at a 5X homeopathic dilution (0.00001 gram of active substance per milliliter of tincture) they are not considered homeopathic medicine. While they are prepared from plant material, they do not fall in the same category as herbal medicine. The fact that we refer to them as “essences” suggests to some that they are aromatherapy—the use of essential oils and other aromatic compounds from plants to affect someone's mood or health—which they are not. Flower essences fill their own unique niche in the arsenal of complementary medicine. Like homeopathy, Chinese medicine and acupuncture and Reiki, the Bach Flower Essences® work at an energetic level in the body. This class of complementary therapies is usually called vibrational medicine. In his book, A Practical Guide to Vibrational Medicine , Dr Richard Gerber, a physician, describes vibrational medicine and the Bach Flower Essences® thusly:

“ Vibrational medicine is based upon modern scientific insights into the energetic nature of the atoms and molecules making up our bodies, combined with ancient mystical observations of the body's unique life-energy systems that are critical but less well understood aspects of human functioning. Bach believed that his flower remedies would not only neutralize negative emotional — and mental — energy patterns but also infuse positive vibrations associated with specific virtues into an individual such as the virtues of love, peace, steadfastness, gentleness, strength, understanding, tolerance, wisdom, forgiveness, courage or joy .”

The Chinese call this energy Qi, homeopaths call it vital force, and Dr. Bach called it “positive vibrations.” While we cannot currently use scientific instruments to measure any of these forms of energy, many believe in their healing ability. Bach Flower Essences are not used to treat physical disease, but rather the emotional state of the patient. They can be used to help resolve fear and anxiety, anger, grief, and many other emotions. Common sense and numerous research studies have shown how stress can have a negative impact on the immune system. Anything that we do to reduce or relieve stress, including use of Bach Flower Essences®, has the potential to positively affect our immune system and thus aid in maintaining physical health.

Bach Rescue Remedy®, the most well known of the Bach Flower Essences®, is a combination flower essences formula created specifically for addressing stress in emergency or crisis situations. The essences used in this formula help with trauma and shock (Star of Bethlehem), terror and panic (Rock Rose), hysteria or loss of control (Cherry Plum), impatience and agitation (Impatiens), and faintness and stunned feelings (Clematis). It is usually only used for acute or emergency situations, but can be used for treating chronic conditions, when appropriate. It can help after an accident or in any situation that causes extreme anxiety, nervousness or terror. Rescue Remedy® often has an immediate calming effect, and is safe, gentle, and non-toxic. It may be taken as often as needed without fear of overdosing.

Why I use Bach Rescue Remedy®
Even now as I write this post I sit here stunned over the loss of a pet. Monday June 8, 2009 we had our cat, Snicklefritz, put to sleep. We knew that the day was approaching, but we still tried to fight it. The vet and his staff were incredibly helpful and compassionate as we tried to spare Snicklefritz’s life. We only have speculation as to what caused his decline, but his health issues kept increasing. Fellow owners of cats can appreciate the personalities and mannerisms of they exhibit. Sunday afternoon in his own way, Snicklefirtz let us know that he was done fighting and the struggle that remained was our emotional preparedness.

I know that to some I am humanizing my pet, but that does not change the amount of love I have for him. In this time of loss I do have a hope and belief in a loving, caring God. This pain just reinforces my belief in a divine creator. In my mind I can not rationalize how these emotions I feel evolved from a single cell organism. I see this love for my pet as a small reflection of how great the love of God is. This provides some consolation in my time of pain, but I know that this hurt will pass…

Why am I sharing this loss? Partly to express the pain but also to share how Rescue Remedy® has helped to take the edge off. Up to this point I used it only for superficial things like dealing with a looming project deadline, before a presentation, dealing with upset employees or patients. I find myself longing as I walk around the house and see Snicklefritz’s favorite spots, water dish, or food bowl. Rescue Remedy® provides a small relief were drugs fail. Emotions are such a complex component of the human being and science struggles to define and explain them. I am really trying to keep this from sounding like a sales pitch, but I want to share a safe way to help those that are hurting. Please share your own way to grieve and together we can find emotional health.

Even now I pray for comfort from God.