HEALTH: The calming power of flowers

Edward Bach was a doctor, bacteriologist and pathologist whose primary research before the First World War was in vaccines (bachcentre.com). Despite being diagnosed in 1917 with an incurable illness, he recovered and decided to follow a holistic approach to medicine, treating the person not just the disease. That quest led him to homeopathy and then, in the 1930s, to the use of flowers to ameliorate negative emotions. Dr Bach created 38 flower remedies plus Rescue Remedy. He died in 1936.

‘Flower remedies act as a tool to support our emotions and restore harmony,’ according to GP and former prison doctor Dr Andrew Tresidder, who also teaches health and self-care to health professionals for the British Medical Association.

‘Everything is composed of vibrations. Nature – like music – provides these vibrations in harmonious patterns. Flower remedies are the healing vibrations of a plant,’ he explains. If that seems wacky, consider a compact disc. That flat piece of plastic contains a vibrational imprint, which gives us sounds – and we take that for granted.

Rescue Remedy is a blend of flower essences to comfort and reassure: impatiens, clematis, star of Bethlehem, cherry plum and rock rose. A friend turns to white chestnut (also in Rescue Night) for racing thoughts.

For Dr Tresidder, ‘Holly was the essence that proved to me they were not working at a placebo level. My two-year-old daughter was suffering from toddler jealousy and nothing seemed to help. Finally, after three weeks, we gave her Holly in her beaker. After two days she was a changed child, full of love and happiness again.’

Flower essence therapist Chris Phillips has written Treating Depression Naturally: How Flower Essences Can Help Rebalance Your Life (Floris Books, £12.99*), which comes recommended by Dr Tresidder.

Original post at Daily Mail

Publishing date: Nov-12-2017