Dr. Edward Bach, in the 1930s, developed Bach Flower essences as a self-help process to balance emotions. Using the oral tincture system involves selecting essences according to your mental state. Dr. Bach believed balanced emotions allow your body's natural defense mechanisms to restore health. For situations when you don't have time to select the most appropriate essence, Dr. Bach created a combination remedy. Nelsons Pharmacy, the official distributor of Bach Flowers, provides the Rescue Remedy combination in a spray as well as liquid form. Bach Flowers are available in health food stores and online. They fall under the broad category of naturopathic medicine, which promotes a holistic approach to health with minimal use of surgeries and drugs. Consult your physician before attempting naturopathic remedies at home.
Essences Included
Rock rose, impatiens, cherry plum, Star of Bethlehem and clematis are the essences combined in Rescue Remedy spray. The Bach Centre suggests that rock rose is a remedy against terror and that impatiens restores a sense of calmness. The Centre identifies cherry plum as the remedy for frantic fear and dread associated with stressful situations, while Star of Bethlehem is said to be helpful for the effects of shock. Clematis is defined by the Centre as the essence to help the faint, lightheaded state that may occur during emergencies.
Emergency Use
Rescue Remedy spray is appropriate in emergency situations, states Judy Ramsell Howard in "The Bach Flower Remedies Step by Step." She reports that Dr. Bach first used the remedy in the early 1930s to help revive an unconscious fisherman who had been in a shipwreck. She notes that Rescue Remedy should never replace medical attention but says it can help with the mental anguish of an emergency and allow the body's natural healing to occur more quickly.
Stressful Situations
Rescue Remedy is also said to be calming in nonemergency stressful situations, such as examinations, interviews and doctor or dentist visits, or prior to flying. Nelsons Natural World claims Rescue Remedy spray can provide comfort and support during emotionally demanding and stressful activities encountered in everyday life.
Rescue Spray for Pets
The Bach Centre claims that Rescue Remedy can help animals as well as people. In "Emotional Healing for Horses & Ponies," Stefan Ball and other authors say Rescue Remedy is often given to horses to help calm them in difficult situations. This might include stressful events such as transport or shows, accidents or emergencies, or when administering first aid treatments. They say owners can spray their pets' food or water with the remedy or administer it directly in the mouth.
Preparation
Nelsons, a homeopathic pharmacy and the official distributor of Bach Flowers, manufactures Rescue Remedy spray in 20 ml and 7 ml sizes for distribution throughout North America and Europe. The remedy is prepared using mother tinctures made according to Dr. Bach's instructions from plants collected and prepared at the Bach Centre in England. Drops from each of the five mother tinctures are preserved in 27 percent grape alcohol for the combination remedy. The pharmacy says two sprays is equivalent to four drops of the liquid preparation.
References
- The Bach Centre
- Nelsons Natural World Pharmacy
- "The Bach Flower Remedies Step by Step"; Judy Ramsell Howard; 1990
- "Emotional Healing for Horses & Ponies"; Stefan Ball, Heather Simpson & Judy Howard; 2001
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