Bach Flowers, Their Origin And Benefits

Do you have anxiety, depression, or exhaustion? Are you under deep stress? Alternative medicine suggests ingesting Bach flowers, a natural remedy that is credited with properties that would help improve emotional problems. Now, what would be the supposed benefits of Bach flowers?

Bach flowers are a widespread homeopathic treatment used with the intention of alleviating symptoms related to emotional disorders. Before starting its intake, we recommend consulting with your trusted doctor or psychologist.

The therapy of emotions

Emotions influence all aspects of life. In fact, a study from the University of Cambridge maintains that emotions have a great influence on the work development of each person.

Let’s take an example. Haven’t there been times when you’ve had a terrible day at work, losing documents, tripping over tables, and even feeling pains all over your body? Has it occurred to you that it was due to your emotional situation at the time?

The same would happen with decision making. An analysis published in the Annual Review of Psychology in 2014 under the title Emotion and Decision Making  concluded that emotions directly impact the decisions that each person ultimately makes.

Dr. Bach stated that “to correct a physical illness, it is necessary first to correct the mental and emotional problems of the patient.”

According to his hypothesis, the psychological state of a person has a decisive influence on the appearance of the most varied diseases. But what can we do then?

Bach was a natural medicine enthusiast. He experimented over and over with various wildflowers from the Wales region of Great Britain.

Thus, he determined that using the essence of some flowers, natural remedies could be prepared to “control” excessive fear, anger, shyness and anguish, among many other psycho-emotional imbalances.

This doctor tested his remedies for years on himself and then on many of his patients. Thus, he managed to find 38 flowers with properties that he called “curative”, despite the lack of scientific data and conclusive results in this regard. At present, the elixirs prepared with these flowers are known as: Bach flowers.

Benefits of Bach flowers

Many are the benefits attributed to Bach flower essences. The main one would be that it helps balance the body’s energy by relieving symptoms caused by emotional problems.

At present, many studies continue to put them to the test, such as this one entitled Application of Bach’s flower therapy in children with delayed psychic development . In fact, to this day the benefits of Bach flowers have not been proven.

In recent decades, this branch of alternative medicine has become popular and it is not difficult to understand why. As with other natural remedies, they are attributed a whole series of benefits that are very striking for consumers:

• Bach flowers are said to be 100% natural and contain no chemicals or active substances that interact with other medications.
• It is believed that all individuals, regardless of age, and even in pets could use them.
• Its side effects would be minimal, according to data published on WebMD.
• Many people claim that they would be effective emotionally.

A systematic analysis of existing studies on the action of Bach flowers on pain and psychological problems concluded that Bach flowers would be safe although they could not corroborate their benefits compared to the groups that received the placebo.

Four easy steps to prepare Bach flower elixirs

Preparing Bach flowers is very simple. However, for greater security, we recommend you go to a natural store and purchase a bottle prepared by a specialist. Now, if you wanted to make them at home, you should only follow these four steps:

• Use a 25 or 30 milliliter bottle, sterile and with a dropper and select the flower tincture you need.
• Fill a quarter of the jar with preferably brandy, homeopathic alcohol, vinegar or vegetable glycerin.
• Fill the rest of the jar with purified water.
• Add two drops of the selected floral tincture and shake lightly.

The ABC of Bach flowers

Next, we present the 38 natural remedies of Dr. Bach’s floral system that includes: 34 wild flowers, 3 cultivated flowers and, finally, spring water. This will help you select the essence, or essences, that are right for you.

Flowers from A to C

• Agrimony (Agrimonia): it is recommended to people who hide their emotions and who tend to fall into addictions. These people also tend to obsessively seek acceptance from others.
• Aspen (Aspen): recommended for people who have a strong fear of death or the “supernatural.” Also, it would help reduce phobias and know how to deal with the unforeseen.
• Beech (Haya): designed for intolerant people who tend to criticize and judge. It would help open-mindedness.
• Centaury (Centáurea): for those who seek to please others and are unable to say “no”.
• Cerato (Ceratostigma): recommended for people who do not trust themselves and that leads them to constantly change their opinion.
• Cherry plum (Cerasiferous): a remedy for those who are afraid of losing control. It would help reduce irrational and ruminant thoughts.

• Chestnut bud – Important for those who tend to trip over the same stone.
• Chicory (Chicory): dedicated to overprotective people who tend to dominate and manipulate. They tend to have a possessive and selfish personality, and they often feel like a victim.
• Clematis (Clematis): indicated for those who are unable to focus on the present moment, pay little attention and daydream.
• Crab apple : for those who have low self-esteem and have the feeling that there is something wrong with them.

Flowers from D to I

• Elm (Elm): suitable for all people who are overwhelmed by responsibilities and believe that they are not capable of coping with them.
• Gentian (field gentian): for those who tend to be pessimistic and fall into depression.
• Gorse (Aulaga): dedicated to people who feel they have lost all hope.
• Heather (Heather) – Designed for those who are too self-centered and don’t listen to others, they just talk.

• Holly (Holly): suitable for those who have a lot of jealousy, distrust, envy, hatred and resentment.
• Honeysuckle (Honeysuckle): indicated for those who feel nostalgic for the past and constantly live in it.
• Hornbeam (Leaf or Carpe): recommended for people who get bored easily and who feel that their mind is constantly exhausted.
• Impatiens (Impatience): for those who live too fast and are characterized by being impatient.

Benefits of Bach flowers from J to O

• Larch (Larch): indicated for people who feel inferior and who think they are going to fail.
• Mimulus ( Mimulus ): suitable for those who fear specific and familiar situations, that is, for those who are shy.
• Mustard (Mustard): for people suffering from depression and sadness for no apparent reason.
• Oak : indicated for those who feel that they are fighting against the current and that this prevents them from resting. It would be useful for those who live to work.
• Olive (Olivo): it would allow to give a break to those who feel that both their body and their mind are exhausted.

Flowers from P to S

• Pine (Pine): indicated for people who tend to blame themselves for everything.
• Red chestnut : suitable for those who feel an excruciating fear that something bad will happen to their loved ones.
• Rock rose (Heliantemo or Jarilla): for those who suffer episodes of great anguish and have nightmares at night.
• Rock water : suitable for people who are too rigid and perfectionists. It would help them to be more flexible.
• Scleranthus (Scleranthus): for those who are always at two extremes and suffer a lot for not knowing which to choose, that is, it would be advisable for indecisive people.
• S tar of Bethlehem ( Star of Bethlehem): Essential for those who suffer some physical and mental trauma.
• Sweet chestnut : suitable for those who are on the edge of suffering and feel great despair.

Flowers from T to Z

• Vervain (Verbena): dedicated to people who suffer from fanaticism and who usually carry great responsibilities and problems behind their backs.

• Vine (Vid): indicated for those people who have a thirst for power and for children considered “little tyrants”.
• Walnut (Nogal): suitable for those who are unable to handle difficult situations or who find it difficult to start new stages.
• Water violet : indicated for those who isolate themselves from others because they believe they are superior.
• White chestnut : recommended for those who have strong obsessive or ruminant thoughts.
• Wild oat : for those who have no objectives or goals and for those who desperately seek their mission in life.
• Wild Rose ( Wild rose or Escaramujo): ideal for those who suffer from apathy, disinterest and lack of motivation.
• Willow (Willow): for people who feel victims of fate and who often feel resentment.

Could homeopathy be helpful?

Bach flowers are a homeopathic remedy that is credited with different health benefits. However, these have not been proven by any of the scientific studies carried out, although it has been established that they are safe for health.

It is worth taking the time to educate yourself well before starting to integrate them into the lifestyle. Also, it can always be helpful to consult with your doctor on the matter.

Deborah García Bello , an expert in chemistry, scientific disseminator and author of Everything is a matter of chemistry , affirms that homeopathy becomes “the most expensive sugar in the world” and invites us to reflect on the lack of scientific rigor that this proposal of alternative medicine. This opinion is also shared by JM Mulet, doctor in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and author of Medicine without deception.

In case you want to start taking Bach flowers, keep in mind that their benefits revolve around the placebo effect. 

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