Flower Remedies for Stress Relief and Emotional Wellness

When was the last time you gave someone flowers?  Were you hoping the recipient of your thoughtful gift would feel better or happier?  Were you encouraging their emotional wellness?

"Get well soon", "sorry for your loss", "I’m sorry", "I love you…" whatever the occasion, flowers make us feel better.

Flower remedies harness the energy of flowers to support emotional wellness.

What Are Flower Remedies?

Flower remedies are a type of alternative therapy that use the essence of flowers to promote natural stress relief and emotional and spiritual well-being. 

They were developed by Dr. Edward Bach, who discovered that the energy from specifically chosen flowers can help reduce negative emotions and restore balance in the body. 

Considered a subset of homeopathy, or energy medicine, flower remedies tune our subtle life force, chi, or “vibes” so we feel more like our true selves.

The micro-diluted flower extracts are used by alternative professionals, therapists, and consumers worldwide to manage their emotional well-being. 

History Of Flowers As Medicine 

The history of flower remedies starts with Samuel Hannemann, M.D., who was the first to use micro dilutions as medicine in 1814, establishing that the therapeutic healing power of medicines remained in solution when diluted beyond detection.¹ 

Hannemann believed in the concept of a ‘vital force,’ which is an internal energy that, when balanced, can maintain health. One aspect of his healing modality was that a patient’s psychological characteristics were important in choosing a remedy for an illness. This medicine was called homeopathy.

In the early 1900s, Einstein declared, “the future of medicine will be the medicine of frequencies” when he discovered that “everything is energy,” including thoughts and consciousness. 

Dr. Bach’s Holistic Wellness 

In 1930, Dr. Edward Bach, M.D., founder of Bach® Flower Remedies, bacteriologist, and homeopath, paralleled both Dr. Hannemann’s and Einstein’s theories. He believed that negative states of mind disrupt the natural energy force that underlies the cause of diseases and that emotional stress was detrimental to health.

Dr. Bach created a system to support emotional wellness as a contemporary of Einstein’s which empowered patients to heal themselves through self-awareness and the energy of flower remedy micro-dilutions. These remedies are known today as Dr. Bach’s Flower Essence remedies.

These natural essences help restore inner harmony at subtle levels, supporting the body's innate ability to maintain balance by addressing the connection between emotions, mind, body, and spirit.

Benefits Of Flower Essences

Natural Stress Relief

Emotional balance is important for managing the source of stress caused by modern daily life. Flower remedies have been reported in recent placebo-controlled studies to support healthy stress levels when participants were exposed to high-stress situations. 

In a 2007 study, [flower remedies] represented a useful non-toxic approach in the management of situational anxiety experienced by patients in high-stress areas, such as critical care and in community-based health care settings.²

The study provides evidence in support of the potential biodynamic action of [flower remedies], particularly for the management of high levels of psychosocial stress.²

In 2012, a Brazilian study reported that the group that used the flower remedies had a larger and statistically significant reduction in anxiety level in comparison to the placebo group. Most people in the study (80%) when confronted with stressful events, managed to stay calm, with clear ideas and concentration. The researchers concluded that flower remedies have a positive effect on the reduction of anxiety and provide natural stress relief.³ 

Physicians and nurses in Brazil have recommended flower remedies to their patients since 2009.

Recommendations For Use 

Flower remedies can support healthy stress levels so you feel more like you and not impaired. They come in alcohol-free options and are safe and appropriate to use during any stressful situation, such as while driving, caring for loved ones, and at work.

The remedies are gentle enough to take daily and as often as needed. The remedies are versatile in their usage for optimal benefits:

• A few drops directly in your mouth throughout the day to be ready for stressful situations
• A few drops in your favorite beverage sipped all day long 
• Applied topically on your pulse points 
• Applied to a hot or cold compress and in bath water

Flower remedies can be used by kids, pets and adults with no risk of overdosing, sedation or contraindications. This makes them a complementary addition to anyone’s health routine.

References:

1. I. Loudon, "A Brief History of Homeopathy," Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine, vol. 99, no. 12, pp. 607-610, 2006. 
2. L. D. A. S. V. P.-F. a. M. O.-V. Robert Halberstein, "Healing With Bach® Flower Essences: Testing a Complementary Therapy," Complementary health practice review. Volume 12, Issue 1, pp. 3-80, 2007. 
3. L. f. a. M. J. P. S. Salles, "Effect of flower essences in anxious individuals," Acta Paulista De Enfermagem, vol. 25, no. 2, pp. 238-42, 2012.