NZ Online Pharmacy

Posted on 30th Apr 2009 @ 1:53 PM

Natural remedies have long been used in traditional medicine and remain popular despite the advent of modern synthetic drugs. Naturopathy is a health discipline based on enhancing the body's own natural ability to defend and repair itself, using therapies such as homeopathy, herbal remedies, nutritional adjustments and the use of plant essences. In terms of stress relief, supplements such as St John's Wort and Kava have been shown to help alleviate tension and anxiety, amongst other symptoms. However, for immediate effective relief, many people have caught on to the idea of using flower essences to aid in stress relief and clarity of mind.

At the turn of the twentieth century, Dr. Edward J. Bach pioneered the use of plant remedies in medicine, encountering much resistance with traditional health professionals who were dismissive of his methods. However, over the years his ideas have gathered momentum as the public has been more interested in alternative therapies to help treat the causes of their ailments, rather than their symptoms. His approach was radically different from that used by conventional medicine as he operated on intuition rather than scientific protocol, and for that he was shunned by the medical community.

Flower essence therapy has been compared to homeopathy, although it does not follow the same principles. Dr. Bach's view was that the issues of the body could be helped by clarifying the mind and resolving the inner conflicts between soul and personality, which manifest as physical ailments. The flower essences consist of a 1:1 brandy and water dilution containing very small amounts of flower material. Dr. Bach used his intuition to attribute different healing powers to different flowers based on which ones he found benefited his own ailments and negative feelings. The "flower essence" is a collection of the energy pattern of the flower, and different flowers emit different patterns, thus serving different uses. For example, the aptly named flower essence of Impatiens is said to help relieve impatience.

Today, Bach Flower remedies are a popular option for stress relief, the most famous being Rescue Remedy. Rescue Remedy is used in times of tension, trauma, shock, nervousness, anxiety, sleeplessness and other stressful states . It uses a combination of five flower remedies - Clematis, Impatiens, Star of Bethlehem, Cherry Plum, and Rock Rose and is available in a pastille form, drops, or as a spray under the tongue. There have been expansions to the the Rescue Remedy concept, including a formula to aid sleeplessness, and even a remedy for pets to ease nerves in stressful situations such as going to the vet's surgery. Flower essences are also available in cream or lotion form.

There are combinations other than the five flower Rescue Remedy version, however. First Light Flower Essences of New Zealand is an example of a company which categorizes plant essences in terms of their beneficial properties. The flower essences may be used on their own, or it is possible to combine different flower essences together in formulas to suit individual needs. There are also ready-made combinations designed for particular circumstances, such as the emotional and mental changes occurring during life events such as the death of a loved one, relationship changes, pregnancy, birth, travel, exams and so on. Some combinations are also created to help enhance personal aspects such as creativity, confidence, serenity, spirituality, or sensuality. With a personal consultation, the right flower essence combination can be tailor-made to the client's requirements.

The flower essence combinations can also be supplied to other companies which incorporate them into their products. The naturopathic Joie De Vivre Emotional Rescue is a New Zealand skincare range which presents various combinations of these First Light flower remedies in an all-over body lotion which may also provide relief to skin conditions and ailments such as bites, stings, eczema, rashes, and so on. The flower essences used are adapted to aid in different stressful or tiring circumstances, such as in Travel Rescue, Study Rescue and Restless Sleep Rescue. In this format, the flower essences produce an effect in the physical body as well as assisting in mental, emotional and spiritual ways.

Plant essences provide a unique approach to well-being, focusing on the body and mind's abilities to support themselves. Despite being developed over a century ago, many still swear by their powers and use them in a variety of situations to relieve the effects of stress and other ailments tying together the body and mind.

About the Author: Annabelle Gee is the retail manager at Strand Arcade Pharmacy. Annabelle is a recent graduate at Auckland University achieving a BSc in Biomedical Science.