FAQ
Here are answers to some of the more common questions about the remedies. If an answer cannot be found here, feel free to contact Amy Cohen for a personal reply.
What is the remedy for asthma, irritable bowel syndrome, headaches, muscular tension etc...
Flower remedies don't treat physical complaints directly. They help by treating the negative emotional states that provoke or worsen the problem in the first place. The way to select the correct remedy or remedies is always to think about the sort of person you are, the emotional state you are currently in and forget the physical symptoms.
The remedies come as a liquid, preserved in brandy or sweetener. Different makers use a different amount of drops. So if you are using Australian Bush Flower Essences, Findhorn Essences or Wild Earth Essences - add 7 drops of each essence into a bottle dropper (can purchase from this website under Products or into your drink. Take twice daily.
If you are using Bach to take them, dilute two drops of each remedy into a 30ml dropper bottle, top up with mineral water, and take four drops four times per day. Alternatively you can put the two drops into a glass of water, and sip from that at intervals. You might need to mix two or more remedies together to match your precise mix of emotions.
Is it safe to take the remedies if you are pregnant?
Yes, it is safe. The alcohol in the undiluted remedy can usually be ignored as the dose amount is so small. However, if you have any worries on this score we always advise that you talk to your doctor or midwife. The remedies are fantastic to use during your pregnancy for exhaustion, and to help you and your baby during birth as well.
What is Rescue Remedy/Emergency Essence/Saved by the Animals?
These are different brands of a fast acting remedy for immediate panic and nervousness that can be used for any reason, from accidents to tests. When needing to be in a calm state quickly, reach for these products. These are great remedies especially when periodically overwhelmed because of children or stress. These can even be sprayed in a car when kids or adults are feeling angry, overwhelmed or anytime a need for a reason to bring calming exists.
Can you take the remedies in tea, coffee and so on?
You can put the remedies in tea, coffee, fizzy drinks etc., and in this respect they are not like homoeopathic remedies. Putting the drops into a hot drink has the advantage of evaporating the alcohol. We sometimes recommend this method to people who for one reason or another dislike the alcohol content.
When does one stop taking the remedies?
When the problem that is being treated has gone. There is no need to continue taking them in case it comes back and of course no need to wean oneself off the remedies gradually, as you have to do with drugs like steroids and beta-blockers. Nor do you need to take a complete course of doses over a specific number of days, as you do with antibiotics. Many times when feeling out of balance again, you may be triggered with the same feelings, call your practitioner to have another blend made for you.
If things worsen once I start taking the remedies, should I stop taking them or continue?
The flower remedy blend may be stirring up repressed feelings that need to be cleansed before complete healing can be achieved. If you feel this is the case then you can look to see if there is a need for any other remedies instead of or as well as the ones you are currently taking.
Where things are getting worse in spite of the remedies this may mean one of two things. Either the remedies have not yet had time to work or the selection was wrong.
The remedies will not cause any symptoms or problems that are not already in you and are entirely beneficent in their effects. This means that there is no need to stop taking them. Even if you are taking the wrong ones this only means that they will not improve things - they will never make them worse.
Is it safe to take the remedies if you are a recovering alcoholic, given the brandy content?
If remedies are mixed into treatment bottles and taken four drops at a time in the usual way, the amount of alcohol taken is very small. Nevertheless, taking even a minute quantity of alcohol may have a psychological impact on someone who has decided to give up completely. In addition there is a very powerful drug (known as Antabuse) which can cause a violent reaction in someone drinking even a tiny quantity of alcohol. For these reasons it is best in these circumstances to consult your physician before taking the remedies.
When you do so you might explain the dilution process and mention that if the remedies are dropped into a hot drink most of the alcohol will evaporate, and it is of course possible to administer the remedies externally by rubbing them on the pulse points. There are ways to remove alcohol and some remedies made alcohol free. Speak to your practitioner regarding what is best for you.
How can just a few remedies be blended to cover all known states of mind?
A useful analogy is with the world of color. There are only three basic colors (red, blue yellow), yet all kinds and variations can be produced when they are used in combination. When combined hundreds of millions of combinations are possible.
Why do the remedies have a use-by date now? Should they be discarded after this date?
By law the stock bottles have to carry a use-by date. The five year period relates to the shelf life of brandy stored in a rubber-topped bottle. The remedies themselves will keep their properties indefinitely (although the brandy may begin to taste a little strange after the five year period).