Frequently-asked questions
(taken from Bachcentre.com-England)Here are the answers to some of the more common questions about the remedies. If you can't find an answer here, feel free to contact Amy Cohen by phone or email for a personal reply.
What is the remedy for asthma, irritable bowel syndrome, headaches, muscular tension etc.
The Bach 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 and about your current emotional state, and forget the physical symptoms.
How do you take remedies?
The remedies come as a liquid, preserved in brandy. 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 a 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 amount in a dose is so small. However, if you have any worries on this score we would always advise that you talk to your doctor or midwife.
How soon does Rescue Remedy take effect? How soon do the other remedies make a difference?
Rescue Remedy usually works quite quickly, because people use it for emergency situations rather than deep-rooted problems. The other remedies can also work quickly, but if you are dealing with something that has been around a long time then it can take weeks or even months to see a real difference.
What is the likelihood of reactions and rashes, and how are they caused?
The remedies work by flooding out negative feelings and emotions. Sometimes the emotions that are dealt with have been repressed and in order to clear them they have to be cleansed from the system. On very rare occasions this can take the form of a rash, or unexpected feelings may be stirred up. Where such things do occur there is no reason to stop taking the remedies.
I'm using Rescue Cream for ezcema and it seems to have got worse. Should I stop using it?
Some ezcemas do not respond well to any cream. If Rescue Cream is making the ezcema worse stop using the cream and instead add Rescue Remedy and Crab Apple to water and use that to clean the area a couple of times a day.
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.
Do you need to add alcohol to a treatment bottle?
Alcohol helps stop the water from going off, so you might add alcohol if the bottle will not be kept cool - if, say, you intend to carry it about in your pocket all the time. A teaspoon of brandy - about 5mls - is enough. Other 'non-alcoholic' ways of keeping the contents fresh include keeping the bottle in a fridge, or adding a teaspoon of cider vinegar or vegetable glycerine.
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.
If things get worse once you start taking a the remedies, should you stop taking them or continue?
The remedies do not cause side-effects or aggravations, but it may be that they are 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 beneficient 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 qualified medical practitioner 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. But if in doubt, ask for advice.
THEY ARE CURRENTLY MAKING REMEDIES WITHOUT ALCOHOL. CALL YOUR PRACTITIONER FOR INFORMATION.
Why is it four drops of Rescue Remedy and two drops of everything else?
Rescue Remedy is a composite remedy and contains fewer drops of each individual mother tincture than a single stock bottle. So in order to get the right amount of remedy the dose is doubled.
How can 38 remedies cover all known states of mind?
A useful analogy is with the world of colour. There are only three basic colours (red, blue yellow), yet all kinds and variations can be produced when they are used in combination. In the same way there are 38 basic states of mind. Combining them gives hundreds of millions of variations.
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).