I wish I could say I never worry, but that would be a bald-faced lie. Fretting has been my #1 vice since I was a wee little thing. And in recent years, physical side effects have manifested such as my back giving out often, sinister tension headaches, and last month I experienced my first panic attack. A doctor prescribed a low dosage of Valium for both anxiety and muscle relaxation. It worked, but I was wary of semi-addiction and I always prefer a natural solution to injury or illness.
So I was thrilled to find Bach Rescue Remedy Spray at Whole Foods. It is also known as "Yoga in a bottle." I snatched the 7 ml. size and tried it in the car before I even arrived home. Two sprays on my tongue and by golly, it worked! I felt calmer within minutes. I also tried it later that night at the onset of another panic attack and it helped me focus on reality and not the lies of anxiety.
The skinny (from Bach’s Web site): “Dr. Edward Bach was a British Physician, who began to see disease as an end product; a final stage; a physical manifestation of unhappiness, fear and worry. He therefore, began to look to nature to find healing flowers. Over a period of years Dr. Bach found 38 healing flowers and plants that with the right preparation became the 38 Bach Flower Essences.” He also discovered that the flower essences restore balance between mind and body so that the body is free to heal. Today I stopped by a bookstore to peruse the book Bach Flower Therapy: Theory and Practice by Mechthild Scheffer. I flipped to the chapter that explains how the flower essences work and I admit to only skimming, but I have to say, I disagree with Bach’s spiritual philosophy which he linked to his flower essence remedies.
That said, I do agree that anxiety, if not checked, can cause serious physical problems. I’ve seen this in my own life lately more than ever. Though I do not agree with Bach’s principles 100%, I still believe Rescue Remedy is a valid treatment for stress. People did not have modern medicine for many centuries and relied on flowers and herbs for healing. To be sure, there are some benefits to Western medicine, but since I have relied primarily on alternative medications (like Rescue Remedy), I have been very pleased by how well they work with no side effects (such as I’ve had with Allegra, Motrin IB, and other chemical-laden medications).
Rescue Remedy Spray is the infusion of five wild flower essences in spring water, preserved in 27% grape brandy. Brandy sounds safer than standard alcohol to me, but perhaps Kerry could shed light on that sometime as I have to admit ignorance. Regardless, I think the amount you receive in two sprays of Rescue Remedy is fairly harmless. The five flower essences are:
1. Impatiens for irritation.
2. Star of Bethlehem for shock.
3. Cherry Plum for irrational thoughts.
4. Rock Rose for terror and panic.
5. Clematis for inattentiveness.
The beauty of Rescue Remedy is that it is non-addictive and you cannot overdose. Now, I would not recommend you spray the whole bottle in your mouth in one sitting, mainly because the essences work best over a period of time. However, when I have felt particularly frazzled, I sprayed the recommended dosage twice in 30 minutes, and again twice within a 2 hour period. I upgraded to the 20 ml. size which I transfer from the medicine cabinet to my purse when I head out the door because Lord knows, stress will pop up in Houston traffic.
Plus, my husband and I have a lot going on right now. This month we are doing a few renovations on our first house, packing, moving, and settling into the new house. All of that is a blessing, but it can be stressful. It’s nice to know that along with prayer, Rescue Remedy will don shining armor when needed. In fact, I am so impressed that I also purchased Rescue Sleep which contains the addition of White Chestnut for relief from repetitive thoughts. Sleep has been sweet despite our cute, maniacal cats’ antics in the dead of night. Speaking of, I hear Rescue Remedy works safely on cats. Harley and Milo may get a nightcap spritz tonight since they often wake my husband.
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