Bach flowers: what are they and how effective is it?

That a large number of different plants have medicinal properties it is a fact known since ancient times. Cut fever, calm anxiety or help heal wounds are some of the properties that were attributed to them. Science has demonstrated many of these insights and has extracted various active components from them.

Now, throughout history, there have been many ways to treat ailments linked to the consumption or use of certain plant products, and some have been scientifically proven while others are considered alternative treatments or homeopathy. In this sense, one of the plant-based treatments that have been developed throughout history are known as Bach flowers.

Bach flowers: what are they?

Bach flowers are a set of plant-based preparations that were devised as therapy by Dr. Edward Bach.

This treatment proposal is based on the ingestion or application on the skin of said preparations in order to help treat aspects emotional, so that they are offered to help regain emotional balance and even stimulate the immune system and the ability to regeneration.

The Edward Bach project

Specifically, Dr. Bach developed a total of 38 remedies or preparations from the combination of different plants, based on what he called "vibrational characteristics."

The Bach flower treatment arises from the idea that the disease arises from the existence of psychological conflicts between the personality and the soul, producing a blockage or imbalance of the "internal energy" of the person on an emotional level. Thus body, mind and spirit would be related and influence each other. The curative effect that Bach offered would be explained by the transmission of the energy of the plants to the person (without considering that they have to do with it biochemical aspects).

The plants with which the Bach flower preparations are made emit, according to this philosophy, a series of vibrations that could alter the internal energy of the person and help it to reach a harmonious state, transmitting the energy of the plants to the preparation.

Its popularity as an alternative treatment

The use of Bach flowers has become popular in some New Age settings. as an alternative natural therapy method.

Many people administer and make the preparations themselves, although there is the figure of the floral therapist that is offered to determine the type of preparation and the doses to apply according to the person and the type of existing problem.

Preparations and their preparation

As we have seen, Bach flowers consist of a total of 38 preparations, which are made with the use of plants, spring water and sometimes some alcohol as a preservative (other substances can also be used as a preservative if it is applied in minors).

There are two basic brewing methods: boiling for thirty minutes in spring water to later filter the extract and then add brandy, glycerin or vinegar in the same quantity and solarization, in The plants are left in a bowl of water for several hours in the sun to later also filter it and add some of the aforementioned preservatives (brandy or vinegar). Apple).

38 ready

These are some of the 38 preparations that Bach produced that are his method, along with a brief description of what they are used for.

• Agrimony: for emotional blockage and anguish.
• Aspen: fear and phobia.
• Is: Arrogance and intolerance.
• Centáurea: for those with a certain emotional dependence, with a malleable will and who cannot say no.
• Ceratostigma: histrionics. Seeking approval. Indecision
• Wax: despair and fear of losing control and going crazy.
• Chestnut bud: recidivism and not learning from mistakes.
• Chicory: manipulation and overprotection. Possessiveness.
• Clematis: decentration and distraction.
• Wild apple tree: low self-esteem and feeling of impurity
• Field gentian: pessimism, low threshold of frustration. Depression.
• Gorse: despair, apathy and anhedonia.
• Holly: need for love. Envy, resentment, jealousy and distrust.
• Larch: fear of failure and feelings of inferiority.
• Mimulus: shyness and fear of the unknown.
• Pine: guilt and feeling of not deserving what one has.
• Red chestnut - excessive fear and anxiety for loved ones.
• Heliantemo: panic, anguish and nightmares.

Efficacy of Bach flowers according to science

At a scientific level, the treatment with Bach flowers it is considered a homeopathic practice without proven effectiveness, not being recognized as therapy by the health system except in some countries.

The experiments carried out With the purpose of contrasting the possible efficacy of this type of therapy, they seem to indicate that there are no significant differences between this type of treatment and the placebo. In this way, Bach flowers are not endorsed by the scientific community.

In addition to the results, elements related to the ideas of Edward Bach have been criticized, such as the fact that it is based on the concept of the vibrational capacity of the different elaborations, for being a mystical conception and independent of the empirical testing required by the scientific method.