If the holiday season gives you more stress and sadness than joy, let Dr. Bach help!

While some people love the holiday season and enjoy every moment, others find it a season of nonstop stress.

For some it's simply the fact that there is SO much to do. Between shopping and wrapping, decorating, cooking, and attending parties, they feel completely overwhelmed. Those who have children in school get an extra dose – with school events and parties for kids. And of course, those who can't say "no" do come under a lot of stress at this time of year.

For others it's the stress of feeling "judged." They worry about getting the right gifts, having their homes look exactly right, and wearing the correct clothes to parties. Those who host the holiday dinners spend weeks worrying about how the food will turn out.

Another source of stress is change. Perhaps you moved away from your family this year – or someone who has always been a part of your holidays has moved away. Perhaps the dinner that was always at Grandma's house will now be served at Aunt Tillie's. Perhaps the dinner you always cooked will now be prepared by your new daughter-in-law.

Did one of these scenarios just describe you? If so, help can soon be on the way.

Fortunately, Dr. Bach created flower essences to help you get through the season with a feeling of enjoyment rather than dread.

If you need to adjust your energies to enable yourself to say "no," turn to Centaury.  You'll soon feel back in control of your own time. 

The Feel5ive formula calms general stress – the kind that comes from simply having too many things to do. Take it 4 times each day during the season and stay calm and worry free. Maybe everything won't be done – or won't be done perfectly. You won't let it bother you.

If your insecurities cause you to feel inadequate – and feel that others are judging you for your shortcomings – turn to Centaury, Gentian, and Larch. If your biggest critic is YOU, because you set impossible standards for yourself, choose Rock Water.

If change is getting you down, use Walnut. This is the essence that helps us make transitions more easily.

If you dread the holidays but aren't quite sure why, come to FeelBach! and take the questionnaire. Our experts will soon choose the flower essence formula that will put you on the road to enjoying this season.

Taking my own advice - Feel5ive!

Most of the time my life is pretty calm and serene - but this week I am facing abject terror! 

Yes, I'm doing the thing I fear most - going to the dentist. I couldn't put it off any longer. When my darling little horse smacked me in the face with his head a few years back he cracked a couple of teeth that had been capped. And... two of them broke off.

So - it's either go around with holes in my face, or get a grip on fear and visit the dentist. 

Feel5ive is going with me - ahead of time. I'm going to start dosing a couple of days ahead of my appointment, just to get myself on an even keel and to prevent getting "all worked up" about it in advance. 

What kind of scary things are YOU facing? 

Whatever they are, Feel5ive will help you through them. Our flower essences won't make the problems go away, but they'll help you stay calm and collected, so you can get through that time without a melt-down.  

Feel5ive is an exact replica of Dr. Bach's original calmative formula. We even use Brandy, just as he did. (Our competitors use grape alcohol.)

When you're standing up to your fears - either by choice or by "no-choice" begin taking Feel5ive at least a few hours prior to the stress. Of course, if the stress is ongoing, you should take it 4 times per day. With this help, your mind will stop running away with you - making things even worse than they really are. You'll be able to focus and do whatever you need to do. 

What if you didn't anticipate the stress, but there it is?

Take a deep breath and dose of Feel5ive. You'll feel better soon.

How Dr. Bach's Remedies can help you succeed in business

Although the economy seems to be improving slightly, we still have a long way to go. That means its "smart business" to promote your products and services as economically as possible.

The Internet is one way – especially if you have the ability to create your own website, post to your blog regularly, and navigate the social media sites

.

If you have a local business, another way to promote yourself is to give talks to groups who might be interested in the product or service you have to offer. Chambers of Commerce and service groups always want speakers for their meetings – and that could be you. 

You might simply present your service and explain why it is superior. Or, you might give a "how-to" talk about something related to your services – giving helpful instruction will automatically position you as an expert.

The second beauty of using public speaking to promote your business is that most of your competitors will not do it. So when you do it, you become "the" expert. It's similar to being the person who "wrote the book" on your subject.

BUT… Yes, I know. Public speaking is scary! You're afraid to stand up in front of a group and speak while you're the focus of attention.

The solution to that fear could lie in a little bottle from Feel Bach! labeled "Feel5ive." This is the flower essence blend that calms the nerves and lets you get through stressful situations without falling apart. 

I recommend starting the day before the event, with 4 drops in the afternoon and 4 more before bed. Then in the morning, take 4 more. If you aren't scheduled to speak until evening, do it again shortly after lunch. A few minutes before the talk, take 4 more.

You'll not only sail through the talk, you'll probably enjoy it and be enthused over the idea of doing it again.

Don't Let Stress Harm Your Pets

You know you can get sick from stress and worry. Did you know your pets can also get sick from stress and worry?

Most people think pets only get stressed from being hungry, being left alone, or being punished. But that isn't true. They also tune in to YOUR feelings and get stressed when you're going through a rough time. 

A friend told me recently that when she's sick, one of her dogs hovers - stays right by her side and "fusses" over her. The other one hides.

Both of these animals are reacting to her feelings, each in his or her own way. And both are feeling stress because the person they love is under the stress of illness.

Pay attention to your pets. Are they behaving differently these days? If you're worried about a job loss, an overdue mortgage payment, an illness, or even an emotional rift with a loved one, your pets are feeling it.

Keep an eye on them, and if you see behavior changes, treat them with Bach Flower Essences before their stress causes a physical ailment as well. Most of the time, Feel5ive will do the trick. But just to be on the safe side, use Feel Bach's questionnaire designed just for pets.  It will help you choose just the right combination of Bach flower essences to help your most loyal friends through this difficult time.

In addition to the fact that you love your pets and want them to be healthy and happy, having them become ill is a stress you just don't need!

Another Stress-buster From Nature: the Cucumber

We all know that Feel5ive will relieve stress and help us stay on an even keel. But what if you want an activity you can do that will help you focus on unwinding and letting go while it soothes you?

First step: head to your refrigerator or the grocery store… for a cucumber.
You probably already know that sliced cucumber on your eyelids can relieve tired eyes, but did you know that cucumber steam can relieve anxiety?

Tests have shown its effectiveness, so why not give it a try – especially since the cucumber steam will give your face a skin-smoothing, beautifying treatment at the same time.

Just cut up a whole cucumber and put it in a pot of boiling water. Then breathe.

Here are three more ways that cucumbers can help you relieve stress:

1. Avoid stinky breath by cutting a slice and use your tongue to hold it on the roof of your mouth for about 30 seconds.

2. Avoid hangovers the morning after those holiday parties by eating several slices before going to bed.

3. Snack on low-calorie, vitamin-rich cucumbers before the party to help avoid over-indulgence in those calorie-laden treats that make you cry when you see them resting on your hips come January.

We might have to label the cucumber a "super food."

We all know that cucumbers are low in calories, so are a good snack food for those trying to avoid weight gain. Now you know they'll help you relieve stress.
But did you know that they contain most of the vitamins you need every day? A cucumber contains Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6, Folic Acid, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Zinc.

Meanwhile, be sure to tuck that bottle of Feel5ive into your purse or pocket – for those stressful moments when you're away from your kitchen.

A Feel5ive Week...

This was a stressful week around here. We discovered a tumor on our dog and there was no choice but to have it removed. That meant facing the danger of him being anesthetized...

Feel5ive helped us humans get through the day while Ralphie was with the vet. We were very relieved when he came through the surgery and woke up again. And then relieved to learn that the tumor was localized - it had no little "feet" attaching it to other tissues in his body.

So we were fine - until it came time to administer the medications. He needed antibiotics to ward off infections, and they prescribed some pretty strong pain medications as well.

Much as I don't like to use those things, we fed them to him at first. After being "fooled" into eating the pills the first time, he was having none of it by the next morning. Manhandling him to get the pills in upset all of us, so we all had a little Feel5ive, then began the search for hiding places in food he would swallow without question. It's been fun.

Meanwhile, the pain pills turned our poor old pup into a zombie. And so, since I looked up the side effects and decided we needed to try to get along without them, we stopped giving them.

After about 24 hours he was in great distress and started biting at his stitches. We couldn't risk him tearing them out, so gave him a half dose of pain medication and a dose of Feel5ive, and sat with him until he fell asleep.

Now I'm sticking with the Feel5ive and one pain pill before bed. And our darling Ralphie is acting like himself again.

I've never tried to count the times that Feel5ive has helped me get through a rough situation - but I know I'm grateful to have that bottle nearby!

Thank you Dr. Bach, for making your wonderful discovery about the power of flower essences!

Feel5ive to the Rescue!

Sometimes we forget the things we know, and that's what happened to me last night.

It was an annoying day. My computer had gone haywire AGAIN and I was trying to make-do with a laptop hooked up to my monitor, mouse and keyboard. That made for a mess around my desk. The cords for everything were in a tangled, confusing mess.

Before I took the computer for repairs earlier in the day I had printed out things I needed to save, so I had papers everywhere.

My office was not a soothing place to be.

I had a lot of work to do, but kept getting interrupted with phone calls that went on for far too long. That always leaves me feeling annoyed and frustrated, and last night it seemed compounded.

Add to that the fact that my big cat was picking on the little one. Every now and then one or both of them would land on the desk, scattering papers. When I chased them off they glared at me and sharpened their claws on the carpet.

Then the dogs joined the fray. They wanted to annoy the cats, except for when they wanted to go outside.

I was at that point where I wanted to either scream or break something. I was way too wound up and upset to do the work I needed to do - and that made me even more upset!

Then, all of a sudden, I remembered that I do have a bottle of Feel5ive in the cupboard upstairs.

An hour later I was back at my desk, actually working. I still wasn't pleased with the inconvenient set-up, but it was no longer turning me into an unpleasant person. And... when I quit being wound up, my dogs and cats settled down too. I guess their misbehavior was just a reflection of the mood I'd allowed myself to get into.

Thank goodness for Feel5ive!

Here Comes Holiday Stress Season!

Are you one who loves the holidays and looks forward to all the extra work, socializing, and activities? Or are you one who dreads the whole thing and wishes it could be over before it begins?

If you're dreading all this, there could be many reasons why. The first, of course, is just that your days are already filled to the brim and now you want to add more.

You actually WANT to do all the decorating, baking, shopping, wrapping, and entertaining. And you actually want to write nice letters in each card you send. Then you want to go to all the parties, caroling, parades, and other holiday events.

It's all just too much, unless you have a way to put your other work on hold for a couple of months.

Now might be the perfect time to set aside an hour for yourself and think about it. Think about how many hours are required for each of the things you want to do, and then put them in your schedule. Or think about which activities are your favorites - put them in the schedule and decide not to do the others.

Think about which activities you do because YOU really want to do them, and which you do because you want to please or impress someone else.

Maybe the solution is to spread some of your activities out over more time. You could start addressing those cards and writing those letters this week. You could send them for Thanksgiving rather than Christmas or Hanuka. Or, you could schedule them to do in the week after Christmas. In fact, if you send them at an unusual time, it's more likely that your recipients will have time to enjoy reading them.

Meanwhile, if you begin getting stressed just thinking about all of it, take a lot of deep breaths and keep your bottle of Feel5ive handy. When you feel yourself becoming anxious, take a few drops and settle down.

Holiday stress has too many causes to address in one post, so watch here for more clues on how to make the most of this season - or get over to FeelBach!and fill out the questionnaire. Get your personal remedy now and you'll be ready to actually enjoy the holidays this time!

Is the Economy Making You Sick?

Tonight I read a report that said a Stanford University study found that 95% of all illness was caused by stress.

Not by germs floating in the air or some hereditary predisposition, but by stress.

Thus, worry over the economy - even if you're secure in your own employment or other source of income - could be making you sick.

Normally, I'd think that a generalized stress should be treated with Feel5ive, because it has helped me through so many difficult situations. But this ongoing climate of stress could trigger an intensification of other energy imbalances. These should be treated before they lead to illness.

For instance, a person in the negative Aspen state already deals with uneasiness and fears that take no concrete shape. The uncertainty in today's economy could serve to intensify these fears.

The negative Beech state, in which a person disapproves of and blames everything and everyone around him, has a tendency to cause digestive illness. Now, at a time when even formerly tolerant individuals are pointing fingers at everyone from politicians to corporate executives, this kind of illness could become common.

To ward off stress-induced illness during these unsettling times, I think we should all either take the FeelBach! questionnaire, or study the qualities of each of the 38 Bach Flower Essences. Then we should take steps to keep ourselves healthy and stress-free.

After all, we can't individually "fix" the economy - but we can individually care for ourselves and do all in our power to remain healthy.

When stress CAUSES disease!

Stress and worry over falling revenues is everywhere in this economy - except in the medical practices of those who treat stress-related disease.

Dermatologists, for instance. While consumers are pulling back on non-essential services such as liposuction and botox injections, dermatologists are still seeing an increase in business.

Why? Adult acne, eczema, and warts are all becoming more and more common.

These conditions are all caused by glitches in the immune system, because the nervous system and hormone systems work together. Extreme stress causes a rise in cortisol, which in turn causes a breakout. Where once that was a rare occurrence, now many are suffering from those cortisol spikes every day - perhaps more than once.

These skin problems can, of course, be counteracted with prescription drugs and over the counter remedies containing salicylic acid, glycolic acid, cortisone, and benzoyl peroxide. A cortisone injection at a dermatologist's office can also help - when you need to look your best for a public appearance or an important interview.

Some doctors, recognizing that drugs are not the only solution, are recommending stress relieving measures such as yoga and meditation or strenuous physical activity like racquetball or weight lifting.

Personally, when I feel stress creeping up, I take a 2-pronged approach. I get outdoors - either to walk or work in the yard. Pulling weeds is definitely a de-stress exercise for me!

But first, when I know I'll be faced with a stressful situation or when everyday happenings start to wear on me, I take Feel5ive - the stress relief remedy from FeelBach!

For a known stress situation, I start the night before, take it again in the morning, and again just before whatever I know is going to try to "attack" me. This works well for me when I will be traveling on icy roads, visiting the dentist, or even going into a meeting whose outcome is important to me.

If something sneaks up on me - like a jolt of unsettling news that I wasn't expecting - I reach for the Feel5ive before I let myself react.

The result - people ask me how I can stay "so cool."

When Stress Intesnsifies Disease...

Stress seems to be the watchword of our times - triggered by everything from health issues to economic woes, to fear over the state of world politics.

And while some react predictably by becoming irritable, snappish, and ultimately suffering from high blood pressure, others react with physical symptoms not immediately attributed to stress.

Take, for instance, the gentleman who, after 2 years, didn't get over his bout with the flu. When the major symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea finally faded, he continued to experience headaches, fatigue, stomach cramps, nausea, bloating, gas, loss of appetite, serious weight loss and more. It didn't feel good to eat, so he quit - then eating irregularly caused more problems - the intestines just don't react well in that situation. So, the problem took on a life of its own.

Because this worried him, he began going to doctors and undergoing one test after another, becoming more and more stressed over the thought that he could have a serious illness. Finally the doctors diagnosed Irritable Bowel Syndrome. They did recognize that stress was contributing greatly to this man's ever escalating medical distress, so prescribed anti-anxiety medication. But he won't take it because he fears the side effects of prescription drugs even more than he fears his present condition.

I wish I could talk to this man. I'd suggest Bach Flower Essences, starting with the Feel5ive formula for stress. Had he been taking it two years ago when all this started, his original stomach virus would likely be a distant memory.

Feel5ive saved the day

If you do your own internet work, and if you're as technologically disadvantaged as I am, you know just how frustrating it can be.

I spent about 3 days this week just trying to make things work properly. And by Friday afternoon I was ready to snarl at anyone who dared come near me.

That did NOT feel good. And my frustration wasn't making the work go any easier. In fact, it was making it harder by the minute. I felt like I was never going to figure out what was wrong and how to fix it.

Then, about the time my ill humor sent my husband hurrying out of the house to find peace and quiet in his shop, I remembered my bottle of Feel5ive. It took 2 doses about a half hour apart - and then I was calm again and was able to figure out what I needed to do.

The silly part is - why didn't I think of that when I first started getting tense? It's not like I don't know how much good Feel5ive has done me in other stressful situations.

I think the best idea is for me to bring a bottle to my desk - so it's there in plain sight to remind me to use it before I get so wound up that I don't even want to be around me.

If you get as upset as I do over "techie stuff," remember to take your Bach flower remedies before it gets out of hand.

Wishing you a stress-free week...

More Ways to Banish Holiday Stress

Stress really can be a joy-killer, so you owe it to yourself to do all you can to banish it.

One good way is meditation. You don't have to be formal about it, or follow any rules. You don't even have to sit cross-legged on the floor. Just settle down in a comfortable chair, close your eyes, and begin to relax.

To clear your mind of all distracting thoughts, concentrate on numbers. Visualize the number 3, then take a deep breath and as you slowly exhale, see the 3 and say "three" in your mind 3 times. Then do the same with 2 and 1.

Take a few more deep breaths while repeating the word "relax" a few times.

Now, while taking deep breaths and exhaling slowly, count down from 10 to 1.

Next, concentrate on feeling your body parts relax. Some people start with their toes and work their way to the top of their heads. I like to do it the opposite. As you concentrate on feeling, you automatically shift your attention away from whatever had gotten you wound up. Believe me, it feels wonderful!

Once you're completely relaxed, just sit there and feel how good it feels. When you're ready to stop, you can count back up from 1 to 5 while telling yourself that "At the count of 5 I will open my eyes and be wide awake and feeling better than I felt before."

The next two methods are so simple that many refuse to believe that they'll work. But they do.

When something is really eating at you, take it out on paper. Write down all your feelings - telling the absolute truth because no one but you will ever see this. Be angry, hurt, resentful - whatever is the truth. When you have it all out, crumple up the paper and burn it. This method, known as "write and burn," works incredibly well to release anger.

When you're in a social situation and can neither meditate nor write and burn, take a breath and let it out in a sigh while shifting your eyes toward the heavens. This releases pent-up negative energy.

Using these methods along with Feel5ive, or a custom blend created just for you, will help you to enjoy the entire holiday season - perhaps more than you've enjoyed it since childhood.

Getting ready for stress-free holidays with Bach flowers

Some folks can hardly wait - they're excited over the shopping, the cooking, the gift wrapping, addressing cards, and most of all - getting together at holiday parties and huge family gatherings.

Others are visibly shrinking as the holidays approach - they're dreading the whole season and wishing they could just go hide somewhere until it's over.

Which are you?

If you're finding yourself among those who dread the holidays, now is the time to figure out why they bother you so much, and do something to adjust your energies. You deserve to enjoy this season just as much as anyone else!

If this is the time of year when you say "yes" to far too many requests, Centaury may be just what you need to help you say "no," while Oak will allow you to take much-needed down time rather than work yourself into exhaustion.

If you spend the holidays afraid because friends and family are traveling, Aspen will help you combat unfounded worry over their travel.

If you've lost a loved one this year and feel bitterness and self-pity as the holidays approach, Willow will help you to enjoy life as it now is.

Get out your Feel Bach! brochure and read about the many emotions that could be blocking your happiness. Then decide which flower essences you need to raise your happiness and enjoyment levels this season.

If you don't have a brochure, please visit www.FeelBach.com to request one - and while you're there you can read the on-line descriptions or take the easy questionnaire. The FeelBach! experts will put together your personal blend based on your answers.

This year, enjoy the holiday season to its fullest, with help from Bach Flower Remedies.

Bach Flower Remedies - for People and Pets

Tonight while waiting for dinner to cook I browsed through a pet catalog that came today. I was trying to figure out what was in a spray they were advertising to calm dogs - advertised at a mere $39.99. I never did figure out if it was something natural, or some kind of chemical that would do harm in the long run.

Of course I was thinking about Feel5ive and it's safety and comparatively low cost.

Then I started thinking about all the anti-depressants that people take - I read last week that it is a $12 Billion per year industry. And all those people are taking pills that can do long-term damage to their bodies. It makes me shudder to think of it. I'll stick with Flower Essences, thanks.

About that time dinner looked like it was ready to put on the table, so I started to shut the catalog when something else caught my eye. It was an advertisement for Rescue Remedy.

Now we all know that Rescue Remedy was the standard for relieving stress before Feel5ive came along and offered Dr. Bach's original formula - but I had no idea about the price!

The same 20 ml bottle that FeelBach! offers for $7.95 was $22.99!

So, when you order Feel5ive for your pets (or yourself) you not only get the formula the way Dr. Bach intended it, you save over $15 per bottle! I'm still amazed.

Choosing the correct Bach flower remedy

Before I tell you about a letter we got this week, I have to do a little "Yippee" dance here regarding the weather.

Finally, today, it appears that maybe I'm NOT living in a land of perma-snow. Today I could actually see the piles melting - with puddles on the ground around them. AND I found a lily poking it's nose up in one of the flower beds that's finally melted off.

An even better sign of spring - I pulled my first weed of the season! (Leave it to me to be excited about weeds.)

There's still a good foot of snow out in the meadows, but around the house it's going away, and I'm celebrating!

Now... back to the pets.

We had a letter from a lady who was very concerned about her dog's fearfulness. She's afraid of everything outside, and alert to every little sound in the house - nervous all the time.

I recommended Feel5ive as a general remedy to calm her and lessen her anxiety, but then I thought more about it. Unfortunately she hadn't told us if this was a new problem, or something the dog had suffered with since puppy-hood.

If it was a new problem, it could have stemmed from some event in her life - or some event in the life of one or more of the humans around her. Dogs are so sensitive to our feelings, that this dog's problem could be along the lines of a sympathetic reaction.

I recommended using the questionaire to really examine all her dog's behavior traits in detail, so the correct blend could be prepared just for her. And then I suggested that she might want to do the same for herself.

As a dog lover, my heart went out to this lady, and my thanks. Some people would just send the dog off to the pound, but she's working to help her be happy. I'm so glad our world has people who care for their pets that way - and so glad that I get to "meet" them, if only through letters.