When fear is ruling your life, use Red Chesnut

In 1933, during his first inaugural address, Franklin D. Roosevelt said "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself…"

That's easy to say, but for those who suffer from irrational fear, "fear itself" is a huge obstacle. 

Fear prevents the sufferer from enjoying life - and from allowing his or her children and other loved ones to enjoy life.

Sufferers often exhibit irrational fear of illness - being afraid to take their infants out of the house for fear of being exposed to disease, being afraid to let older children play outside on cold days, and being afraid that every sniffle is a sign of debilitating disease.

They also worry endlessly if someone doesn't call when expected, and they try to discourage friends and family from participating in any activity that might carry a hint of danger. "What if" parents never fall asleep at night until their teen-aged children are safely home.

And it can get worse. A friend confided recently that until she got treatment she "dreamed up" fears. For instance, when her son said he was taking her grandson for a nature walk, she became afraid that her son might have a heart attack, leaving her 3 year old grandson alone and unable to find his way back to get help. 

When that didn't happen, she worried that there might be a murderer in the parking lot when they retrieved their car to go home. That didn't happen, so she worried about a wreck on the highway.

If this sounds like you, it's time to get help. Fear is ruling your life. 

You need the BachFlower Essence Red Chestnut. Most people who suffer from a negative Red Chestnut state do so for short periods of time, usually in reaction to an event. For some it can even be a reaction to a very happy event, such as the birth of a child. It can also be an occupational hazard. Counselors and nurses sometimes fall into this state. The danger is that like all destructive emotions, fear can multiply and become stronger if not checked. 

If you feel yourself becoming overly fearful about the health and welfare of your loved ones, you probably need to treat with this Bach Flower Remedy. You'll feel better, and your family and friends will too.

Is the Economy Making You Sick?

When You Say the State of the Economy Makes you Sick, You're probably right!

A few years ago a Stanford University study reported that 95% of all illness was caused by stress. Not by germs floating in the air or some hereditary predisposition, but by stress.

And of course, those of us who study the Law of Attraction believe that going around saying "It makes me sick," can attract more stressful feelings, and more illness.

Even if you feel fairly secure in your own employment or other source of income, worry over the general state of affairs in the country right now or worry over a friend or relative who is unemployed could actually be making you sick.

In many cases, generalized stress should be treated with Feel5ive. 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.

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!

When You Can't Decide Which Way to Jump

After more than a week of vacation time – or of being unable to reach people because they've been vacationing – this Monday can feel like total confusion. 

With so much work piled up, where do you start? 

If you're like me, you probably want to do it all at once, but of course that's not possible. That will just make a bigger mess. So you have to settle down and prioritize. 

Elm is the Bach Flower Remedy that helps us organize our lives. At the same time, it releases the burden we feel when there are just too many things to do. 

But the Elm Flower Remedy is not just for work. Our busy lives give us conflicting responsibilities every day. Do we leave the work undone to take the kids swimming? Do we make the kids wait while we tend to the work? Which is most important at this moment? And what about when a spouse wants attention, but so does your Mom or Dad? 

It's difficult – and it's even more difficult when our emotions and energies get tangled. 

If you find yourself wondering which way to jump, get a bottle of Elm and get control. Of course, other emotional blocks may be making it worse. So why not visit Feel Bach! and fill out the questionnaire? Then you can get a special blend that will address the other issues and help you enjoy the rest of this summer. 

(Hint: Elm will also help you deal with "too much to do" when the holiday season arrives this winter.)