Colour therapy

Colours—in the foods we eat, the clothes we wear, the world around us—can affect our senses, state of mind, mood and emotions. Colour can stimulate and energize or calm and soothe.

Colour is an important element of many complementary therapies. Gemstones used to enhance the energy of the chakras in Ayurvedic medicine are chosen by colour. Colour therapy is also an important part of nutritional therapies. Nutritionists often suggest that people shop for as many different colours of fruits and vegetables as possible to ensure that they take in a range of vitamins and nutrients. The colour of food, an important part of its appeal, may in turn stimulate appetite. Some people attribute different healing properties to different colours.

Colour and attributed properties

Red
Boosts digestion and has a warming effect

Orange
Provides vitality, mental clarity, joy and emotional expansion

Yellow
Acts as a motor stimulant, boosts morning energy and facilitates digestion

Green
Nurtures, calms nerves and reduces tension

Blue
Cools the body and has strong yin or vata (wind) properties (see sections on Ayurvedic medicine and traditional Chinese medicine for details)