By Aurea Crotty

Colour is a huge part of our lives; it is as innate to us as breathing. But did you know that colour is also a form of energy and that in the right colours we can increase our energy and use colour as a healing modality? Colour has been used to heal since ancient times, as far back as 360B.C. If we can acknowledge the healing properties of invisible colour rays such as infra red or ultra violet, why not the ones we can see?

Colour plays an enormous role in how we express ourselves and it has a profound affect on our mood and behavior. Going back to our pre-historic roots, although our sense of smell was our most important form of input, sight was our most essential means of survival. Studies have shown colour to be the first thing we register in our observations and is the primary basis for all our experiences. Angela Wright founder of Colour Affects explains,
 

“When light strikes the human eye, the wavelengths do so in different ways, influencing our perceptions. In the retina, they are converted into electrical impulses that pass to the hypothalamus, the part of the brain governing our hormones and our endocrine system. Although we are unaware of it, our eyes and our bodies are constantly adapting to these wavelengths of light”.

Colour is light- the source of life.  It consists of seven colour energies: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. Each colour corresponds to different areas of our body and influences us differently emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually. By learning how color psychology influences us, we can use colour to boost our energy, and make a memorable first impression.

 Here are some more articles on the psychology of colour.

http://www.worldwidehealth.com/health-article-Colour-Psychology.html

http://cognitive-psychology.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_psychology_of_color

http://www.sensationalcolor.com/color-meaning-symbolism-and-psychology/

Do you think colour can change your mood, heal you, or even affect other peoples perceptions of you -let us know?

By Dr. Samantha Ristimaki, BSc, ND

Women suffer from depression twice as much as their male counterparts.

Life is full of ups and downs but depression can make those lows seem insurmountable. 

Women often suffer from role strain over conflicting and overwhelming responsibilities in their lives.  Social pressures however may not be the only explanation for the higher depression rates: biological differences may play a fundamental role in making women more likely to suffer from the blues.

Your brain chemicals may be taking a beating

1. Premenstrual Changes:  PMS affects the majority of women.  Of those affected, 25-35% suffer from depression that occurs after ovulation.  There is often a drop in serotonin, the mood-regulating hormone a week or two before menstruation.  A drop in thyroid hormones during this same time period can also trigger symptoms.
2. The Pill:  Oral contraceptives may also trigger depression in the same biochemical way that PMS does.  Pills that are higher in progesterone are most likely to have a negative effect.
3. Infertility treatments: As if the stress of seeking fertility care wasn’t enough, treatments that involve gonadotropins can have a significant impact on mood hormones.
4. Hypothyroidism: Women are more likely to suffer from hypothyroidism.  The main symptoms associated with it include fatigue, weight gain and depression.
5. Perimenopause and Menopause:  Women can start going through perimenopause in their early 40’s and it can last for 10 or more years.  The unpredictable fluctuations in reproductive hormones can trigger unexplainable blues.

If depression is suspected, it is important to rule out that it is not a side effect of medication such as birth control.  Also, be sure that thyroid disease is ruled out.  Since women tend to suffer from more side effects from antidepressants than men, because of differences in fat composition, it’s important to resort to medication only when it is truly necessary.