| Carol Bice told the prestigious Texas Senate Ladies | | | | RED - excitement, passion, vitality and |
| Club the vibrant colors of flowers send powerful | | | | aggressiveness. Red stimulates the nerves, increases |
| messages that recipients' brains process as more | | | | respiration rates and raises blood pressure. Avoid |
| than simply the thoughtfulness of a gift - although | | | | reds for those with anxiety or high blood pressure. |
| most aren't aware it's going on. | | | | ORANGE - connotes joy, enthusiasm, determination, |
| In a recent presentation - "Chromotherapy and the | | | | excitement and ambition. Orange increases oxygen to |
| Healing Power of Colors and Flowers" - to the wives | | | | the brain, produces an invigorating effect without |
| of Texas state senators, Bice cited a growing body | | | | raising blood pressure. |
| of evidence that humans react physiologically, as well | | | | YELLOW - conveys warmth, sunshine, happiness and |
| as emotionally to different colors. For example, | | | | energy. Yellow stimulates mental activity and the |
| research has demonstrated that a blindfolded person | | | | motor nerves, which generates energy for muscles. |
| will have varying psychological reactions when placed | | | | The best color to send to cheer up someone. |
| under different colors of light rays. | | | | GREEN - suggests health, fertility, freshness and |
| "Chromotherapy is still in its infancy," Bice said, "but | | | | harmony. Green is the most restful color to the |
| the scientific evidence is mounting. It gives us a lot to | | | | human eye; it relieves tension in blood vessels, |
| think about in terms of preventive and therapeutic | | | | lowering blood pressure and producing a sensation of |
| potential." | | | | warmth. |
| There is solid science behind chromotherapy, | | | | BLUE - means security, authority, confidence, wisdom |
| beginning with the fact that light is energy. Sunlight is | | | | and is used to represent heaven. Blue is the second |
| essential to make plants grow, and it's the best | | | | most powerful color, producing a calming, soothing |
| source of Vitamin D for humans. The different colors | | | | effect. |
| in the spectrum are actually energy fields vibrating at | | | | PURPLE - combines the stability of blue with the |
| different frequencies. Red, for example, has a wave | | | | energy of red, suggesting spirituality, sophistication, |
| length of 1/33,000 of an inch, about twice that of | | | | luxury and authority. Nearly 75 percent of |
| violet. | | | | pre-adolescent children prefer purple to all other |
| Light therapists say light is a nutrient to the body, | | | | colors. One of the most universally preferred colors |
| just as food is, and that humans need light in | | | | by all ages. |
| different intensities and color ranges to regulate their | | | | WHITE - the color of purity, formality, elegance and |
| biological clocks. The pineal gland acts as the body's | | | | neutrality. Represents a successful beginning as well |
| light meter, processing spectral differences it then | | | | as solemn peace, which makes it appropriate for |
| passes on to the brain. Various systems in the body | | | | births and funerals. |
| respond positively to different colors. | | | | BLACK - embodies power, elegance, formality, |
| Humans sense light both through the skin and visually, | | | | mystery and death. Strictly speaking, black is not a |
| so simply seeing different colors can be therapeutic. | | | | color but a non-reflective absence of pigment that |
| Color studies have long played a major role in | | | | gives depth and power to other colors. |
| marketing and product development of everything | | | | BROWN - symbolizes earth, order, convention and |
| from automobiles to high fashion. | | | | dependability. Found throughout nature, brown |
| Bice says people sending flowers should have a basic | | | | complements other colors and conveys simplicity and |
| understanding of the meanings different colors | | | | friendliness. |
| convey and the reactions they can evoke: | | | | |