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Looking good and staying healthy with Zahida Abbas

1/11/2001

ASALAMU ALAYKUM readers.

With the onset of the cold winter months, many people find this to be a dull and sad time, but are unable to understand why.

One reason can be colour or, more to the point, lack of it. Those who believe in colour therapy claim colour and light can banish the winter blues. They say that sitting in front of bright light for about half and hour in the morning and evening can cure the so-called seasonal affective disorder (SAD).

The colour therapists grade colour and argue it has different properties. For example red is said to stimulate the sympathetic nervous system, which raises our readiness for action. Blue on the other hand is supposed to stimulate the parasympathetic system, which lowers blood pressure and induces calm.

Colour treatment thus involves, say the practitioners, shifting bodily response patterns so restoring harmony through the use of coloured light. There a number of different ways that colour can be applied by the use of theatrical lightning, coloured silks, solarised water and crystals. Another method involves the visualisation of colour. Energy is channelled through a healer's hands to a patient lying on a treatment couch who is asked to visualise different colours, perhaps of flowers.

Another method of colour therapy is by use of a treatment lamp. This uses colours and filters and can be programmed to shine light on to any part of the body, which the therapist deems necessary. In the West it is common practice to combine rainbow colours with the Eastern concept of energy centres or chakras.

Red is considered to be connected to the physical status and related to the first or base chakra. Orange provides joy and recovery from trauma in the emotional area. Yellow brings clarity into the mental area at the solar plexus.

The colour of harmony and balance on all levels is green and the related chakra is the heart. Blue at the throat endows our speaking with spiritual integrity. At the brow is a deep blue which harmonises our whole personality and opens the door to higher awareness. At the crown is violet the colour of free spirit.

These are ambitious claims and a full understanding of the workings and potential of colour is yet to be discovered. Nevertheless it is obvious that colour can have a profound effect on human psychology so why not give it a go?

What better way than to finish off with a multi-coloured winter red salad recipe:

Ingredients
1 red lettuce
1 bunch of red raddish
1 purple onion
4 oz red cabbage. Shredded
6oz cooked beetroot, diced
Pomegranate seeds to garnish
Dressing
2 tablespoons walnut oil
1 tablespoon virgin olive oil
Half teaspoon of Dijon mustard
Pinch salt
Method
Arrange salad leaves in bowl. Add the onion, cabbage and beetroot. To make dressing mix all ingredients together in a bowl add to salad and toss gently. Serve garnished with pomegranate seeds.