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Color Therapy (Chromotherapy) for Graves' Disease and Hyperthyroidism The effects of color on our moods, health and way of thinking have been studied by scientists for years. Even an individual preference of one color over another may be related to the way that color makes the individual feel. Color can be described as light- visible radiant energy of certain wavelengths. Photoreceptors in the retina, called cones translate this energy into colors. The retina contains three kinds of cones: one for blue, one for green and one for red. We perceive other colors by combining these colors. According to Dr. Alexander Schauss, director of American Institute for Biosocial Research in Tacoma, Washington, when the energy of color enters our bodies, it stimulates the pituitary and pineal glands, which as we know are very connected with the thyroid. This in turn affects the production of certain hormones, which in turn affects a variety of physiology processes. This explains why color has been found to have such a direct influence on our thoughts, moods and behavior- an influence that many experts believe is distinctly separate from psychological and cultural factors. Remarkably, color seems to have an effect on blind people, who are thought to sense color as a result of energy vibrations created within the body. Clearly, the colors you choose for your clothes and for your home, office, car and other surroundings can have a profound effect on you and your child. Colors have been known to ease stress, to fill you with energy and even to alleviate pain and other physical problems. This idea, it should be noted, is far from new. In fact, the “color your world” concept is part of the ancient Chinese design technique feng shui. I am not going to explain and go over all the colors, but just the ones I feel can help the Graves’ disease healing process. Blue is the color of the throat chakra. Blue has a relaxing, peaceful and calming effect. Blue lowers the blood pressure, the heart rate and respiration. In one study children prone to aggressive behavior became calmer when placed in a blue classroom. Blue has also found to make people feel cooler in hot and humid environments. To help relieve the pain of ulcers, back problems, insomnia, pain, rheumatism and inflammatory disorders (like thyroid disorders), surround you and your child with blue and focus your minds on the body part you want to heal (in this case the thyroid) while looking at the color. One good place to do this is the countryside, where the blue of the sky and the water can impart a feeling of calming. I have also noticed that swimming in the sea or ocean also has a great effect, no matter that the water is salty. Blue also will help the easy flow of communication whether it is with other people or listening to your own thoughts and feelings. Using the color blue in a situation of relaxation and repose will encourage quite communication and feelings of peace. Put Blue in your life when any of these 4 needs are present: · a need to calm, agitated, excitable or chaotic states · a need to communicate clearly · a need to help with new information or in seeing information in context · a need for peace, detachment, solitude, and rest I started to experiment with this color and adding more of it to my life. I changed the curtains in my bedroom from red to blue and tried to put a little bit of this color everywhere I can, scarves, cloths, table cloths, etc. To my big surprise it definitely had a big effect on my condition. I became calmer, I could go to sleep easier, and I really felt in peace. My recommendation: Try to avoid bright colors like red, orange etc. because they are energy stimulating and this is the last thing that you need when dealing with a Graves' Disease condition. |
