Colour Therapy, also known as "Chromotherapy" deals with the method of treatment of diseases by colour. Colour therapy is a technique of restoring imbalance by means of applying coloured light to the body. It was a popular method of cure even in ancient times.

According to practitioners of Chromotherapy, the lack of a particular colour in the human system can cause various diseases. Different colours are associated with different physical and emotional aspects of the body. When the energy circles of the body are imbalanced, it leads to emotional disorders and physical ailments. These imbalances can be corrected by applying the corresponding colour to the affected part.

Diagnosis in Colour Therapy
A patient is first subjected to an examination to determine which colour he/she lacks. The deficiency is determined by observing the colour of the eyeballs, nails, urine and excrement. In cases of the lack of red, the eyes and nails will be bluish, and the urine and excrement white or bluish. If there is a deficiency of the blue colour, the eyes and nails will be reddish, and urine and excrement yellowish or red.

The action and effect of different colours on the body along with their healing properties in the form of food items are given below:

Red: This colour symbolises heat, fire and anger. It is a motivating and energising colour. It stimulates arterial blood and brings warmth to cool extremities. It is contained in food items like Beets, radish, red cabbage, tomatoes, watercress, most red-skinned fruits, red berries and watermelon.

Orange: This colour is emblematic of prosperity and pride. Orange is useful for stimulating blood supply and revitalising the nerves. Orange-skinned vegetables and fruits such as carrot, orange, apricot, mango, peach and papaya contain this colour.

Yellow: Yellow colour is associated with joy and happiness. It is laxative and diuretic. It is refreshment to the brain, the liver and the spleen. Lime and lemon, sweet lime, grapes, pumpkin, melon, banana, mango, yellow apple and guava contain this colour.

Purple: Purple or indigo combines the blood-warming red and pooling antiseptic blue. It is an excellent stimulant without being an irritant. It exerts a soothing effect on the eyes, ears and the nervous system. It contains in all the foods having both blue and violet colours.

Green: Made up of blue and yellow, green is regarded as a colour of accord and harmony and it is a mild sedative. Most of the green vegetables and fruits such as gourds, spinach, plantain, lettuce, pea, green mango, gooseberry, pears, beans, contain this colour.

Blue: Cool, soothing and sedative, blue alleviates pain, reduces bleeding and heals burns. Foodstuff like Blue plum, blue beans, blue grapes contain this colour.

Violet: Eggplant, berries, black carrot and purple grapes contain this colour.

Methods of Treatment in Colour Therapy
There are two methods of treating diseases by colour. The first method is by the application of light through different coloured glasses and in the second method is by external or internal use of colour-charged water. In the former method, sheets of glass of the required colours are needed. They are placed at the window frames or any other suitable place in such a way that the sun`s rays can pass through them and fall directly on the patient`s body. The duration for this colour treatment should be 30 minutes.

In the second method, coloured bottles are required. These bottles should be cleaned and filled up to 3/4th level with fresh well water, distilled water or rain water. The bottles should be corked and then placed in bright sunlight for 3 to 4 hours. After this exposure, the water is said to obtain medicinal properties and this colour charged water can be used both internally and for external applications. Wounds and ulcers can be washed with this water and it can also be used to massage the affected parts or applied as compress on them. For internal use, an adult can take 30 millilitres of colour-charged water as a single dose according to the requirement.

Benefits of Colour Therapy
Colour Therapy can be used to treat a wide variety of physical, mental, emotional or spiritual problems. It also promotes health and well-being. Colours can heal disorders generated out of stress. Each and every colour has specific healing properties. It uplifts the mood and makes a person happier.