Colour therapy is also known as Chromotherapy which 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. Some 2,500 years ago, Pythagoras applied colour light therapeutically and `colour halls` were used for healing in ancient Egypt, China and India. According to practitioners of Chromotherapy, the lack of a particular colour in the human system can cause various diseases.

Blue and red colours are considered as the two extremes and yellow represents the midpoint. These are also the three most important colours in a rainbow. The natural colours of the rainbow are highly valuable to the protection of health and for healing ailments. A patient is first subjected to an examination to determine which colour he 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. Sunlight plays a major role in recovery from chronic diseases. Almost every affliction can be cured by the careful use of sunlight. The rays of the sun improve digestion and nutrition, accelerate blood and lymph circulation and increase the elimination of impurities through the skin.

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 is thirty minutes. In case of local application, a pane of glass can be placed in front of the diseased part so that the light passing through the glass falls on the afflicted area. Lanterns can be used for this purpose during nights. A single lantern can have glass panes of four dissimilar colours and the requisite colour can be focused on the patient or the affected parts.

In the second method, coloured bottles are required. These bottles should be cleaned and filled up to three-fourth level with fresh well water, distilled water or rain water. The bottles should be corked and then placed in bright sunlight for three to four 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 thirty millilitres of colour-charged water as a single dose. The dose can be repeated as required.