Vim & Vigor - Fall 2011 - Parrish Medical Center - (Page 12)

Think back to the comfort foods of youth: macaroni and cheese, chicken soup, vanilla and butterscotch puddings, even popcorn and biscuits. It’s not much of a leap to see why soft, buttery yellows often trigger feelings of nostalgia, warmth (think: sunlight) and even safety. Eiseman says that after the 9/11 attacks, her clients in the food industry reported that anything packaged in softer yellows “sold like gangbusters” because it was perceived as comfort food. Of course, you’ll want to stick with lower-calorie sun-colored foods like corn, butternut squash and papaya. Yellow is comforting in other forms as well. Studies have found that when the eye takes in yellow, the brain releases more serotonin, a neurotransmitter that has been linked to depression if the body produces too little of it. Incorporate a soft chamois, butterscotch or honey yellow into your living room, entryway or foyer to boost moods—an antidepressant that comes in a paint can instead of a pill bottle. “Especially if you live in a gray environment, you’ll walk into a room that feels warm and sunshiny,” Eiseman says. “Without knowing why, you’ll think that it’s good to be home.” YELLOW Eiseman credits the “Starbucks phenomenon” for the groundswell feeling of change about brown. The color once associated mostly with soil—or, worse yet, dirtiness—has reemerged as a rich mocha, linked to the robust ﬂavors of coffee and chocolate. “Everyone loves chocolate,” Eiseman says. Many people who claim not to like brown have beautiful dark wood ﬂoors or armoires that have been in the family for generations, Eiseman says. “It’s wood, not a pigment, and yet they love that furniture. They just don’t realize how much brown they actually have.” Perhaps because of its association with the stability of the earth, brown connotes security, Eiseman says. Use it generously in bedrooms to increase the sleep-inducing sensations of safety and comfort, whether through sturdy, mahogany-colored furniture or rich, sumptuous fabrics for bedspreads and linens. BROWN From ceilings to sheets, towels to table settings, white is “forever classic,” Eiseman says. “It’s always practical and you can blend it with all the other colors.” We associate white with cleanliness and purity—hence its prevalence in bridal gowns—but that can lead to too much of a good thing. Pure white used throughout a house can come off as “super-pristine, and that leads to a feeling of coldness,” she says. Furthermore, too much white in a room can lead to headaches and eyestrain, Eiseman says. To avoid a sensation similar to snow blindness, temper the white with colored furniture or accessories, so that white constitutes no more than 75 percent of the room. Or reduce the brightness to more of a creamy off-white. Your eyes will thank you. WHITE Almost all blues provide a sense of serenity, Eiseman says. The dark-primary blues typical of twilight and predawn welcome reﬂection and rest, while the sparkling turquoises and aquamarines of tropical waters convey a type of relaxation that comes with more energy and heat. “When the blue sky above you is radiating over a body of water, it’s hard to be anxious,” Eiseman says. Maybe that’s why heart rate and perspiration drop and breathing deepens when people look at blue. Bath manufacturers have begun to offer chromatherapy tubs and showerheads that incorporate colored lights to maximize the relaxing beneﬁts of a soak or shower. For a ﬁ x that doesn’t require new ﬁ xtures, toss aqua-tinted bath beads or aromatherapy salts into a warm tub to maximize the beneﬁcial effects of soaking away stress and inﬂammation that can exacerbate conditions like arthritis. BLUE 12 Vim & Vigor · FALL 2 011

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Vim & Vigor - Fall 2011 - Parrish Medical Center

Vim & Vigor - Fall 2011 - Parrish
Contents
Tasty Tips
Opening Thoughts
Community Calendar
Don't Be a Drowsy Driver
The Art of Nursing
Healthy Hues
The New Survivors
First (Aid) Things First
Find Your Groove
A Healthy Tune
Stay in Circulation
'X' Marks the Spot
Pregnancy Predictors
Play It Safe
What's New?
A Walking, Talking Fitness Billboard
Community Health
Special Foundation Focus
Ask the Expert

Vim & Vigor - Fall 2011 - Parrish Medical Center