We have all become familiar with the image of a rainbow in 2020 as it is a symbol of hope. The rainbow is one of nature’s natural wonders that stops us in our tracks, makes us notice the present moment and can make us wonder in the spectrum of colours displayed in the sky. It doesn’t matter how many rainbows I see they all make me go WOW! I have set out on a personal quest to learn more about rainbows and I would like to share with you how important having a rainbow in your mind each day is important for our physical health and mental wellbeing.

You don’t have to see a rainbow in the sky every day. Having the rainbow in your mind each day may help you notice the colours in your food and help to increase nutrients, vitamins and minerals in your daily diet. Having a rainbow of brightly coloured fruit and vegetables at least 5 a day is part of the recommendations of the Mediterranean diet. This diet has been studied in many populations and is the most recommended way of eating to lower your risk of depression, Alzheimer’s, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and some cancers. Having a rainbow every day in your diet helps increase vitamins A, C, D and E and a heap of antioxidants important for immunity and reducing inflammation internally. What does red look and taste like: sweet or sour or hot? Strawberries, raspberries, tomatoes, chillies, peppers? Adding orange each day through butternut squash, sweet potato, oranges, satsumas. Yellow in peppers, bananas, mango, pineapple, lemon, sweetcorn green in spinach, broccoli, kale, peas, lettuce, cabbage, avocado, celery, cucumber, green beans, kiwi, green grapes, green apples and pears. Blue and purple (indigo & violet) are a bit more tricky each day but possible with purple grapes, blueberries, blackberries, black currants, figs, prunes, plums, raisins, purple sprouting, aubergine, purple cabbage and purple carrots!

What we see can have a big impact on our mood. Noticing the colours of the rainbow in nature each day is a good way to be present, looking for different colour leaves, flowers, birds can all help build the rainbow picture in your mind each day.

What we wear affects how we feel. Have you noticed if you wear grey and black often? Adding a colourful scarf, hat, gloves, socks, underwear and being mindful of the colours we wear and have in our home can help lift our mood. Exercising in a bright colours, eating and drinking from coloured crockery can all help keep the rainbow with us every day.

Having taken the time to stop and notice the rainbow I realised the colour spectrum is the same as the seven chakras in yoga! Having taught yoga for a few years in my 20’s even I was amazed that the rainbow is a sign to us to help us heal and become more in tune with who we are and support are mental wellbeing. You don’t have to be into yoga (yet!) to continue reading but understanding the rainbow colour spectrum and the healing powers of the chakra system may be the bridge to self -healing and self- discovery. The chakra system helps connect our mind and body and represents the energy centers that exist in us all. You may have noticed the rainbow is not a straight line but a bridge shape! ‘Crossing the rainbow bridge’ is a mythic metaphor, reconnecting to ourselves, our environment and the world around us.

The chakra system originated over four thousand years ago in India. They are forces of energy like a spinning wheel and are rooted both within the body and the mind. Yoga, pilates, breathing, meditation, mindfulness and exercise of any kind you enjoy all help us tune into the seven coloured chakras and can have a profound effect on our physical and mental wellbeing. Like a computer program, we can reconnect and adjust our internal programming through the things we choose to do to improve our physical and mental wellbeing.

Join me in January 2022 on a quest to heal, feel connected to yourself and others through connecting to the rainbow in our mind and body. Learning new ways to build resilience to adapt and overcome the daily challenges we all face. With over 20 years experience in health and wellbeing, I want to share my knowledge to help you understand how exercise, nutrition, sleep and meditation all affect your rainbow and your resilience! Gaining a greater understanding of how to be resilient and what drains your physical and emotional energy may help support your mental and physical wellbeing in 2022 and beyond.