Feeling blue with all the recession news -- Dun Laoghaire lifestyle consultant Tina Dunne thinks now is a good time to bring some extra colour into our lives. Tina has a degree in home economics and science and studied natural nutrition and colour therapy before setting up her lifestyle company, www.tinadunne.com, in 2003.

She offers an extensive range of services in nutrition, lifestyle choices, marketing and communications. She is also the author of Colour for Living: How To Change Your Life with Colour. Here are Tina's 10 tips for leading a more colourful life.

1 Boost mood -- choose orange: Orange is associated with vibrancy and life, so use it if you need a sudden burst of enthusiasm. As a colour, it stimulates energy. Influential and independent people are said to be the strongest supporters of orange.

2 Increase energy levels -- choose red: Red is the most emotionally charged colour. It symbolises energy associated with power, leadership, sexuality and heat. Those who like red tend to be animated, optimistic and extrovert.

3 Reduce stress -- choose blue: Always wear blue when feeling tired or stressed: in the 1940s, a Russian scientist, SV Krakov, established that the colour blue stimulates the parasympathetic part of the autonomic nervous system (that encourages tranquillity).

4 Improve sleep -- choose purple: Because purple is the colour that governs the head, it can promote relaxation and sleep.

5 Support immune functioning -- choose a rainbow of colour: A healthy immune system is vital to maintaining good health and well-being. Give your taste buds a workout.

Sour taste: Sour foods support the liver, which processes everything you eat and drink Acidic foods rich in vitamin C provide antioxidant protection for the liver.

Salty taste: Sea vegetables and fish are a rich source of salt. This mineral nourishes the kidneys and maintains the body's fluid balance.

6 Glow -- choose multi-coloured fresh foods: Skin is the largest organ in the body and works with the colon and lungs to help eliminate toxic waste from the body. Many factors can interfere with the natural beauty of skin, such as stress, dehydration, poor diet or irregular exercise.

7 Add a little magic -- choose silver: Silver is magical; we associate it with the moon. It is an extremely therapeutic colour, and can help restore tranquillity. Silver is also safe, impartial and wise. It encourages us to reflect on the past and learn by acknowledging past mistakes.

8 Have your two feet on the ground -- choose brown: Brown is the colour associated with the earth, and brown is stable, secure and industrious. People who are drawn to this colour may well reflect these qualities.

9 Add some romance -- choose pink: Pink is a softened red and is associated with sweetness and romance. Many people connect it with delicacy and tenderness. Those who like pink are generally interested in the world around them, have a desire for living peacefully and like a harmonious environment to live and work in.

10 Be spiritual -- choose white: White contains all the colours of the spectrum, reflects light and is associated with spirituality. It also symbolises peace and tranquillity.

-- ANNA COOGAN

- Anna Coogan