"How lovely yellow is" - Staircase 9 17

Hello,

It’s been quite the winter here, what with a blizzard, an arctic blast, and this week, an ice storm – and endless days of grey in between. Then, suddenly, there is an occasional glimmer, or even an hour or two, of sunlight. As it turns from pale to golden, it is wonderfully uplifting: in the words of Vincent Van Gogh, “How lovely yellow is!”

Yellow is good for you

When your brain is exposed to yellow, serotonin levels increase, helping to boost mood, sleep and overall wellbeing. Research also shows that yellow increases activity on the left side of the brain, with a positive effect on attention and memory. According to Verywell Mind, in ancient Egyptian and Chinese cultures yellow was used in chromotherapy to stimulate the nerves and purify the body. Yellow fruits and vegetables are packed with antioxidants and vitamins good for your heart, eyes and skin. Bananas and pineapples are full of potassium and vitamin A; lemons, grapefruit, and mangoes, vitamin C.

Add a little sunshine

Given all the above, it’s no surprise that yellow is associated with creativity, happiness, and joy. Too much can be fatiguing, so we do need to be cautious about overdoing it, but adding a pop of sunshine yellow to our lives this time of year lifts our mood, brings a little fun to life, and gives us hope for the spring. It also represents friendship, our theme for the blog this year!

As we head into March, here are some ideas to bring splashes of yellow to your life:

Enjoy some lemon macarons…