In a recent presentation - "Chromotherapy and the Healing Power of Colors and Flowers" - to the wives of Texas state senators, Bice cited a growing body of evidence that humans react physiologically, as well as emotionally to different colors. For example, research has demonstrated that a blindfolded person will have varying psychological reactions when placed under different colors of light rays.

"Chromotherapy is still in its infancy," Bice said, "but the scientific evidence is mounting. It gives us a lot to think about in terms of preventive and therapeutic potential."

There is solid science behind chromotherapy, beginning with the fact that light is energy. Sunlight is essential to make plants grow, and it's the best source of Vitamin D for humans. The different colors in the spectrum are actually energy fields vibrating at different frequencies. Red, for example, has a wave length of 1/33,000 of an inch, about twice that of violet.

Light therapists say light is a nutrient to the body, just as food is, and that humans need light in different intensities and color ranges to regulate their biological clocks. The pineal gland acts as the body's light meter, processing spectral differences it then passes on to the brain. Various systems in the body respond positively to different colors.

Humans sense light both through the skin and visually, so simply seeing different colors can be therapeutic. Color studies have long played a major role in marketing and product development of everything from automobiles to high fashion.

Bice says people sending flowers should have a basic understanding of the meanings different colors convey and the reactions they can evoke:

RED - excitement, passion, vitality and aggressiveness. Red stimulates the nerves, increases respiration rates and raises blood pressure. Avoid reds for those with anxiety or high blood pressure.

ORANGE - connotes joy, enthusiasm, determination, excitement and ambition. Orange increases oxygen to the brain, produces an invigorating effect without raising blood pressure.

YELLOW - conveys warmth, sunshine, happiness and energy. Yellow stimulates mental activity and the motor nerves, which generates energy for muscles. The best color to send to cheer up someone.

GREEN - suggests health, fertility, freshness and harmony. Green is the most restful color to the human eye; it relieves tension in blood vessels, lowering blood pressure and producing a sensation of warmth.

BLUE - means security, authority, confidence, wisdom and is used to represent heaven. Blue is the second most powerful color, producing a calming, soothing effect.

PURPLE - combines the stability of blue with the energy of red, suggesting spirituality, sophistication, luxury and authority. Nearly 75 percent of pre-adolescent children prefer purple to all other colors. One of the most universally preferred colors by all ages.

WHITE - the color of purity, formality, elegance and neutrality. Represents a successful beginning as well as solemn peace, which makes it appropriate for births and funerals.

BLACK - embodies power, elegance, formality, mystery and death. Strictly speaking, black is not a color but a non-reflective absence of pigment that gives depth and power to other colors.

BROWN - symbolizes earth, order, convention and dependability. Found throughout nature, brown complements other colors and conveys simplicity and friendliness.