What do different poop colors mean. How can diet affect stool color. When should you be concerned about changes in your poop color. What are the potential health implications of various stool colors.

The Rainbow of Stool Colors: What Your Poop Is Telling You

The color of your stool can be a window into your health, offering insights into your diet, digestion, and potential medical conditions. While variations in poop color are often harmless and related to what you’ve eaten, certain hues can signal underlying health issues that may require attention. Let’s explore the spectrum of stool colors and what they might mean for your well-being.

Brown: The Gold Standard of Healthy Stools

Brown is the most common and typically healthiest color for stools. Why is poop usually brown? The color results from a combination of what you eat and the presence of bile in your stool. Bile, a fluid produced by the liver to aid in fat digestion, starts as a yellowish-green color. As it travels through your digestive system, it undergoes chemical changes that transform it to brown.

A normal brown color indicates that your digestive system is functioning properly, breaking down foods and absorbing nutrients as it should. However, the shade of brown can vary slightly from person to person and even from day to day, depending on diet and other factors.

Green Stools: Not Always a Cause for Concern

Green poop can be alarming, but it’s often harmless and may even be considered normal for some individuals. What causes green stools? There are several potential reasons:

• Diet rich in green vegetables like spinach or kale
• Consumption of foods with green food coloring
• Iron supplements
• Rapid intestinal transit time

In cases of green diarrhea, the color may be due to food moving through the gut too quickly, preventing bile from completing its color-changing process. Is green poop ever a sign of a health problem? While usually benign, persistent green stools without an obvious dietary cause may warrant a discussion with your healthcare provider.

Yellow Stools: Potential Digestive Issues

Yellow stools can range from normal to concerning, depending on their consistency and frequency. What does yellow poop indicate? In some cases, particularly in breastfed infants, yellow stools are perfectly normal. However, if your yellow stools are greasy, foul-smelling, and persist, it could signify a problem with fat digestion or absorption.

Possible causes of yellow stools include:

• Celiac disease (especially if consuming gluten)
• Giardiasis (a parasitic infection)
• Pancreatic insufficiency
• Gallbladder issues

If you frequently experience yellow, greasy stools, it’s advisable to consult with a healthcare professional to rule out any underlying conditions.

White, Pale, or Clay-Colored Stools: A Potential Red Flag

Pale or clay-colored stools can be concerning as they may indicate a lack of bile in the stool. What causes white or pale stools? While certain medications like bismuth subsalicylate (found in Pepto-Bismol) can temporarily lighten stool color, persistent pale stools may signal more serious issues:

• Liver disease (such as hepatitis)
• Bile duct obstruction
• Gallstones
• Pancreatic problems
• Biliary atresia (in newborns)

If you notice your stools are consistently pale or clay-colored without an obvious explanation, it’s crucial to seek medical attention promptly. These changes could indicate a problem with bile production, storage, or release, which requires further investigation.

Black Stools: When to Worry

Black stools can be alarming, but they’re not always a sign of a serious problem. What causes black poop? In some cases, black stools are simply the result of diet or medication:

• Consuming black licorice
• Eating large quantities of blueberries
• Taking iron supplements
• Using medications containing bismuth subsalicylate

However, black, tarry stools (known as melena) that aren’t explained by diet or medication can be a sign of bleeding in the upper digestive tract. Potential causes of melena include:

• Stomach ulcers
• Esophageal tears or ulcers
• Gastritis
• Tumors (benign or malignant)

If you experience black, tarry stools without an obvious dietary or medicinal cause, it’s essential to seek immediate medical attention, as this could indicate a serious condition requiring prompt treatment.

Red or Reddish Stools: Benign or Bleeding?

Red or reddish stools can be startling, but they’re not always cause for alarm. What leads to red poop? In many cases, the color is due to diet:

• Beets
• Tomato-based foods
• Red food coloring
• Certain medications

However, red stools can also indicate the presence of blood, which may be a sign of various conditions:

• Hemorrhoids
• Anal fissures
• Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
• Diverticulosis
• Colon polyps or colorectal cancer

If you notice red stools that can’t be explained by your diet, it’s important to consult with a healthcare provider. They can help determine whether the color is due to harmless dietary factors or if further investigation is necessary.

Orange Stools: Dietary Influences and Potential Concerns

Orange stools, while less common, can occur due to various factors. What causes orange poop? In many cases, the color is related to diet:

• Consuming large amounts of orange-colored foods (carrots, sweet potatoes)
• Beta carotene supplements
• Foods with artificial orange coloring

However, in some instances, orange stools may indicate underlying health issues:

• Bile duct obstruction
• Certain medications
• Bacterial overgrowth in the gut

If orange stools persist without a clear dietary explanation, it may be worth discussing with a healthcare provider to rule out any potential health concerns.

The Impact of Diet on Stool Color

Your diet plays a significant role in determining the color of your stool. How does food affect poop color? Many foods can temporarily alter the hue of your stools:

• Green vegetables can lead to green stools
• Beets and tomatoes can cause reddish stools
• Blueberries may result in dark blue or black stools
• Foods with artificial coloring can produce various colors

Understanding the connection between your diet and stool color can help you differentiate between harmless dietary changes and potential health issues.

When to Seek Medical Attention for Stool Color Changes

While many stool color changes are harmless, certain situations warrant medical attention. When should you be concerned about poop color? Consider consulting a healthcare provider if you experience:

• Persistent white, clay-colored, or very pale stools
• Black, tarry stools not explained by diet or medication
• Bright red stools or visible blood in the stool
• Persistent changes in stool color accompanied by other symptoms like abdominal pain, weight loss, or changes in bowel habits

Early detection and intervention can be crucial in managing potential digestive health issues.

The Role of Bile in Stool Color

Bile plays a crucial role in determining stool color. How does bile affect poop color? Produced by the liver and stored in the gallbladder, bile aids in fat digestion and gives stool its characteristic brown color. When bile production or flow is impaired, it can result in pale or clay-colored stools.

Understanding the importance of bile in digestion and stool coloration can help you better interpret changes in your stool color and recognize potential signs of liver or gallbladder issues.

Stool Color in Infants: What’s Normal?

Stool color in infants can vary widely and change as they grow. What’s considered normal for baby poop? In newborns, the first stools (meconium) are typically black and tarry. As the baby begins feeding, stool color can range from yellow to green to brown, depending on whether they’re breastfed or formula-fed.

While a wide range of colors is normal for infants, certain colors may indicate problems:

• White or very pale stools (may indicate liver problems)
• Red stools (may indicate bleeding)
• Black stools after the first few days (may indicate bleeding)

Parents should discuss any concerns about their infant’s stool color with a pediatrician.

The Connection Between Stool Color and Digestive Health

Stool color can provide valuable insights into your digestive health. How does poop color reflect digestive function? Changes in stool color can indicate various aspects of digestive health, including:

• Transit time through the intestines
• Bile production and flow
• Presence of inflammation or bleeding
• Nutrient absorption efficiency

By paying attention to your stool color and consistency, you can gain a better understanding of your overall digestive health and potentially identify issues early.

Medications and Supplements That Affect Stool Color

Various medications and supplements can alter stool color. Which drugs can change poop color? Common examples include:

• Iron supplements (black or dark green stools)
• Bismuth subsalicylate (black stools)
• Antibiotics (various color changes)
• Antidiarrheal medications (pale stools)

If you notice changes in your stool color while taking medications or supplements, consult with your healthcare provider to determine if it’s a normal side effect or if further investigation is needed.

The Importance of Regular Bowel Habits

Maintaining regular bowel habits is crucial for overall digestive health. Why are consistent bowel movements important? Regular bowel movements can:

• Help prevent constipation and associated complications
• Aid in toxin elimination
• Promote a healthy gut microbiome
• Allow you to notice changes in stool color or consistency more easily

Establishing a routine and paying attention to your bowel habits can help you maintain digestive health and identify potential issues early.

Understanding the various colors your stool can take on and what they might signify is an important aspect of monitoring your overall health. While many color changes are harmless and often related to diet, persistent or unexplained changes, especially when accompanied by other symptoms, should prompt a conversation with a healthcare provider. By staying attuned to your body and its signals, including the color of your stool, you can play an active role in maintaining your digestive health and catching potential issues early.

What Do Different Poop Colors Mean?

Written by Hope Cristol

• What Do Different Stool Colors Mean?
• Normal Poop Color
• Green Poop
• Yellow Poop
• White, Pale, or Clay-Colored Poop
• Black Poop
• Red or Reddish Poop
• Orange Poop
• When to Get Help for Poop Color Changes
• More

Different stool colors can mean different things, mostly depending on what you’ve eaten.

You’d probably notice if your poop is a different hue than normal. But what does it mean if it’s green? What about red, yellow, white, or black? Or orange?

Most of the time, minor changes in the color of your waste are due to diet. After all, we don’t eat the same thing at every meal, every day. But sometimes a color change can signal a minor health issue. In rare cases, it means something serious is wrong in your digestive system.

If the color you see before you flush worries you, call your doctor.

Poop is normally brown. The color is the result of what you eat and how much bile is in your stool.

Bile is a fluid your liver makes to digest fats. It starts out as a yellowish green color. But as the pigments that give bile its color travel through your digestive system, they go through chemical changes and turn brown.

Your poop can sometimes have a slightly greenish hue, or even be a more vivid green. Most of the time, green or greenish poop is normal.

Is your diet causing green poop?

Think back on what you’ve been eating. These foods and supplements can cause your poop to be green:

• Green veggies, like spinach or kale
• Green food coloring, such as in drink mixes or ice pops
• Iron supplements

Other causes of green poop

If you have green diarrhea, the color of your food may not be to blame. It’s likely that your meal moved through your gut too quickly, so the fat-digesting bile didn’t have time to turn brown.

There may be times when your poop looks more yellow than brown.

This shade is also normal for many people. It’s common for babies, especially those who breastfeed. But if you have yellow poop that looks greasy and smells very bad, it may have too much fat. That could be a sign your body isn’t digesting food properly.

Is your diet causing yellow poop?

Indirectly, your diet could cause yellow poop. If you have celiac disease, your body can’t handle a protein called gluten, which is in wheat, barley, and rye. If you have the condition and eat foods that have gluten, like many breads, pastas, and cookies, your intestines won’t work as they should. So, if you’re eating those foods, and your poop is yellow, it may be time to see a doctor.

Other causes of yellow poop

There may be other causes of yellow poop that’s greasy and smelly. If it happens to you often, tell your doctor.

Sometimes, poop may not have much color at all.

Is your diet causing pale poop?

If your poop is pale, it’s not likely directly due to a food. But medicines for diarrhea like bismuth subsalicylate (Kaopectate, Pepto-Bismol) can sometimes cause pale or clay-colored poop. So can barium, a chalky liquid you drink before you get X-rays of the upper part of your digestive tract.

Other causes of pale poop

A more serious cause is a lack of bile in your stool. (Remember, bile gives poop its brown color.) Your body makes bile in the liver, stores it in the gallbladder, and releases it into your small intestine to help digest your food. If there’s not enough of it to give your poop its typical brown color, it could be a sign of a problem along the way.

Liver disease, such as hepatitis, can keep bile from getting into your body waste. So can a blockage in the tubes (called ducts) that carry bile. This can happen because of:

• Gallstones
• A tumor
• A condition you’re born with called biliary atresia

Babies’ poop is black for the first few days after they’re born. Otherwise, it may be because you ate something very dark-colored or took a medicine or supplement that causes black poop. But this color can be a sign of a more serious problem: bleeding in the upper part of your digestive tract.

Is your diet causing black poop?

Foods and supplements that turn poop black include:

• Black licorice
• Blueberries
• Iron supplements

Medicines that have bismuth subsalicylate (Kaopectate, Pepto-Bismol) can also cause very dark stools.

Other causes of black poop

Poop that looks like tar is often a sign of bleeding in the digestive tract. Some causes include:

• Bleeding from stomach ulcers
• Bleeding sores in your esophagus from acid reflux
• Bleeding from noncancerous tumors in the upper GI tract
• Cancer

If you don’t think black poop came from what you ate, you need to talk to your doctor.

If you see red or reddish poop in the toilet, don’t be alarmed right away. First ask yourself if you’ve had red foods lately.

Is your diet causing red or reddish poop?

Several foods can change the color of your stool to a pink or reddish color:

• Beets
• Tomato soup
• Gelatin dessert
• Red drinks

Other causes of red or reddish poop

If you don’t think your diet is the cause, the red you see may be blood. And if it’s bright red, the blood likely comes from the lower part of your digestive tract. Common causes include:

• Noncancerous tumors
• Cancer
• Inflammation in the colon, called colitis
• Growths called polyps in your colon
• Conditions caused by small sacs in the wall of the colon, called diverticular disease
• Hemorrhoids

Call your doctor if you see red that’s probably not from food you ate.

Poop can often come out the color of the food that went in, especially if you have diarrhea. If your poop has an orange hue, it’s most likely due to some orange foods.

Is your diet causing orange poop?

Foods that have beta-carotene can turn your poop orange, such as:

• Carrots
• Winter squash
• Pumpkin
• Sweet potatoes

Foods with orange coloring, such as sodas, candy, or gelatin dessert, can also give your poop an orange color.

Also, antibiotics and antacids that have aluminum hydroxide in them can make your stool orange.

Other causes of orange poop

Rarely, poop can be orange if you have a problem with your liver that causes it to make less bile than normal, or a blockage that keeps bile from leaving the liver and entering your system. But usually, if this is the case, your poop will be pale or clay-colored.

Most of the time, poop that’s a different color from what you’re used to isn’t something to worry about. It’s rare for it to be a sign of a serious condition in your digestive system. But if it’s white, bright red, or black, and you don’t think it’s from something you ate, call your doctor.

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What Do Different Poop Colors Mean?

Written by Hope Cristol

• What Do Different Stool Colors Mean?
• Normal Poop Color
• Green Poop
• Yellow Poop
• White, Pale, or Clay-Colored Poop
• Black Poop
• Red or Reddish Poop
• Orange Poop
• When to Get Help for Poop Color Changes
• More

Different stool colors can mean different things, mostly depending on what you’ve eaten.

You’d probably notice if your poop is a different hue than normal. But what does it mean if it’s green? What about red, yellow, white, or black? Or orange?

Most of the time, minor changes in the color of your waste are due to diet. After all, we don’t eat the same thing at every meal, every day. But sometimes a color change can signal a minor health issue. In rare cases, it means something serious is wrong in your digestive system.

If the color you see before you flush worries you, call your doctor.

Poop is normally brown. The color is the result of what you eat and how much bile is in your stool.

Bile is a fluid your liver makes to digest fats. It starts out as a yellowish green color. But as the pigments that give bile its color travel through your digestive system, they go through chemical changes and turn brown.

Your poop can sometimes have a slightly greenish hue, or even be a more vivid green. Most of the time, green or greenish poop is normal.

Is your diet causing green poop?

Think back on what you’ve been eating. These foods and supplements can cause your poop to be green:

• Green veggies, like spinach or kale
• Green food coloring, such as in drink mixes or ice pops
• Iron supplements

Other causes of green poop

If you have green diarrhea, the color of your food may not be to blame. It’s likely that your meal moved through your gut too quickly, so the fat-digesting bile didn’t have time to turn brown.

There may be times when your poop looks more yellow than brown.

This shade is also normal for many people. It’s common for babies, especially those who breastfeed. But if you have yellow poop that looks greasy and smells very bad, it may have too much fat. That could be a sign your body isn’t digesting food properly.

Is your diet causing yellow poop?

Indirectly, your diet could cause yellow poop. If you have celiac disease, your body can’t handle a protein called gluten, which is in wheat, barley, and rye. If you have the condition and eat foods that have gluten, like many breads, pastas, and cookies, your intestines won’t work as they should. So, if you’re eating those foods, and your poop is yellow, it may be time to see a doctor.

Other causes of yellow poop

There may be other causes of yellow poop that’s greasy and smelly. If it happens to you often, tell your doctor.

Sometimes, poop may not have much color at all.

Is your diet causing pale poop?

If your poop is pale, it’s not likely directly due to a food. But medicines for diarrhea like bismuth subsalicylate (Kaopectate, Pepto-Bismol) can sometimes cause pale or clay-colored poop. So can barium, a chalky liquid you drink before you get X-rays of the upper part of your digestive tract.

Other causes of pale poop

A more serious cause is a lack of bile in your stool. (Remember, bile gives poop its brown color.) Your body makes bile in the liver, stores it in the gallbladder, and releases it into your small intestine to help digest your food. If there’s not enough of it to give your poop its typical brown color, it could be a sign of a problem along the way.

Liver disease, such as hepatitis, can keep bile from getting into your body waste. So can a blockage in the tubes (called ducts) that carry bile. This can happen because of:

• Gallstones
• A tumor
• A condition you’re born with called biliary atresia

Babies’ poop is black for the first few days after they’re born. Otherwise, it may be because you ate something very dark-colored or took a medicine or supplement that causes black poop. But this color can be a sign of a more serious problem: bleeding in the upper part of your digestive tract.

Is your diet causing black poop?

Foods and supplements that turn poop black include:

• Black licorice
• Blueberries
• Iron supplements

Medicines that have bismuth subsalicylate (Kaopectate, Pepto-Bismol) can also cause very dark stools.

Other causes of black poop

Poop that looks like tar is often a sign of bleeding in the digestive tract. Some causes include:

• Bleeding from stomach ulcers
• Bleeding sores in your esophagus from acid reflux
• Bleeding from noncancerous tumors in the upper GI tract
• Cancer

If you don’t think black poop came from what you ate, you need to talk to your doctor.

If you see red or reddish poop in the toilet, don’t be alarmed right away. First ask yourself if you’ve had red foods lately.

Is your diet causing red or reddish poop?

Several foods can change the color of your stool to a pink or reddish color:

• Beets
• Tomato soup
• Gelatin dessert
• Red drinks

Other causes of red or reddish poop

If you don’t think your diet is the cause, the red you see may be blood. And if it’s bright red, the blood likely comes from the lower part of your digestive tract. Common causes include:

• Noncancerous tumors
• Cancer
• Inflammation in the colon, called colitis
• Growths called polyps in your colon
• Conditions caused by small sacs in the wall of the colon, called diverticular disease
• Hemorrhoids

Call your doctor if you see red that’s probably not from food you ate.

Poop can often come out the color of the food that went in, especially if you have diarrhea. If your poop has an orange hue, it’s most likely due to some orange foods.

Is your diet causing orange poop?

Foods that have beta-carotene can turn your poop orange, such as:

• Carrots
• Winter squash
• Pumpkin
• Sweet potatoes

Foods with orange coloring, such as sodas, candy, or gelatin dessert, can also give your poop an orange color.

Also, antibiotics and antacids that have aluminum hydroxide in them can make your stool orange.

Other causes of orange poop

Rarely, poop can be orange if you have a problem with your liver that causes it to make less bile than normal, or a blockage that keeps bile from leaving the liver and entering your system. But usually, if this is the case, your poop will be pale or clay-colored.

Most of the time, poop that’s a different color from what you’re used to isn’t something to worry about. It’s rare for it to be a sign of a serious condition in your digestive system. But if it’s white, bright red, or black, and you don’t think it’s from something you ate, call your doctor.

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Color value

Whether we realize it or not, colors have a certain impact on our entire lives.
Usually we intuitively look for the color we need. If we feel tired in the morning, we involuntarily choose clothes in warm and vibrant colors – orange, yellow or red. Subtly sensitive people choose colors most accurately. These are usually women, as men are more socially bound and often suppress the urge to wear clothes of the desired color.

Marketers are well aware of how colors affect customers. For example, in those cafes where they want customers to linger less for food so that more visitors pass, there are always a lot of bright colors such as yellow and red. At the same time, soft color tones and subdued lights can be found in restaurants where they are interested in keeping customers longer.

The primary colors are red, blue and yellow, and the secondary colors are green, orange and purple.

Red – the color of life, sun, fire. It evokes opposite feelings – love and hate, joy and anger. He is the most conspicuous. It is believed to stimulate circulation. Red – the color of the heart, lungs and muscles; it makes a person talkative, excites and intensifies emotions – all revolutionary flags are certainly red. It makes the lazy more active.

Blue color brings a sense of peace and infinity, relaxes a person. This cold light affects the endocrine system, our reactions to stress, relaxation (relaxation), as well as the body’s defense system against infections and allergies.

Yellow symbolizes the midday sun and has a stimulating effect. To a greater extent, it is perceived by the left hemisphere of the brain, its “intellectual” half, and can have a positive impact on learning and acquiring professional skills. Yellow improves the mood of people who are always dissatisfied with something.

Green is the most common color in our European nature. It has a calming effect, and therefore a walk among the greenery is often extremely healing.

Orange represents joy and happiness. It has a beneficial effect on a person who suffers from depression or is prone to excessive pessimism. People who wake up in the morning already tired, dissatisfied and won’t utter a word until they drink a cup of coffee, their mood completely changes if they look at the world through orange glass for at least a few minutes after waking up.

Violet color is always associated with spirituality. It acts on the subconscious and helps a person to know himself, enhancing the effect of meditation. If you put on purple glasses and go to a crowded place, you can be sure that no one will even come close to you. And if you want to moderate your appetite, put on purple glasses when you sit down at the table. Dishes in purple look very unappetizing.

Turquoise color is something that connects the outer and inner sides of our lives. The therapeutic (healing) effect when using this color is often manifested in the fact that there is a feeling of relaxation, liberation and well-being.

The simplest experience will help you understand how different colors affect you. It is necessary to hang multi-colored transparent strips on the window and look through each for several minutes. Soon you will understand which color is especially pleasant for you, and which one is unpleasant at this moment.
There are several types of color effects on a person, but we will consider the physical and psychological.

Physical influence refers to the effect of color on the functional systems of the human body. Red and blue colors have the brightest ability to do this, especially at maximum saturation.

Red color excites the nervous system, activates all body functions, increases muscle tension for a short time, causes rapid breathing and pulse.
Yellow color – physiologically the most optimal, least tiring, stimulates vision and nervous system;
Green color – the most familiar color for the organ of vision, increases motor-muscular activity for a long time, reduces blood pressure and dilates capillaries, soothes and relieves muscle and headaches;
Blue color – soothes, reduces muscle tension and blood pressure, calms the pulse and slows down the rhythm of breathing;
Blue color – has a calming effect, which turns into a depressing one. It inhibits the functions of all physiological systems of the body.
Violet color – combines the effect of red and blue, makes a depressing impression.
Red, yellow, orange are extraversion colors, ie. give rise to an outward impulse.
Blue, violet, green – introverted, their impulses turned inward.
orange and red along with the visual excite the auditory center of the brain, this causes an apparent increase in the volume of noises (for example, a police flasher with a siren). No wonder these active colors are often called flashy.
Green and Blue , soothing colors, weaken the excitation of the auditory center, i.e. as if to reduce the volume of noise.
Tan seems dry, greenish blue damp, pink sugary…
This effect of color cannot be explained by associations (autumn yellow-brown leaves, etc.). It is caused by synesthesia, i. e. stimulation of one sense organ while stimulating another. For example, there are such main characteristics of the apparent effect of colors:
White – light
Yellow – light warm dry
Orange – warm dry flashy, loud
Red – heavy warm dry screaming, loud
Violet – heavy
Blue – heavy cold wet quiet, calm
Green – cool wet calm
Blue – light wet quiet, calm
900 13 Brown – heavy warm wet
Black – heavy dry
“Synesthetic feeling” is inherent in all people, but it is most familiar to creative people with a fine mental organization. This is how Japanese poets felt the world:
Twilight over the sea.
Only the cries of wild ducks in the distance
Vaguely turn white.
(Matsuo Basho)

It’s raining in May.
And the wind in the plum leaves
is freshly green.
(Saimaro)

But it is obvious that colors have a much stronger effect on our physiology and psyche through the mechanism of associations.

Color associations occupy an extremely important place in human life. It has been like this since time immemorial, and perhaps for an ancient person the language of flowers was much more eloquent than for us today. Warriors, with their combat attire, sought to cause excitement and fear; priests, decorating the victims with flowers and gilding – reverence, delight, ecstasy; kings dressed in gold and precious stones – trembling and trembling, a sense of their own insignificance among subjects; and colorful mats and bright decoration of dwellings helped people switch from work to rest and family joys.

PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACT OF COLOR

Here we will talk about feelings, experiences that we can experience under the influence of a particular color.

Absolutely green is the most calm color. It does not move anywhere and has neither an overtone of joy nor sadness. It is this complete lack of movement that has a beneficial effect on a tired psyche, but it can also become boring over time. When yellow is introduced into the green color, it revives, becomes more active. When blue is added, on the contrary, it starts to sound more muffled, becomes more serious, thoughtful.

Yellow color worries a person, “pricks”, excites, activates his state.

Blue tends to deepen. The deeper, darker the blue color becomes, the stronger it calls to the infinite, awakens a hunger for purity and the supersensible. A very dark blue gives an element of peace. Brought to the limits of black – acquires an overtone of sadness. Becoming, on the contrary, bright, it becomes distant and indifferent, like a blue sky. And the lighter is even stronger, the blue becomes more and more silent until it reaches complete silent rest, becoming white.

White color is a symbol of the world, in which all colors, all material properties disappear. Therefore, it acts on our psyche as silence. But this silence is not dead, but, on the contrary, full of possibilities.

Black the same color is really silence without a future.
The balance of white and black gives birth to gray. Naturally, the gray color can not give any movement or sound. Gray is soundless and motionless, but this immobility is of a different nature than that of green, born of two active colors – yellow and blue. Therefore gray color is inconsolable stillness.

Red we perceive as an invariably warm color, as lively, restless, but not having, however, the frivolity of yellow and, unlike the latter, as if glowing within itself.

Violet color is like chilled red, so it sounds a bit painful, like something extinguished and sad.
The choice of color preferences (favorite color) depends on many factors: temperament, character of a person, family traditions, etc. Foreign scientists, as a result of numerous studies, have come to the conclusion that preference for colors is biologically innate.
Children under the age of 1 year, regardless of race and place of residence, show the same preferences: they prefer red, orange and yellow to green, blue and purple.

Among adults, the colors are distributed according to their popularity as follows (as preference decreases): yellow – orange – brown – black .

And in conclusion, it remains to tell one more interesting detail regarding color preference. Specialists subdivide colors into groups A and B:
The colors of group A – simple, clean, bright, contrasting in combination –
– act as strong active stimuli and meet the needs of people with a healthy, restless nervous system.

These are mainly children, adolescents, youth, rural residents and manual laborers, people with an ebullient temperament and an open, direct nature. It is no coincidence that we often meet these colors in the interior of children’s institutions, on advertising posters, in the youth environment, and in arts and crafts.

The colors of group B – complex, low-saturated colors – whitened, broken, blackened – – soothe rather than excite; evoke complex, ambiguous emotions.
Such colors need more prolonged contemplation for perception, satisfy the need for subtle and refined sensations. For all these reasons, the colors of group B are preferred by people of middle and old age, intelligent labor, with a tired and / or finely organized nervous system. These colors are more common in European classical costume, in the interior of the dwellings of the urban intelligentsia, in painting 18-19centuries, in modern design graphics and architecture.

The anti-war movement has a new symbol of protest – the white-blue-white flag. Meduza tells who invented it and why — Meduza

On the very first day of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, mass protests began around the world. Even now, thousands of people continue to take to the streets demanding to stop the war and withdraw Russian troops from the territory of Ukraine. By the end of February, in addition to the already traditional Ukrainian flags, a new symbol of protest appeared on the squares – a white-blue-white flag. Its use is advocated by many people who believe that the traditional Russian tricolor is now “associated with bloodshed”. Meduza tells who invented this flag and what will happen to it next.

“There was general agreement that such a symbol is needed”

Russian Kai Katonina is 31 years old, she works as a designer in Berlin and has been going to protests against the Russian invasion of Ukraine since the first day of the war. At first, Kai protested with a “No to War” poster, but quickly decided that the dissenting Russians needed some kind of unifying symbol. Without him, it seemed that all Russians support the war, and only Ukrainians go to the protests.

“I understood this from acquaintances who wrote on posters that they were Russians and were against the war. Journalists very willingly approached them and said: “Wow, you are Russians! You are against the war and came here!” Kai explains. – This was surprising, although the crowd included the entire Russian-speaking population of Berlin – these are both Belarusians and many Russians. It became clear that we need to clearly identify ourselves as Russians against the war, and not just some people. There was general agreement that such a symbol was needed.”

On February 28, Kai posted on Facebook her own version of the Russian flag, “without the bloody red stripe.” The symbol quickly went viral on social networks.

As it turned out, a similar concept of the white and blue flag almost simultaneously occurred to other people in Russia and abroad. The day before Kai, the author of the Sounds of Fish twitter, an art manager and PR specialist living in Russia, suggested using a white-blue-white color for the new flag (for security reasons, the hero wished to remain anonymous).

Participants of the anti-war rally in London drew a flag in front of the Russian embassy, ​​March 6, 2022

Flag of freedom and peace

Anti-war rally in Dusseldorf, March 7, 2022

Flag of freedom and peace 02 “Back in 2019, I became interested in color and heraldry, found out that the Russian flag violates vexillological rules and decided that a new one was needed,” says the author of the Sounds of Fish twitter in a conversation with Meduza. – Since the 2010s, I have been participating in street actions – and even then I realized that the Russian protest lacked a common symbol. The current tricolor is used by both the Kremlin and the opposition, and after wars, sports scandals and other unpleasant events, it has discredited itself. And the white ribbon [symbol of the 2011-2012 protests], for example, has long been forgotten. Therefore, the need for a new symbol, as it seemed to me, was very high.

The Sound of Fish tweeter came up with a new flag without the red stripe, discussed the idea with friends, and posted the sketch online. And then he came across Kai’s post and found out that other activists and opposition citizens were also proposing the exact same flag.

There were no disputes about authorship. Both Kai and the author of the “Sounds of Fish” twitter are sure that the flag is a “joint folk art”. “A real collective protest. Much has been done by different people, independent of each other. <…> General inspiration. And this is the key to success,” notes Kai, pointing out that, for example, neither Kai nor the author of the “Sounds of Fish” twitter have anything to do with the creation of the flag website (the resource contains a description of the new symbol in several languages ​​at once).

“It doesn’t matter who the author is. The flag, I’m sure, was invented by everyone in parallel. The main thing is that he gets accustomed. In general, it’s just incredible how the idea and rationale coincided, ”the author of the Sounds of Fish twitter agrees.

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“Abandoning the ideas of authoritarianism and military expansion”

There are several reasons for removing the color red from the flag, activists explain. New Russian flag:

• refers to the colors of the flag of Novgorod;
• rhymes with the Belarusian white-red-white protest flag;
• reminds of the sky and snow;
• is not occupied by other countries.

Veliky Novgorod is considered the birthplace of Russian democracy in Ancient Rus’. Here from 1136 to 1478, before the subjugation of the Moscow principality, there was the Novgorod Republic, ruled by the prototype of the parliament.

The flag of Novgorod consists of two horizontal stripes: the top is white and the bottom is blue. On the flag, two black bears hold a golden chair with a red cushion. Silver fish are depicted on the blue stripe.

The point about Novgorod is “ideologically important” right now, when there is a war with Ukraine. “The original idea includes a reference to Novgorod, the historical center of Northern Rus’, and there are several reasons for this,” the author of the Sounds of Fish tweet explains to Meduza. – Firstly, it is a symbolic rejection of encroachments on Southern, Kievan Rus, and any territorial claims on independent states that used to be part of the Russian Empire with the tricolor. Secondly, it is a symbolic tribute to the Novgorod Republic with the beginnings of decentralized government. Thirdly, it is the rejection of the royal, autocratic tricolor and the ideas of authoritarianism and military expansion.”

Anti-war rally in Limassol, March 7, 2022

Flag of freedom and peace

Another important ideological feature that the ambassadors of the new flag insist on is the ability to “repeate it in any conditions.” Kai Katonina, in a conversation with Meduza, notes that the flag should be simple so that anyone can make it out of paper or sew it; therefore, there is no “approved” shade of blue to be used for the flag.

“It is made all over the globe by people independently of each other. Trying to achieve one look is impossible,” says Kai. According to the author of the “Sounds of Fish” twitter, the symbol lives its own life, and many already call it “the flag of the beautiful Russia of the future.”

Since the beginning of March 2022, people all over the planet have taken to the streets with this flag as a new symbol of peace. Protesters were seen with him at a rally in Tbilisi, Krakow, Toronto, Vilnius and Cyprus.

The Free Russia Forum in Vilnius called the white-blue-white flag “the flag of peace and freedom.” “Why is the new symbol important? It frees the Russians from their connection with the Kremlin. By demonstrating this flag, we, as Russians, are saying no to war, no to dictatorship, and no to censorship. This is not a symbol of the state flag, but a symbol of the unification of people, ”says the page of the forum that organized the anti-war rally in Vilnius in Boris Nemtsov Square.

In addition, in the colors of the new flag, people began to print badges, make emoji and come up with an alternative story.

Anti -war rally in Toronto, March 8, 2022

Freedom and peace flag

“We put the meaning in the symbols ourselves”

Kay Katonina believes that in Russia the flag will not be popular: “It is enough to pull out an empty sheet of paper to be pulled out to be pulled out to you’ve been rowed, so there’s no need [to go out with a flag].” In Moscow, the flag has already become a reason for detentions.

However, not everyone who opposes the war in Ukraine agrees to accept the new symbol. For some people, the red color in the Russian tricolor has an important independent meaning. “If for someone the color red is some kind of shame, then for me it is a symbol of the blood of all revolutions and people who sacrificed themselves and died while building a civil society in Russia. And you don’t have the slightest right to erase it,” writes, for example, activist Maria Motuznaya.

The flag’s website explains how to “if you like the classic Russian tricolor”: “Just don’t use the white-azure-white flag. Or use it as an anti-war movement flag. This is not a national flag project. It is a symbol for bringing people together.”

Other comments about the “flag of the beautiful Russia of the future”: its colors resemble a paddy wagon, the flags of the Swiss canton of Zug and the non-existent state of Veishnoria. It is also discussed that these are the colors of Zenit and Dynamo, cans of condensed milk and Volga in the snow.