Staying Warm and Healthy

November 20th, 2014

It’s bitterly cold right now in most parts of the US with some areas covered in many feet of snow.  Here are some tips on how to stay warm and healthy.

• Cover up.  Make sure when you go outdoors, you cover up exposed skin as much as possible.  Make sure your head and neck are covered as these areas lose the most heat.
• Drink warm liquids such as tea.  In traditional Chinese medicine, ginger has properties that can add heat or “yang” energy to the body. Make yourself a cup of ginger tea when you come in from the cold.  Fluids are also necessary to replace the water lost to the dry cold air.
• Avoid alcoholic drinks.  Many cultures believe that alcohol can warm you up.  People often notice that when you drink alcohol, your face turns warm and hot.  However, this is caused by blood vessel expansion called vasodilation.  When this occurs, blood rises to the surface of the skin causing a more rapid loss of heat.  Drinking excessive alcohol can contribute to hypothermia (lowering of body temperature to life threatening range) by making you less aware of the need to stay warm.
• Exercise.  When you exercise, your metabolism increases and your body temperature rises.  Start the day off with some cardio to keep you warm throughout the day.  Do a few jumping jacks before you head out into the cold (not to the point of sweating, but just enough to feel warm)
• Moisturize regularly.  Cold air is dry air.  Your skin can dry out easily.  Use a moisturizer on your skin often, especially after you’ve just gotten out of the shower and your skin is damp.  Don’t forget lip balm to prevent chapped lips.
• Get your flu shot.  When you are exposed to extreme cold, your immune system may become weak making you vulnerable to getting the flu.  Also, when the weather gets cold, we tend to congregate with other people indoors, leading to more potential for viruses such as the flu to spread rapidly.
• Keep an emergency supply of food.  When the weather is bitterly cold or snow makes driving difficult, you’re best off staying indoors and off the roads.
• Dress up before you go outdoors.  About 10 minutes before you head out into the bitter cold, put on your cold weather gear (coat, hat, scarf) and walk around indoors.  While this may look silly, this allows you to accumulate heat within your clothing.  Once you head outdoors and wind starts to blow against your body, heat starts to leave your body immediately.  By warming up the clothing first, you will stay warmer much longer.
• Take a warm bath.  Nothing compares to a steamy bath at the end of a cold day.  Pamper yourself and your body when the mercury drops!