Hot food and sport against cold feet

Spicy food, sports and what else to do against cold feet

24/11/2014

Winter is the season of cold feet and hands. Even in the office or at home, it can meet one. However, this can be remedied. But why is it that we tend so cold extremities in winter??

If the cold creeps into your shoes or under your gloves, a short walk can be very uncomfortable. Cause of the annoying shivering is a protective reaction of the body, as Alexander Piwtorak of the Institute of General Medicine at the University Hospital Jena executes: „If the mercury falls outside, the body has to react to protect it from chilling. Here, the brain and internal organs have absolute priority - it warms up the organism with the help of the heat transport agent blood. So that more blood can flow into the middle of the body and the head, the body first reduces the blood supply to the extremities. As a result, hands and feet, but also ears and nose cool down quickly“, so Piwtorak in the Frankfurter Rundschau.

Proper clothing is important
Especially affected by the winter shiver are women. This is primarily due to the relatively lower muscle mass and the tendency to flab. „The bigger and more muscular a body is, the better it can defend itself against the cold“, said general practitioner Piwtorak. However, even men are not immune to cold feet and hands. But how can one protect oneself against the cooling off of the extremities? This is terribly banal: dress warmly!“, recommends Piwtorak in the Rundschau. „Pay particular attention to comfortable footwear and socks - shoes that push, disturb the circulation and make the feet cold.“ When choosing clothes, wool is recommended. "It has the advantage over cotton to be able to absorb moisture and to store heat better."

Sports, foot baths and spicy food
„If you want to get rid of the icicles on your fingers and toes, changing baths for your arms and legs could help“, says Dr. Hans-Michael Mühlenfeld, general practitioner from Bremen. A walk in the sauna and a subsequent bath in the cold water keeps blood circulation and circulation in motion. In addition, there are plant-based ready-to-use drugs that counteract cold feet. This not only eliminates the unpleasant coldness in the feet, but also prevents the emergence of headaches, as according to Prof. Brauchle „from the feet [...] nervous remote effects to the head“, which can trigger a headache.

In addition, help movement. Sport is thus the best prevention against circulatory problems and thus against cold feet and hands. Going for a walk or light jogging is enough to stimulate the circulation and thus promote blood circulation.

Exercise can also help if you already have cold hands and feet: „Give your muscles something to do and move! Do a few squats or walk around the house for two minutes or a few paces. The muscles generate heat and the stimulated circulation transports them into the hands and feet“, Piwtorak continues in the Rundschau. In particular, movement of the affected body parts help to reheat them. In addition, adequate meals should be taken regularly: „Those who often freeze should avoid hunger. It just shivers faster when the last meal is hours ago.“ In this case, spicy foods are particularly suitable for warming up. In addition, warm drinks help against the constant chill: „Especially recommended is ginger tea, because it additionally warms because of its pungent“, said Ursula Sellerberg of the Federal Association of German Pharmacist Associations (ABDA).

Cold feet can be due to illness
If, despite everything, your feet and hands do not warm up even in mild weather, you should consult a doctor: „If you constantly suffer from ice feet, could possibly have a circulatory disorder and should definitely consult a doctor“, warns Piwtorak. Other causes of permanent ice feet may include hypothyroidism, anemia due to iron deficiency, and low blood pressure. (Sb)