What to eat if you feel too cold and warm clothes don't help
Winter is upon us and the temperature has suddenly started dipping. If you feel colder than others — that is, if multiple layers of warm clothes don’t help you — there might be a reason for it; perhaps, many reasons.
For example, often very low body weight — with the Body Mass Index (BMI) hovering around 18.5 or under — means there isn’t enough body fat to insulate the person from cold temperatures, and this causes the chills. So take a good look at your body weight and do something about it if it is too low.
When one always feels cold, it is a telltale sign of hypothyroidism, a disorder in which your body doesn't secrete enough of the thyroid hormone, leading to a substantial drop in metabolism. Get yourself checked.
Food is often a major factor. Go on a diet too often? You need to know that a diet too low on calories can put the brakes on your metabolism and prevent the body from creating enough heat to keep you naturally warm.
So it is important to take a good look at not just your body weight but also the kind (and amount) of food you are eating.
Anaemia is one of the most common reasons for chronic coldness, as it impacts the metabolism and affects blood circulation negatively, so observe your iron levels. Iron deficiency can make the thyroid hormone lethargic, leading to hypothyroidism that leaves your body feeling colder.
Vitamin B12 deficiency is another oft-ignored cause; the vitamin is essential to make red blood cells that carry oxygen through the system and help keep us warm. So get tested, and aim to get more lean meat, fish and dairy into your meals. If you are a vegetarian, consider supplements.
Healthy muscle helps maintain body temperature by producing heat, and not having enough protein in the diet can negatively affect your muscle tone and contribute to leaving you feeling frosty.
Up your protein intake substantially! There’s more.
It is also possible to buff up your body from inside by eating naturally warming foods.
There’s a reason why there are so many greens available to choose from during winter; for instance, saags are naturally warming. Rotate and eat them all.
Switch to complex carbs. Opt more for brown rice, quinoa, oats and buckwheat instead of refined flour. Add some bran to your everyday roti atta. Refined rice and flour may lead to sugar crashes, whereas the body breaks complex carbohydrates slowly over time, resulting in an extended release of energy and heat.
Get the allicin advantage. Eat two raw garlic cloves early in the morning, have raw onion with your meals — both have allicin, a compound that boosts blood circulation and warms the body.
Go nuts, literally. Most nuts are naturally warming and also provide slow release of energy and good quality protein. Add some crunch to your diet by snacking on walnuts, cashews, peanuts and almonds.
Peanuts are particularly beneficial as they are high in vitamin B3, which promotes blood flow and kick-starts your metabolism — two key components in fending off the cold.
Also sprinkle seeds, such as sunflower, pumpkin, sesame on salads and soups.
Get some herbal help. Add a teaspoon of ginger juice to fresh fruit juices, sprinkle rosemary in soups, or have a tea cuppa with liberal amounts of ginger every day.
Ginger has thermogenic properties that can keep you warm, and also helps boost metabolism and promote blood flow. Use nutmeg liberally, add basil leaves, ginger shreds or a bit of cinnamon to your morning cup of tea.
Also step up the use of whole spices like cloves, cumin and peppercorns in your curries, sprinkle some dried coconut flakes to dishes — and finish your meal by chewing a bit of fennel.
Always wind up the day with a teaspoon of turmeric with warm milk at bed time.
And don’t forget to hydrate yourself enough. Water helps regulate body temperature; therefore, often that chilly feeling could just be a sign of dehydration.
Water helps keep your body temperature in a comfortable zone, your metabolism chugging along and leaves you feeling warm from inside.