It’s never too cold to exercise - just keep moving!
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Last December, I posted this picture (courtesy of the Chicago Tribune) of some brave runners out for a jog in the bitter cold. Many people forgo this kind of exercise because they’re scared that the cold will damage their lungs or make them sick. But in fact, heat is more risky to the outdoor adventurer than extreme cold. And as for damaging your lungs, the air you breath in warms up to body temperature by the time it reaches your lungs.
These myths and more are discussed in this New York Times article. I thought this bit on hypothermia was interesting:
The biggest risk of hypothermia comes with a combination of wet and cold. That is because water transfers heat from the body 70 times more efficiently than air.
Hypothermia begins to set in when the body’s core temperature falls to 95 degrees. That elicits shivering and a rise in blood pressure. But if your temperature drops to 85, you lose consciousness, and if it goes much lower, you can die. The trick to avoiding hypothermia is to keep moving, Dr. Noakes said. “As long as you keep moving you are not going to die because you generate so much heat.”
This is why you shouldn’t overdress if you’re going to exercise in the cold. Too much sweat and you’re a popsicle.
Link (via Lifehacker)
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