From VOA Learning English, this is the
Health & Lifestyle report.
In winter, people
might lessen their outdoor exercise. The days get dark earlier, and it can be
very cold! These conditions can make it harder for some of us to get outdoors
for exercise. However, cold days can
be perfect for outdoor workouts!
There are at least
three important health benefits to
cold-weather workouts.
1. The body works harder in cold weather.
Health experts at the
Medical University of South Carolina say the body must make extra energy to
keep warm in low temperatures. This means the body is burning more calories and
fat. Your lungs also may
work better in cold weather. Researchers at Northern Arizona University in
Flagstaff found
some interesting results in a study of goats.
Yes, I said “goats.” But still, their
results were pretty interesting.
The scientists looked
at how cold-weather activity affected goats. They found that “during the three
coldest months, the sedentary but
cold-exposed goats experienced a 34% increase in maximal oxygen
uptake … and a 29% increase in running speed.” When temperatures increased in
the spring both oxygen uptake and running speed of the goats decreased.
2. Regular cold-weather exercising may help the immune
system.
The winter season is also cold and
flu season. Making outdoor exercise a usual part of your workout may help you
avoid both colds and the flu. It may strengthen your body’s defense system.
The Mayo Foundation for Medical
Education and Research found that winter workouts can cut your risk of getting
the flu by 20 to 30 percent.
3.
Exercising outdoors in cold weather may help your mental health.
Some people who suffer from “winter blues”
or Seasonal Affective Disorder, may benefit from going outside to exercise in
the fresh air and sunshine.
An outdoor workout increases
exposure to sunlight. Sunlight helps the body produce vitamin D. And vitamin D
produces hormones that brighten your mood.
In Sweden,
where lack of winter sunlight can contribute to depression, customers dressed
in white robes take in simulated sunlight at Stockholm's Iglo Ljuscafe, Dec.
12, 2006.
Dangers of a
cold-weather workout
So, there
are several health benefits of exercising outdoors in very cold weather. But
there are also dangers.
Frostbite is
one of the most common.
Edward Ward
is a doctor at Rush University Medical Center. He explains how frostbite
happens.
"When
the air temperature drops below zero especially factoring wind chill,
things freeze. And that includes the fluids that's within your fingers or your
toes, nose, ears, anything that's exposed to that wind chill
can be affected by frostbite."
Protecting
your fingers, toes, ears and nose is very important. Cold winds affect these
parts of the body more quickly than other parts.
Christopher
Sampson is a doctor with University of Missouri Health Care. He explains that
frostbite can happen rapidly -- in less than 30 minutes.
"With
frostbite people can start experiencing symptoms pretty
rapidly, on average with mild winds and cold temperatures it
can occur in as less than 30 minutes, with extreme cases. When
it's very, very cold and winds are very, very strong, sometimes frostbite can
develop in as little as 5 minutes."
The
beginning of frostbite is called “frostnip.”
Experts at
the Mayo Clinic explain that “with this mild form of frostbite,
your skin pales or turns red and feels very cold. Continued exposure leads
to prickling and numbness in the affected
area. As your skin warms, you may feel pain and tingling. Frostnip
doesn't permanently damage the skin.”
But,
frostbite can. It can even lead to loss of tissue and limbs.
Hypothermia
The most
serious danger is hypothermia. Hypothermia is when the body temperature has
fallen below 35 degrees Celsius or about 95 degrees Fahrenheit. This happens
when your body can not produce enough energy to keep the body warm enough.
Hypothermia
can kill you. There are several signs to watch for before it is too late.
·
difficulty in
movement
·
difficulty in
thinking
·
slowed
reactions
·
unclear speech
·
cold feet and
hands
·
shivering
·
sleepiness
Falling on ice
However, Dr.
Sampson says it is ice that creates the biggest risk for workouts outside when
it is very cold. People don’t see the ice, step on it and fall.
Dress
properly
But if you
are dressed right, you can exercise safely in low temperatures.
Experts on
several health websites say it is important to dress in layers.
The layer
closest to the body should be made of a material that takes moisture away from
the body. The next layer should be a material that traps heat, such as wool.
And finally, the outer layer should be water resistant.
Of course,
don't forget gloves, hat, good socks and shoes. When it is really cold, a scarf
or face mask will protect your skin and lungs.
In Maine
with the temperature at 3 degrees Fahrenheit, this man shovels snow wearing a
face mask to guard against frostbite, January, 2014.
Check the weather forecast
Temperature
is not the only things that will affect your outdoor workout. It is also
important to consider wind and water.
Wind can go
through your clothing and steal the layer of warm air that surrounds your body.
If you get wet, you may not be able to keep your body temperature high enough.
So, if you
are a generally healthy person, do not think you must move your workouts
indoors in winter. As long as you dress properly, drink enough water and
exercise safely, you can get a lot out of a cold-weather workout.
And that’s
the Health & Lifestyle Report.
I’m Anna
Matteo.
Words in This Story
benefit – n. a good
or helpful result or effect
sedentary – adj. doing
or involving a lot of sitting : not doing or involving much physical activity
maximal – adj. greatest
or highest possible
the
blues – n. a feeling of sadness or depression
mood the way someone feels : a
person's emotional state
factor something that helps produce
or influence a result : one of the things that cause something to happen
wind
chill – n. the effect that wind has of making air feel colder
than it actually is
expose – v. to leave
(something) without covering or protection
rapidly – adv. happening
in a short amount of time : happening quickly
symptom – n. a change
in the body or mind which indicates that a disease is present
mild – adj. gentle
in nature or behavior
occur – v. somewhat
formal : to happen
prickle – v. to cause
or experience an unpleasant feeling that is like the feeling of having many
small, sharp points against your skin : prickling – n.
numb – adj. unable
to feel anything in a particular part of your body because of cold, injury,
etc. : numbness – n.
tingle – v. to have
a feeling like the feeling of many small sharp points pressing into your skin
shiver – v. to shake
slightly because you are cold, afraid, etc.
QUIZE