Weekly Tips for Your Peak Fitness and Wellness

This Week's Tip: Exercise Caution in the Cold

When getting active outside, some exercisers have to take cold and flu season a bit more seriously than others. People with heart conditions especially need to warm up slowly; allowing enough time for the blood vessels to dilate puts less strain on the heart as it pumps blood to the extremities. (Not doing so is why some unfortunate folks have heart attacks from intense snow shoveling.) Diabetics need to take extra care to keep fingers and feet warm and dry, and also watch for hypoglycemia since the body burns more calories in cold weather. And those with asthma can prevent an attack by wearing a scarf around their mouth and nose to warm the air before they inhale.