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Survival tips for the winter
By Staff Reporters |
November 29, 2010, Monday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
WINTER is approaching and to provide maximum comfort and cheer during the coldest months of the year, it's best to pay attention to the clothes you wear.
It's not always a matter of how many layers you put on or how thick those layers are. Experts agree that each person needs to decide on his/her own "ideal climate clothing" to beat the cold.
"Ideal climate clothing" refers to clothing that is worn during zero-degree Celsius weather and can keep the temperature between your body and the inner clothing at 32 to 33 degrees.
What you should wear varies with age.
For the elderly, whose physiological functions have slowed to low metabolism rates, light but well-insulated clothing is the first choice.
For younger and middle-aged people, the dress code for winter is more flexible because they have more finely tuned physical condition.
Infants and teenagers, especially newborn babies, require heavier protection during winter time.
One thing that requires special attention when dressing for winter is the heat lost through unprotected head, hands and other exposed parts of the body.
It's well to note that in an environment of 15 degrees, heat dissipation from the head normally accounts for 30 percent of the total body heat loss. At 4 degrees, that rises to 60 percent, while at minus 15 degrees it climbs to 75 percent.
Perhaps that's where the saying came from: "Wearing one cotton cap in winter is like wearing one padded jacket."
Human bodies normally burn more calories in winter to maintain the normal physical activities, so eating high-energy foods is important. They are also crucial to maintaining good body condition during the winter.
Here are some foods that will help the body out during thecold months.
Lamb is good winter fare because the meat generates heat to the body. Lamb is also believed to be a good tonic for asthma, bronchitis and lung disease.
Goose is another good winter dish because it stimulates the five internal organs: heart, liver, spleen, lungs and kidneys.
Healthy food
It's good to eat plenty of walnuts, which are considered the "longevity fruit." The nuts, along with ginger, are considered a good antidote to winter colds.
Chestnuts can help protect the stomach and slow the aging process, according to Li Shizhen, a noted doctor in ancient China. Eating 10 chestnuts in the morning helps keep people healthy and stronger.
Nowadays, more and more families use floor heating system in winter, as it is environmentally friendly, energy-saving, and heating rooms without drying them out too much compared with air-conditioners.
However, not all houses are suitable for the installation of heating devices.
There are mainly two types of floor heating equipment available. One is the plumbing heat device, which uses under-floor tubes through which hot water or fuel is pumped.
The other major system device uses electricity to heat rooms. That can mean electricity coils embedded underneath floors.
Geothermal heating systems are suitable only for bathrooms and kitchens because they can hurt furniture with the excessive, humid heat they generate.
Geothermal heating can be a tricky proposition because all the materials used in those systems must meet high standards related to density, low expansibility of water suction and low emission of formaldehyde.
Driving in winter is another seasonal hazard. Cold mornings can make it hard to start engines and remove frost from windshields.
It's best to wear insulated clothing and gloves when driving in winter so you are prepared if a tire needs changing or some accident occurs that forces you to be out in the cold.
One way to defrost car windows is to leave them open for five minutes before turning the ignition. It's also best to warm up the engine for at least a few minutes before taking off in a car. And don't accelerate too fast. Engines can be slower to react in winter.
For gardeners, winter is mostly a dormant time of year. Plants require less water and reduced fertilizers when they aren't growing robustly.
The best time to water plants is between 11am and 2pm. But be sparing! It's easy to kill a plant in winter with too much water.
It's not always a matter of how many layers you put on or how thick those layers are. Experts agree that each person needs to decide on his/her own "ideal climate clothing" to beat the cold.
"Ideal climate clothing" refers to clothing that is worn during zero-degree Celsius weather and can keep the temperature between your body and the inner clothing at 32 to 33 degrees.
What you should wear varies with age.
For the elderly, whose physiological functions have slowed to low metabolism rates, light but well-insulated clothing is the first choice.
For younger and middle-aged people, the dress code for winter is more flexible because they have more finely tuned physical condition.
Infants and teenagers, especially newborn babies, require heavier protection during winter time.
One thing that requires special attention when dressing for winter is the heat lost through unprotected head, hands and other exposed parts of the body.
It's well to note that in an environment of 15 degrees, heat dissipation from the head normally accounts for 30 percent of the total body heat loss. At 4 degrees, that rises to 60 percent, while at minus 15 degrees it climbs to 75 percent.
Perhaps that's where the saying came from: "Wearing one cotton cap in winter is like wearing one padded jacket."
Human bodies normally burn more calories in winter to maintain the normal physical activities, so eating high-energy foods is important. They are also crucial to maintaining good body condition during the winter.
Here are some foods that will help the body out during thecold months.
Lamb is good winter fare because the meat generates heat to the body. Lamb is also believed to be a good tonic for asthma, bronchitis and lung disease.
Goose is another good winter dish because it stimulates the five internal organs: heart, liver, spleen, lungs and kidneys.
Healthy food
It's good to eat plenty of walnuts, which are considered the "longevity fruit." The nuts, along with ginger, are considered a good antidote to winter colds.
Chestnuts can help protect the stomach and slow the aging process, according to Li Shizhen, a noted doctor in ancient China. Eating 10 chestnuts in the morning helps keep people healthy and stronger.
Nowadays, more and more families use floor heating system in winter, as it is environmentally friendly, energy-saving, and heating rooms without drying them out too much compared with air-conditioners.
However, not all houses are suitable for the installation of heating devices.
There are mainly two types of floor heating equipment available. One is the plumbing heat device, which uses under-floor tubes through which hot water or fuel is pumped.
The other major system device uses electricity to heat rooms. That can mean electricity coils embedded underneath floors.
Geothermal heating systems are suitable only for bathrooms and kitchens because they can hurt furniture with the excessive, humid heat they generate.
Geothermal heating can be a tricky proposition because all the materials used in those systems must meet high standards related to density, low expansibility of water suction and low emission of formaldehyde.
Driving in winter is another seasonal hazard. Cold mornings can make it hard to start engines and remove frost from windshields.
It's best to wear insulated clothing and gloves when driving in winter so you are prepared if a tire needs changing or some accident occurs that forces you to be out in the cold.
One way to defrost car windows is to leave them open for five minutes before turning the ignition. It's also best to warm up the engine for at least a few minutes before taking off in a car. And don't accelerate too fast. Engines can be slower to react in winter.
For gardeners, winter is mostly a dormant time of year. Plants require less water and reduced fertilizers when they aren't growing robustly.
The best time to water plants is between 11am and 2pm. But be sparing! It's easy to kill a plant in winter with too much water.
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