Cold Intolerance
Are your hands always cold? Are you unable to get warm no matter how hard you try? You could be cold intolerant, and there may be medical reasons as to why.
Feeling cool while outside on a winter day or being in an air-conditioned room is one thing – and some people just have a natural tendency to be cold. However, Dr. Ali Ghahary, a family physician from Vancouver, says feeling cold all the time could be indicative of a serious health problem and is not something you should ignore.
Below we’ll take a look at what some of those health reasons could be and how you can get your body temperature back to where it needs to be so that you’re feeling warmer and much more comfortable.
Individuals with a low body weight – specifically a BMI that is 18.5 or lower – are prone to feeling cold. A BMI of 18.5 or lower is considered underweight, and when you are underweight you don’t have the necessary amount of fat that is required to keep your body insulated and protected from colder temperatures. For individuals suffering from eating disorders (such as anorexia), they often become obsessed with maintaining a low body weight, which means they aren’t likely getting enough nutrients and calories required for their overall health, and when you skip calories you’re also slowing down the body’s metabolism, which helps create body heat. In order to increase body heat, Dr. Ali Ghahary recommends eating healthy foods consisting of mostly protein (i.e. chicken and turkey), good fats (i.e. avocados and fish), and complex carbohydrates (i.e. green, starchy vegetable.) You can find plenty of tips on healthy eating from Dr. Ali Ghahary by clicking here.
Your thyroid, the butterfly-shaped gland that sits just at the base of your neck, is also responsible for regulating your metabolism and could also contribute to a decrease in body temperature – particularly if your thyroid is not producing enough hormones. This is known as hypothyroidism. Along with feeling cold, you may also notice dry skin, thinning of hair, fatigue, constipation, weight gain, and have heavy or irregular menstrual periods.
Feeling cold is also a common symptom of anemia. Anemia occurs when the body cannot produce enough red blood cells to carry oxygen throughout the body. There are many different types of anemia that can occur, such as iron deficiency anemia (the most common), vitamin deficiency anemia, anemia due to blood loss (i.e. menstrual cycle), or disease-related anemia. The best way to prevent anemia is to eat a diet that is rich in iron as well as increase your vitamin C intake to help with iron absorption. Iron supplements are also widely available at pharmacies across Vancouver.
If you’re still constantly feeling cold and have already ruled out the aforementioned conditions, it would be a good idea to speak to your family physician. Sometimes feeling cold can be as simple as not having enough circulation, which can be resolved by getting regular exercise, or it can even be the result of not getting a good night’s sleep. Whatever the reason, your family doctor will be able to point you in the right direction.
