Who is feeling chilly? The cold months are well and truly here and that means plummeting temperatures, bitter winds, and the usual struggle to stay warm. We have come up with some ingenious ideas for how to keep warm this winter – efforts that don’t have to cost the earth. Warm the body, and the soul, with these hot tips for staying toasty.
Material required:
Water bottles
Ginger
Grater
Lemon
Socks
Use a hot water bottle: Hot water bottles don’t have to be held in reserve for bedtime. Fill your rubbery friend with hot water and take it to the sofa, use it to warm your car seat before you head to work, zip it up inside your coat on a long walk, or sit it on your lap in the office. You will have a warm glow wherever you go.
Gorge on ginger: Root ginger is a stimulating food that increases circulation, raising our body temperature and helping to get warm blood to those cold extremities. Grate some ginger into hot water and lemon, chuck chunks in your stir-fry, or bake some ginger bread. If you really can’t stand the spice then there are other foods that can help to get the blood flowing: cayenne pepper, garlic and goji berries are all our friends in cold weather.
Stop shaving: Okay, so this will require a certain level of commitment and time. Facial hair doesn’t just help you fit in with the hipsters, it also has an extremely practical benefit: a beard protects the face from inclement weather — wind, rain, snow and hail. In fact, letting hair grow freely anywhere on your body provides an extra layer of insulation for keeping you cozy and warm. Throw that razor away and get growing!
Double up on socks: Our extremities often suffer the most when temperatures drop because the body prioritises keeping our core and vital organs warm. To counteract the effect, pop on two pairs of socks and make sure there is no gap at the ankle for cold air to creep in.
Use the oven: Wholesome, home-cooked food undoubtedly warms the cockles. But using the oven for stews and baking has an additional benefit. When you have finished using the cooker, turn it off and (if you don’t have pets or small children around) leave the oven door open. This will allow the warm air to escape into the room.
