Photo: Contributed - (Flickr user, iwona_kellie)

With the recent snow, the ski and snowboard season is in full effect. Because I am an avid skier and many of my patients love getting outdoors I thought I would write a few articles to help you make the most out of this winter season.

Staying warm on the ski hill can be a challenge for many people. Feeling cold leads to stiffness, aches and pains, and may lead to pulled muscles or injury. Cold weather often prevents many cold-sensitive people from heading up to the ski hills for a day of skiing or snowboarding.

Even though Big White and Silver Star are on the warm side of the Rockies there are still a number of colder days up at these mountains. So how do you stay warm? Many people rely on coffee, energy drinks, or a wine skin to “warm up”. However, this approach usually results in a cooler core body temperature and a decreased tolerance to cold.

There are three very simple things that you can do before you leave your house to increase your tolerance to cold. First of all, make sure you are well-hydrated all winter long. Dehydration prevents proper circulation to the extremities and leads to cold hands and feet. Secondly, eat breakfast! A good breakfast should contain a mix of protein, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats. Thirdly, try hydrotherapy in your shower before you head up to the hill. Have a hot shower for 3-5 minutes followed by 20-30 seconds of cold water. This will increase your core body temperature and metabolism throughout the entire day.

If you have difficulty staying warm in the cold weather this may be a sign that your circulation needs improvement. There are a number of very effective natural treatments for improving circulation and helping the body stay warm during the winter. The most important first step is to have your circulation assessed to determine what the best treatments would be.

If you have any questions about natural treatments for improving circulation or would like to schedule a consultation call my office at 250-860-8855 or visit my website at www.drbrentbarlownd.com

In next week’s column we will look at the things you can do at the ski hill to improve circulation and stay warm.