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Perhaps we have never experienced the ice-breaking trip in Northern Europe, but what if I tell you there is one ice-breaking trip that is free of charge, and you can set off immediately, would you be interested? What I am referring to is the “Nutrition Ice-Breaking Journey” in this column of [Wellbeing and You]. We will go through three common and annoying health conditions in the “ice-cold” winter and guide you to conquer these “icebergs” one by one. In this ice-breaking journey, we will bring you to visit three main “tourists’ spots” – Cold Hands, Dry Skin and Chapped Lips. In each stop, we will lead you to understand the causes, myths (“YES & NO”) and suggestions (“DO & DON’T”) of each health condition. I hope you all will enjoy this exciting journey and say goodbye to the above health conditions in 2022 and have a warm and fulfilling new year.

Causes

Cold environment	High “Fat:Muscle” Ratio	Slow metabolism and circulation
Aging	Anemia	Stress
Smoking	Bacterial/ Viral infection	Diseases (e.g. Raynaud’s syndrome, diabetes complications)

The “YES & NO”

Question: Is it exclusive for women?

NO, but…

Both men and women would experience cold hands.
However, women are indeed more likely to have cold hands then men, according to a study by the University of Utah, which demonstrated the hand temperature for men (32.2°C) are higher than women (30.7°C). The differences were possibly attributed from the smaller size, higher “Fat:Muscle” body composition and the different hormonal profile of women.

Question: Does the old saying “Cold hands, warm heart” true?

YES!
Interestingly, the research by the University of Utah also found that women had a higher core (heart included) temperature than men. The saying “Cold hands, warm heart” may have a certain scientific basis because blood vessels in the extremities are often first to constrict in the face of temperature drop in order to maintain the core temperature for survival and normal metabolism of the body.

DOs	DON’Ts
Hot food and drink: broth, soups, teas	Cold food: Salad, ice cream, sushi
Adequate protein intake (> 1g Protein /1kg Body weight) e.g. Egg, dairy products, meat	Low-carbohydrate diet, which slows down metabolism as well as energy/heat production
Coconut oil (Steam-refined) MCT inside accelerates thermogenesis	Phytate-rich foods: Beans, seeds and nuts
Caffeine Coffee and black tea boost blood flow, metabolism and body temperature	Anti-thyroid/Goitrogenic foods: Soy, raw/undercooked cruciferous vegetables (cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower), millet
Spice Ceylon Cinnamon, white pepper, ginger, chili, star anise, nutmeg, cardamom	Deep-fried foods Especially those fried with PUFA – Poly-Unsaturated Fatty Acid
Regular exercise (walking counts!)	Alcohol & Smoke

Reference

American College of Rheumatology, University of Utah, Mayo Clinic, Johns Hopkins Medicine, National Health Service, National Institute of Health, PMID: 9464451, 2921306, 26894086, 16676119, 17898493, 30666166, 31343948, 27069497, 23204610, 29430626, 20224686, 28274349, 33898702

Author

Charles Wong, Senior Nutritionist
Compass Group Hong Kong Limited