http://www.care2.com/greenliving/how-to-stay-warm.html
How to Stay Warm
By Terri Hall-Jackson, Care2 contributing writer
I feel like the Cowardly Lion from The Wizard of Oz. The difference is the mantra. His was affirming his belief in spooks, mine is fighting my dread of winter: “I do believe winter can be fun. I do believe winter can be fun. I do, I do, I do!” Because truth be told, I don’t think it’s a whole lot of fun. This is because I’d prefer being in a tank dress over a down coat any day of the week. But, my current reality is that I live where it’s cold half of the year. And I am a fun girl. So I’ve got to find a way to make it work.
I was told by a friend it’s all about the clothes. To enjoy being outside, you need to be wearing the right gear in order to be warm and still able to move (were you ever or do you have the overstuffed snowsuit kid?) There’s a method to layering clothes for warmth. Following these tips from Back to Basics: A Complete Guide to Traditional Skills by Abigail R. Gehring (Skyhorse Publishing, Inc., 2008) should keep you and your kids both warm and comfortable.
1. Before thinking about the clothes, realize that food supplies heat to the body; the clothes provide protection so that it isn’t wasted. Make sure you eat a good meal before spending an extended amount of time outdoors in winter.
2. Several light, comfortably fitted layers are preferable to a single heavy layer. Generally an outer, mid, and under layer suffice.
3. Underlayer. Two-ply long johns and undershirts, (cotton on the inside for comfort, wool on the outside for warmth, are warmer than thermal-knit underwear. Two pairs of socks–a thin pair of cotton socks beneath a heavier wool pair–are warmer and more comfortable than a single thick pair.
4. Midlayer. For warmth and ventilation, wear a tightly woven wool shirt that opens tdown the front and a quilted jacket over it that also opens in the front. Pants should be of tightly woven wool, cuffless, with plenty of room in the seat and legs, and flaps over the pockets to help keep snow out. For added ventilation use suspenders rather than a belt. A woolen stocking hat or mask-like hat will greatly reduce loss of heat from the head.
5. Outer layer. The main job of the outermost layer is to protect against wind, rain and snow. A parka that covers the hips and has a hood with a full-length zipper is best. If you’re planning on going above the timberline or along windswept ridges, you’ll need a windproof face mask. Down pants, mittens and booties are fine around camp, but are too warm for the trail. Two-piece mittens–a wool liner and a nylon outer shell with a leather palm–are better than gloves.
6. A good pair of boots are essential. Double boots–a felt inner liner and high-top outer boot–are warm and comfortable, but very expensive. A rugged mountaineering boot has many of the benefits of the double boot at a lower cost. Foam-insulated rubber boots will keep your feet warm, but will also make them perspire.
7. While down provides maximum warmth at minimum weight; wool has the important advantage of retaining its warmth even when wet.
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10 comments
add your comment »How to stay warm? Our own body is a heat generating machine. If kept idle, it will become obsolete. Continuous labour or physical exercise will keep our body warm.. but with minimum clothes and socks. There are other ways to generate heat... heater, sunbath. (General comment: Go with your wife anywhere.. it will be always warm).
12 volt akku
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thankyou...
Kabin
Konteyner
mega kabin
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One more fabulous way to keep warm is with a TOAST Downfilled Skirt!
www.toastskirts.com
It zips over whatever you are wearing to keep you toasty warm (like snowpants only way cuter!) Surprisingly slim fit and the best part is it is water resistant and wipes clean with a cloth.
Lots of gals use it for camping as a ground cover, blanket, pillow or for sitting around the campfire. Great at sporting events or even indoors to save heating costs.
It's pretty new on the market so I'm helping spread the good word. (The new style City Skirt is very affordable!)
Cheers,
Vivian George
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Besides eating properly and dressing wisely to keep warm in winter, there is also another trick I learned many years ago. It is a kind of conditioning of your skin so that it regulates your body temperature more efficiently. This will make you feel comfortable in a wider range of the temperature spectrum, thereby requiring less clothing to keep warm when going out in the cold. It takes a few weeks to a couple of months to condition your skin, so for those of you who are reading this in February, you may want to put this on your to do list for next fall.
The secret is in the body scrub brush when you bathe. If you currently scrub gently with a soft brush, gradually work your way up to a stiff bristle brush and vigorous scrubbing. Each day, take a hot shower or bath and scrub your whole body more vigorously than the day before, and over a period of time gradually replace the soft-bristle brush with medium and then one with stiff bristles. (Exception: you will probably want to scrub your private parts lightly.) After a couple of months when you will be able to scrub daily with stiff bristles and it doesn't hurt, you will be able to go out in the cold with fewer layers of clothing and still feel comfortable.
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The other piece to remember is that cold is relative. The more you think about how cold you're gonna get, the colder you're gonna get, regardless of what you are wearing. Relax. Notice I don't say, "Chill out."
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You could also try down for outer layers and synthetics for all layers. Patagonia recycles their synthetics, so look for those. I also live in a cold, dry climate. I LOVE Weleda Everon Face Balm. I swear it keeps my face warmer (and moisturized)!
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Valerie C - have you tried alpaca? I have heard that some people who are allergic to sheep's wool are not allergic to alpaca?
I also find that if I put on a good coat of lotion, that I hold in my own natural heat better. I live where it is cold AND dry so dry skin is a real problem. When I remember to put on lotion I don't seem to have to dress as warmly.
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Terri you are right on, I do not like cold and I also live in cold country.However, the layers are best, thanks for the tips.
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Everyone recommends wools to keep warm. Unfortunately, my family and I are very allergic to wool. What would you suggest, cotton?
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