The United States and Canada experience all different types of weather. Depending on your location, your experiencing the typical winter right now. Frigid temps, ice, and snow. If you’re not used to this kind of weather, we have some helpful tips for you.

If you are one who has to walk to class, it’s so important you prepare for the journey in the cold weather.

What is frostbite?

Frostbite happens when a person loses feeling and color on a certain area of the body. Most common places are the nose, ears, cheeks, chin, fingers, and toes. Symptoms include:

• White or yellowish patches of skin that feel numb
• Your skin feels hard, waxy, or again feels numb. Also, if you’re skin is blistering/opening or looks darker than usual.
• Swelling, itching, burning or a deep pain

How to keep warm and avoid frostbite

1. Check the weather

We know it’s cold. But how cold? Will it rain today or snow? These details can help you prepare how to dress. Simply check online or flip on the TV.

2. Dress in layers

Now you checked the weather, depending on how cold it will be will determine how many layers of clothes to wear. Layers will keep you warmer and it allows you to shed some clothes once you get inside. Some items we suggest include:

• Thermal clothing, such as thermal underwear (yes, we said thermal underwear) and thermal undershirts and pants.
• Fleece lined jeans
• Long socks or leg warmers
• A coat with a hood. It’s a known fact your head loses the most heat so you need to keep it covered.
• Gloves, scarves, and earmuffs will be your friends. Wear them all the time to make sure you don’t have any skin exposed to the cold.

3. Invest in winter boots

Probably one of the most important things you can do is invest in a good pair of winter boots that will keep your feet warm and dry. Look for boots with excellent grip for those icy sidewalks.

4. Pack warm food/drinks

There’s nothing like a thermos full of hot chocolate or coffee to warm you up. Pack it if you have to walk across campus to work on a group project or study in the library.

Featured photograph courtesy of  www.besthealthylifestyletips.com