Naomie's Home Recipes: Does Frost Bite?

Monday, January 27, 2014

Does Frost Bite?

After the Winter Equinox, there is a greater desire to walk outside. It is cold. It is easier to stay inside. Many people begin thinking about spring cleaning.

Frostbite is a common problem. It was colder this year than past years. I made the mistake of walking to the store and back. It is not too far away. Arriving at home, I was chilled to the bone.

Frostbite is curable. People with severe cases should consult a Doctor. Most people do not know they have it. Frequently, it is gone after taking a lukewarm to warm bath. That is how it is treated.

Gently rub the effected area in a circular motion to create friction and message the muscles. Another option is to soak in warm water while rubbing the skin. That sounds like a warm shower while cleaning the body in gentle circular motion with soap.

Some people might want to be more accurate. It was so bad I had to take a long, warm bath. It lasted for several days before being able to completely sense temperature.

Recommendations, for a bath, include Epsom salts or witch hazel. I like witch hazel. Epsom salt is better. Submerge all parts of the body underwater and continue to rub gently. It is difficult submerging your face. Lay on your stomach and dunk your face a few times and then rub gently. Lay on your stomach and place a warm cloth over your face. It should not inhibit breathing.

Another method to warmup is with a heating pad. Many people have electric blankets. I do not usually get so chilly. A regular bath is fine. On this day, I had to find heating pad. I have plenty of blankets to warmup while sleeping. It was especially cold. Deep muscle is difficult to warm.

How do you know when you have a serious case of frostbite? It hurts. There is a painful sensation in various parts of the body. It aches like a headache. Sometimes, everything feels really hot or skin tingles with warmth. It might be in multiple locations. The nervous system is not sensing a problem.

When touching the skin, muscle feels tense or tight. Muscles are frozen. The body is unable to thaw it. Skin is spotted. It looks yellow or reddish depending the location. There are blue or purple spots that look as though they are below the skin. You could call it "blotchy." The face has a swoosh of blue across streaks of white or yellow.

At this time it is good to start a slow, gentle rubbing of effected areas. It also helps warm hands. Hand will need to be warm to prepare a bath with Epsom salt. You might want a washcloth for taking a regular bath. Do not use anything more abrasive than a wash cloth. Do not use a cleansing rock or loaf pad. Prepare a bath that is close to room temperature, because it better for slowly thawing. You do not want to boil or freeze. Warm hands are better for knowing temperatures. You can ask a Friend.

After bathing, it is nice to drink a warm beverage and wear warm clothing. Turn on the television and wrap a warm blanket around yourself. Relax and think of rustic holiday shows about skiing.

I enjoy scents. Scented candles are wonderful. There is a new product on the market that heats candle wax with a light. The wax for these light sculptures were on sale everywhere last Christmas. Cold does not equal misery.

There are important things to remember when going outside. Always check the temperature. It might be freezing or twenty below freezing. People convince themselves they know the difference. Sensing temperature is a relative event. If you are already cold, it feels warm though it is actually extremely cold outside.

Protect the neck and spine. It is a delicate part of the body. Always wear a coat with a high collar or scarf along the back of the neck. There are vest that can be worn indoors or outdoors. They have a high collar. I do not like fussing with winter clothing. Until after dark, when the weather will be seventeen below freezing, I do not like wearing gloves.

Having to buy winter accessories, I was disappointed in the available option. I want a glove that covers my wrist and part of my arm. Fashion is great, yet it took awhile to find a store that has functional clothes for winter.

Some people like to layer clothing by wearing regular clothing over thermal underwear. You might wear a lot of clothing. Uncovered skin does not have a layer of clothing for protection.

Luckily, the face and chest are warm. There are theories that it is most functional to protect the chest because the heart heats the body. As long as the heart never freezes, a person will not die. The face and skull are vital to survival. If spending a lot of time outside, invest in sun goggles, skier's face masks or knitwear that covers the face. Most people stay inside, so simple rubbing cheeks and holding your hands over eyes is fine when only outside for ten minutes or going from the car to the house.

I feel energetic. It is a good time to clean the house. I wait until summer to wash blankets in the washing machine. Blankets fall apart. I do not wash them as often as sheets. Still, it is a good time to spray baseboards around the outer wall of a home. Dust shelves with a dry cloth. Sweep floors and find one room to clean with an intense cleansers like ammonia.

It is a good time to check the refrigerator and cupboards for expired foods. Throw all of that out. Look around in cupboards and drawers to decide if this is a good time to replace cupboard lining sheets. I like to use decorative place mats to protect the surfaces of furniture from scratching. Some like lace, cloth, scarves or plastic.

As a reward for good work, it might be fun to prepare a home cooked meal to replace the stale scent of insecticide and cleanser with food. Winter is an enjoyable time-of-the-year when you know how to enjoy it and be safe.

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