COLD WEATHER PREPARATION ESSENTIAL TO GOOD HEALTH

Many in the Wiregrass area have been preparing for our freezing weather...that includes local doctors, who are warning everyone to bundle up. Slow movements and speech and being fuzzy minded are signs you need to be aware of in case hypothermia is setting in. In fact, shivering will subside when someone is experiencing hypothermia. Alcohol is usually known to warm the body, but actually in this weather it can contribute to dehydration. There are two groups that need to be extrememly mindful of suffering from cold-related incidents like hypothermia or frost bite...they are the very young and the very old. Most children have parents as caretakers, but sometimes the elderly are forgotten. However, they too, have to take extra precautions because of age and age related illnesses, so they don`t end up in the emergency room. Seniors are encouraged to stay out of the cold completely, as sometimes those vascular diseases can prevent them from feeling extreme conditions and no matter what your age, if you must go outside, be sure to put on many layers instead of just one heavy coat for better insulation.