As the temperatures drop, you might be looking for ways to warm up and get a little cozier this season. Even after bundling up, it can feel hard to hit that perfect level of warmth. Being cold can be caused by a number of things, from the obvious effect of the weather to the less obvious effect of diet deficiencies. But there are plenty of ways to stay warm in fall and winter. From cinnamon and warm tea to using an infrared sauna, see some of the healthiest ways to naturally warm up as the temps drop!
Infrared Sauna
It is no secret that saunas are a quick and easy way to warm up your body. You can take this practice a step further by using an infrared sauna, as infrared heat penetrates deeply into the body and helps increase blood flow for whole-body warming. Using an infrared sauna is a great way to naturally warm yourself in the fall and winter with the temperature inside being adjustable and averaging a comfortable 100°F to 130°F. Not only does this heat application feel nice when the weather is chilly outside, it also offers a host of health benefits that can help keep you feeling warm and healthy all season (and year) long.
You can enjoy infrared sauna benefits many ways, whether with a personal sauna dome or a 5-person sauna that you can share with family and friends or use for yourself for a great hot yoga session. Adding in additional therapies like red light therapy, halotherapy, and chromotherapy can help pack in even more health benefits as you get cozy in the infrared heat to escape the cold.
Iron
If you feel cold more often than average, especially in your hands and feet, it might not just be the colder weather playing a part. An iron deficiency might also be in play. A lack of iron can cause anemia and inhibits oxygen from properly being delivered to your body – which can lead to the feeling of being cold. Eating iron-rich foods such as red meat, poultry, seafood, beans, seeds, nuts, leafy greens, and dried fruit can help boost your iron intake. If it’s difficult to incorporate those ingredients, there are also iron supplements easily available to help boost your levels. Before taking supplements or starting a diet, talk to your doctor if you believe iron deficiency is an issue.
Nutritious Diet
Eating and drinking are some of the most enjoyable methods when learning how to keep the body warm naturally, especially when you can spice food and drinks up with the traditional flavors of the season.
Warming Spices
There is a reason why spices are so popular in the fall and winter months, and it’s not just because pumpkin spice lattes always take coffee shops by storm. It’s also because their ingredients help keep you warm for a while. Spices like cinnamon, ginger, cloves, cumin, and hot peppers are warming and help promote thermogenesis, which helps boost metabolism and keep you warm. Ginger is especially warming as it is a diaphoretic, or a substance that induces sweating and blood circulation. It’s a little like a food version of a sauna!
Complex Carbs & Fiber
When you’re thinking of ways to use those warming spices above, consider making something with complex carbs and fiber. Fibrous foods, whole grains, and other complex carbs require more energy, or heat, to digest. That’s why that hearty stew in a bread bowl is such a comforting meal when temperatures start to drop – they are delicious, keep you full for a long time, and keep your body warm as it works to digest. Roasting some fiber-forward veggies is a healthy way to incorporate these ingredients while having the added benefit of the oven warming your home.
Hot Drinks
A warm drink might not warm you from head to toe for a long time, but it is certainly comforting and gets the job done to some degree (pun intended). Hot drinks trigger receptors in the mouth that can cause you to sweat and warm you from the inside-out. Holding a warm mug and bringing the steamy drink to your face also helps warm your hands and face. Just like the food mentioned above, you can also add in some of those warming spices like ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves to give your drink that extra kick.
Showers & Baths
Similar to using an infrared sauna, showers and baths can be a great way to increase body heat naturally. Since baths and showers don’t get as hot as infrared saunas, their thermotherapy healing properties might not be as high, but they are still great ways to keep the body warm naturally through the contact with hot water and increased blood circulation. Baths can be especially helpful, as you can add things to the water that’ll warm you further such as ginger or mustard (don’t knock a mustard bath). Showers offer the benefit of steam to provide all-around comfort. Just be sure to hydrate any time you expose yourself to heat for long periods of time.
Working Out
This one is pretty simple, and has a lot of benefits outside of just heating you up! Being active is one of the best ways to keep the body warm naturally in any season. When you exercise, your body burns calories, which are units of energy. This stored energy is converted to heat, which is why your body heats up. Exercise also helps increase blood circulation and makes you break a sweat. Even on the coldest days, taking a brisk walk if the weather permits or doing some jumping jacks inside by the fireplace will make you stay warm in fall and winter very quickly. You’ll also help boost your metabolism, which can help keep you warm for longer as you burn more calories.
This season when you’re searching for that missing fuzzy sock to keep you warm, keep these tips in mind to help warm the body naturally. From hearty, cozy meals that warm you from within to infrared saunas that give a full-body warming experience, these tips will keep you warm all fall and winter long.
