The Thrills Of Chills: Health Conditions That Make You Feel Cold (And When To Talk To Your Doctor)
Posted on: 4 July 2016
Everyone gets cold sometimes, especially in the icy grip of winter. But feeling cold isn't always due to the temperature, and is downright odd when it happens during the dog days of summer. If you're cold all the time, no matter what the weather is outside, then chances are good you have a medical condition making you feel this way. So if you're wondering exactly what conditions can make you feel like it's winter all year long, then here's what you need to know.
It's Your Weight
Being physically fit is a good thing, but when you dip below the bottom end of your ideal weight range, you can start getting the shivers anytime, anywhere. Whether you're exercising too much, not eating enough, or stressed enough that you're dropping major weight, all roads lead to your body going into survival mode and neglecting "excess" functions – like keeping your hands and feet at their normal, non-frosty temperature.
The best way to fix this is to go talk to your doctor and/or a nutritionist. They'll be able to estimate what a good, healthy weight would be for you, and can help you create both a meal and a fitness plan to ensure that you both stay fit and get up to a healthy weight.
It's Your Blood
Iron in your blood isn't just a product of eating red meat and leafy greens – it's an essential part of your temperature regulation. Iron helps to move your red blood cells along, which carry (among other things) oxygen and heat to every part of your body; when you're iron-deficient, however, your blood isn't as efficient and you start getting real cold, real fast.
Luckily, because iron deficiency isn't uncommon (especially in women who menstruate), your doctor will know how to help you right away. They can do a hemoglobin count to determine exactly how iron-deficient you are (a healthy count is at least 13.5 for men and 12 for women) and prescribe you iron supplements to get your blood back in tip-top shape.
It's Your Thyroid
You may have heard people joke about a "gland problem" causing them to gain an extra 5 pounds around the holidays, but that "gland" they're referring to – your thyroid – can wreak major havoc with your health and your ability to regulate temperature if it's underactive. Not producing enough thyroid hormone can lead not only to feeling cold all the time, but also to weight gain, the inability to lose weight, dry skin, and fatigue.
Go talk to your doctor, such as at Advance Medical of Naples, if you suspect your eternal feeling of cold is due to hypothyroidism; they'll be able to test the levels of thyroid hormone in your body and prescribe thyroid replacement medicine to get you back to normal in no time.
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