Keeping Warm

Aside from first aid, the most important demand your body has is to keep your core body temperature at 98.6°F. Since winter is coming on, maybe it’s a good time to talk about keeping warm.

As I sit here writing this story, I’m wearing long undies, a warm leather jacket, and a wool cap. I’ve got a portable electric heater by my feet that clicks on every once in a while. Outside, it’s 51°F., rainy, and 100% humid. Indoors, it’s 64°F. I could turn up the heat, but I decided to heat me instead of the house.

In Cool School in Alaska, I learned the human body puts priority on keeping its core temperature up. It’s not that your body doesn’t care if you get frostbitten earlobes, fingers, and toes. They just aren’t priority items when it’s frigid outside; you can live without them. One reason I can still count to ten with both hands is that I learned to keep warm.

We’ve always been taught to “dress in layers” when it’s cold out. What does that mean? It starts with underwear bottoms and tops, then winter underwear bottoms and tops, then warm pants (not jeans!) and a warm shirt. Add a wool shirt or sweater. Going outside, add a warm Gortex parka and a wool cap that covers the ears. On the feet, add thick socks or wool socks, and sturdy shoes or boots that don’t leak. On the hands, put wool gloves inside leather mittens; I’ve also had good luck with Thinsulate inside leather gloves.

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