A healthier you in '91: diet and exercise for the winter months; keep energy up this winter with regular workouts and light nutritious foods

Ebony, Feb, 1991

COLD weather can bring days so chilly that hibernation seems to be the only remedy for survival. The problem with hibernation is it isn't nearly as healthy as keeping active. Practicing simple exercise and diet guidelines during the winter season will help you to maintain energy and remain physically fit until the spring.

Those persons who are accustomed to doing calisthenics (stretches) and aerobic exercises (brisk walking, running, jogging and cycling) outdoors, should be able to continue their regimens in cool and cold weather. But wearing the correct clothing is most important.

Cold weather activewear should consist of several layers of light clothing. "Heavy clothes are not recommended because they cause one to sweat too profusely," explains Dr. Charles Johnson, president of the National Medical Association.

Natural fabrics, like cotton and wool, tend to hold perspiration close to the body. Damp fabrics chill the body 25 percent faster than dry ones. Synthetic fibers, many of which look and feel natural, are better at pushing perspiration away from the skin.

Cold weather exercisers should always cover the head with a hat because 25 percent of the body's heat escapes through the head. Wearing ski masks makes it easier to avoid the achiness that occurs when cold air gets into the lungs. Because it gets darker a lot earlier in winter, reflective clothing is a smart safety precaution as well.

Shoes should also be wisely selected. It is extremely important to wear water resistant footgear if you will be walking or jogging in wet or snowy conditions.

A spokesperson for the President's Council on Fitness and Sports recommends that runners start their trips by facing into the wind. "Thay way, you have the wind at your back when you return--and the chill factor is not as bad at the time when you are perspiring more," says Glenn V. Swengros.

There are certain days when it is too cold to safely work out outdoors, and medical and fitness experts urge exercisers to listen for local weather warnings to that effect.

Calisthenics and aerobics can both be done indoors. Running up and down a set of stairs for 10 or 15 minutes is a good cardiovascular workout. In addition, sit-ups, leg raises, stretches, pushups and abdominal curls are but a few of the exercises that can be done in the home. Seasonal memberships in local health clubs, Ys and gymnasiums are a good investment for those who shy away from cold weather altogether.

Anyone who is at risk physical examination, should take a stress test before exercising in the cold. Cold weather increases the risk of heart failure because it restricts the flow of blood through the vessels. "We tend to discourage persons with heart and lung disease from exercising in cold climates," warns Dr. Johnson, who has a private practice in North Carolina. "Those with cardiovascular or blood vessel disease have an increased need for air and blood supply when exercising outdoors in cold weather, yet when their vessels are restricted, they cannot produce as much."

A myth about winter diets is that it is okay to consume heavier foods. "In the winter we tend to feel that we need really heavy foods, so we are apt to increase our saturated fat content," says Dr. Lillie Williams, chair of the Howard University Department of Clinical Nutrition. "That isn't what we need. Fat will bog you down because it bogs down the system."

Dr. Williams urges that we modify our diets in general by increasing complex carbohydrates and cutting back on simple carbohydrates--the kind found in sugary food products. "We want sustained energy in the winter, and complex carbohydrates are not processed as rapidly, so they give longer sources of energy," she says.

Complex carbohydrates are found in such foods as oatmeal, potatoes, spaghetti (the pasta itself) and macaroni.

Instead of fried foods, Dr. Williams suggests we return to healthier basics, like homemade soups: "We need to revert to the old winter practices of our parents, grandparents and great-grandparents, who stewed and simmered their foods."