Shift of Season

Please Note: This is for informational purposes only.  It should not be taken as medical advice or used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.  You should always consult with your own physician before implementing this information.

At a recent work meeting, the clinicians met in person as we normally do monthly. With some new people present we decided to go around the room by introducing ourselves and what our favorite season of the year is.

As folks began to share, I was formulating my answer with thinking spring is good with all the new life, but you can’t beat summer with all the outdoor activities and fun. Although fall is another favorite season with the vivid fall colors and the crisp air cooling things down. Then there is winter which seems to place everything on hold allowing a time to rest and recoup.

I was pulled out of my seasonal revery when my boss asks, “Gwen, you going to share?” My brilliant answer was, “I love them all!”

Thinking back, I now know why I gave that answer. It’s the change. It’s like hitting the reset button in my life where I can wind down the old season of whatever I was doing and prep for something new.

My goal in life is to never be so closed minded that I refuse to change, even as the seasons of life do. – Unknown

This thought of the shift of seasons got me pondering. Just think, in the autumn salmon embark on a long journey swimming from the ocean to the rivers where they were born to spawn and die. Canadian geese fly thousands of miles south for warmer weather. In the winter the black bear goes into hibernation where the heart rate becomes less than 10 beats per minute and remains in slumber until spring.

Maybe you’re asking the same question that I am, “What about us humans?”

For starters, different periods of the year will interrupt our sleep cycle. The immune system will respond differently to the shift of various seasonal weather. Our body’s metabolism will alter to accommodate the system, and the environmental differences will force our body to adjust its internal temperature and hormones.

When I was young, my body found ways to accommodate these external changes making it a breeze to step into a new day without a care of how my grandparents were struggling to adjust to their bodily discomforts that was caused by these annual fluctuations.

Isn’t it nice how a young body can adopt so effortlessly. But at sixty-two, why can’t my body fluctuate as easily with the seasonal change? As always, I found myself searching for answers and this is what I learned.

Because the human body is so complex, there was an extensive amount of information I was obtaining. Probably the best way to do this is break it down and just talk about the change of the colder season in this blog.

As my grandchildren so honestly remind me, I am technically old. This means I feel the change of seasons more strongly now.  Let’s start with my thinning skin, the largest organ of the body. There is a protective layer of fat (subcutaneous fat) directly beneath the skin that has thinned over the years reducing my body’s natural insulation and letting the cold penetrate my body more quickly. I’m okay with that because I love sweaters and I can always use a heating blanket to warm me up. But with some of our older acquaintances, hypothermia can be a scary thing. They lose heat faster and don’t shiver as well which can cause a chill to turn into a dangerous hypothermia quickly.

Many times, I walk into my aging patients home and the jacket I was wearing is removed instantly as the 78-degree heat wave hits me. I usually encounter these folks wearing a thick sweater or hovered under a blanket. What’s funny is I’m asked often as I sit in my short sleeve shirt, “Oh honey, aren’t you cold? Do you need me to turn up the heat?” I smile as a drop of sweat dribbles down the side of my face. “Na, I’m fine. Thanks for asking.”

Next, let’s go below the skin where the blood vessels narrow when colder temperatures are detected. This is called vasoconstriction. The nervous system sends messages to tiny muscles around the blood vessels to constrict, or tighten. This amazing move by the body is meant to protect the vital organs to keep safe and preserve the warmth by moving the warm blood away from the skin and fingers. As this process begins it causes the blood pressure to rise putting more work on the heart.

For an older person the colder temperatures can put an extra strain on the heart as the blood pressure goes up. With narrowing arteries and vessels due to buildup of plaque and stiffening, the vessels lose their ability to expand and constrict putting extra stress on the heart. I found this study published in the medical journal PLOS One in 2015 that reported a 31% increase in heart attacks during the coldest months compared to the warmest.

Food for thought, cold weather can be as detrimental as the hot weather is for our aging population.

Then, just like my grandparents, I too can now predict when it’s going to rain. As the barometric pressure increases the tissues around my joints expand, my lubricating joint fluid thickens, and my blood vessels constrict reducing blood flow causing tightening to surrounding muscles. This is the time of year that I struggle the most with joint pain. How about you?

Oh, but there is more. With Fall and Winter there is the increase of illnesses. As a person ages our immune system weakens making it easier to contract these nasty bugs and making it harder to get over being sick.

Sorry, I may have painted a depressing picture of what to expect with Fall and Winter. But now that we know this information, let’s do something about it. The key is knowledge and knowing how we can conquer the downside of colder weather and enjoying the new season ahead of us!

“To step into a new season is to dance with change and embrace the unknown with open arms.” – Anonymous

The obvious solution for feeling cold is to dress in layers such as thermal underwear, a heavy coat, a hat and gloves. This is one way to trap heat and keep your body warm. Use a blanket when sitting around. Who cares if you’re mimicking your grandmother, this is a benefit to the health of your body. Add warmth by drinking something hot such as tea. Hot soups and foods rich in vitamins and protein are another source.

Staying up to date with the seasonal vaccinations is another way to prep the body for nasty bugs. I realize this is a hot topic for many people, so make wise decisions for what is best for you and be in conversation with your physician.

Don’t forget that as cooler weather sets in, activities move inside causing people to be closer leaving less space for germs to blow away before inviting themselves into your body. Meaning, be aware of coughs and runny noses, especially with our little precious ones. They give us so much joy but you don’t want the sickness that keeps on giving. Wearing a high-quality facial mask will give you a barrier or ask that a visit be delayed until all parties are well again.

Remember the largest organ of our body? For some reason we use and abuse the skin till it starts cracking and then there is a breach in the body’s major defense system. Along with producing fewer natural oils and the thinning of skin, the cold season can add to the abuse making it dry, rough, and itchy. This will leave the skin vulnerable for flakiness, redness, and cracks to develop adding to a slower healing process.

The skin is another topic for a future blog but for now I’ll just say, DRINK YOUR FLUIDS! At least 9 cups per day. (Of course, if you are on a fluid restriction, please talk to your physician about this.) Lotion up! Use quality thick creams or ointments to keep your skin moisturized. If my skin is holding in all my blood and guts and whatever else, then maybe it should become a priority to maintain this natural first line of defense. Keeping my skin healthy will help ward off any eminent danger that could cause major problems to the inside of my body.

Then there are the joints. This is another subject to dive into for a future blog. But for now, just KEEP MOVING! Stay active, keep warm, drink your fluids, anti-inflammatory pain medication that you and your physician have agreed on. Eat foods that don’t add to the inflammation.

Ugh… there is too much information!

Well at least this starts the Cold Weather Season Series for my blog. I hope this is helpful to you. I find it easier to comprehend something if I can understand the mechanics of it. Join me on this journey and let’s learn how to walk down a path that leads to a healthier older body.

“Like the trees that shed their leaves, we too must let go to make room for new growth.” – Unknown

Image by mbbirdy on iStock

 

 

 

Gwen