How to Protect Against Snow and Extreme Cold

How to Protect Yourself from Snow and Extreme Cold? Experts have been warning for days about snow and cold weather, and now these conditions have affected our country; most of our provinces have turned white! Measures have been taken for days in advance to prevent traffic accidents, fractures and dislocations resulting from falls, and many other problems; and continue to be taken. It is very important for us to take precautions to prevent the negative effects that snow and cold weather can cause, as these conditions also pose serious threats to our health. For example, triggering arrhythmias, heart failure, and heart attacks! Additionally, fractures and dislocations resulting from falls and dry skin are other important problems commonly seen in heavy snowfall. Experts from Acıbadem Health Group explained 12 rules to protect against snow and extreme cold; they provided important recommendations and warnings.

5 Important Rules for Heart Health

Prof. Dr. Ahmet Karabulut, Cardiologist, Acıbadem University Atakent Hospital Exert Effort Carefully Cold weather can lead to additional exertion such as snow removal, pushing a stranded vehicle, and running to avoid snowfall. However, exerting excessive effort in these conditions can cause palpitations, shortness of breath, arrhythmias, and in worse cases, heart attacks, so exert effort carefully. Always Protect Your Head with a Beanie Most of the heat loss in our bodies generally occurs in the head area, as a result of which our heart has to work harder. Therefore, never neglect to protect your head with a beanie when going outside. Layering Clothing is Important Heat loss from the body in cold weather creates hypothermia risk. Additionally, the risk of heart attack increases. Dressing in many layers like cabbage or preferring very thick clothing can disrupt our heat balance. Using thermal clothing prevents heat loss. Instead of dressing in many layers, wearing two layers will be sufficient to prevent heat loss. Do Not Go Outside Without Wearing a Mask Masks, which were essential during the pandemic, will this time protect us from the cold. Breathing cold air directly disrupts heat balance and can cause palpitations and chest pain. Masks warm and soften the air we breathe. Consume Plenty of Water Water consumption is often forgotten in cold weather. As a result, those who drink less water experience shortness of breath and palpitations more frequently, and blood becomes thicker. Consuming 8-10 glasses of warm water per day will protect your heart health.

4 Rules Against Fractures and Dislocations

Dr. Mediha Doğanay, Emergency Medicine Specialist, Acıbadem Dr. Şinasi Can (Kadıköy) Hospital Take Small Steps Especially on icy and slippery surfaces, even a single wrong step can cause serious accidents. For example; following a simple slip, falling on your hip or back can result in tailbone fractures or spinal fractures. Taking large steps increases the risk of slipping on ice. Therefore, to prevent fracture formation, walk with the smallest steps possible and look at the ground. Choose Safe Footwear Pay attention to your shoes having features that allow you to take safe steps. For example, you can choose shoes made from material suitable for slippery surfaces. If your shoe soles have non-slip texture, ridges, and rubber, it can reduce the risk of slipping and falling. Your Hands Must Not Be in Your Pockets In cold weather, most of us walk with our hands in our pockets to avoid freezing. However, we need our hands to maintain our balance. Moreover, it is very important that hands are free to prevent more serious injuries during a fall. Use a Backpack Use a backpack instead of a hand bag to maintain your balance while walking. When there is weight in our hands, we may have difficulty maintaining balance. For this reason, be careful to put the items in your hands into a backpack and walk. When your hands are free and you slip, you can maintain your balance and prevent a fall or experience a lighter fall.  

3 Rules Against Skin Problems

Dr. Süleyman İzzet Karahan, Dermatology Specialist, Acıbadem Dr. Şinasi Can (Kadıköy) Hospital Do Not Bathe in Very Hot Water To prevent worsening of dry skin complaints, do not bathe in very hot water. Additionally, prolonged contact with water can also lead to skin dryness. For this reason, it is very important to limit your bathing time to a short duration like 5 minutes. Increase Room Humidity By increasing the humidity level in the room where you stay at home and at work, you can reduce dry skin complaints. Pay attention to the humidity level in your space being around 60 percent. Since hot or cold air can increase skin dryness, make a habit of keeping room temperature between 21-25 degrees. Do Not Forget Your Hands To prevent problems such as dryness and itching that may occur on your skin in cold weather, regularly moisturize not only your face but also your lips and hands. Make a habit of applying lip care products at frequent intervals and moisturizing your hands after every wash. Additionally, wearing gloves will provide better protection for your skin and make your hands look healthier.