Winter is here, so stay warm!     

If I may resort to somewhat dark, but relevant humor…

Fall and Winter are the time of year when the people with cryoglobulinemia come out, turn blue, and consume lots of prednisone!  It is getting cooler every day here in Maryland, and today I see the first fallen leaves laying on the ground. For those of us who have cryoglobulinemia, it means that many of us have to make some lifestyle changes to get through the winter months without getting sick.               

STAY WARM.

  1. Don’t get chilled.
  2. Limit the time you spend exposed to cooler temperatures.
  3. If you do get chilled, warm up as soon as possible.  See my blog post on what to do if you get cold soaked.

Here are some helpful ideas;

  • Dress in layers
  • Wear gloves
  • Wear a hat
  • Wear insulated underwear.  Also called long underwear.
    • Get the wicking kind if possible to keep you dry.
  • Wear well-insulated shoes or boots.
    • I have some nice felt insulated shoes that I like to wear in the colder months, and some heavy duty felt insulated boots for extreme cold.
  • At work and at home, I sometimes use an electric heated foot pad.
    • It is made by a company called “Cozy” and a search for “heated foot pad” will find it online. These heated foot pads are absolutely wonderful and really take the chill away for me.

In the fall I wear a leather jacket and sometimes wear inexpensive brown flannel gloves. In the winter months, I have a down insulated parka made by Mountain Hardwear, felt insulated boots, and some very nice gloves made by outdoor research… all are hard weather gear meant for hiking or climbing in arctic conditions, and they keep me nice and snug on the coldest of days.     Whatever you do, stay warm!