Due to cold and flu season, chilly weather and holiday stress, it seems like we worry more about our health during the winter than at any other time of year. But do we really need to stress about our well-being this season? We spoke to the experts about the biggest winter health myths and found out the truth.
冬天，这是寒冷和流感的季节，刺骨的天气和假日兴奋，这令我们对冬季健康的担心比其它季节更甚。但是，我们真的需要特别强调冬季健康吗？就冬季养生几个最大的流言，我们采访了有关专家，并揭示了真相。
Myth #1: You can catch a cold by being out in the elements too long.
冬天，这是寒冷和流感的季节，刺骨的天气和假日兴奋，这令我们对冬季健康的担心比其它季节更甚。但是，我们真的需要特别强调冬季健康吗？就冬季养生几个最大的流言，我们采访了有关专家，并揭示了真相。
You’ve probably heard the old warning that going outside in chilly weather, and staying there too long, can make you “catch” a cold. Not true, says D.J. Verret, MD, an otolaryngologist in Dallas. “Going outside—with or without a wet head—is one of the best things you can do to prevent catching a cold. Actually being cold has nothing to do with your risk of catching a cold. Colds are caused by viruses or bacteria which are more often spread in the winter because of close contact from everyone being indoors.” That’s right, spending time outdoors can make you less susceptible to those nasty germs. Photo: Thinkstock
误区1：您在寒冷的地方呆太久，可能会感冒。你可能听说过老人们的警告：在寒冷的天气外出，在外停留过久，可以使你感冒。事实并非如此，在达拉斯的耳鼻喉科的D.J. Verret医师说。“到室外时，头发是湿的还是干的，这才是患感冒的因素。保持头部干燥，可以防止受凉感冒。其实寒冷并有没有引发感冒的风险。在冬天，因为大家都在室内，病毒或细菌更容易传播，这才引起的感冒。” 对，户外活动，使让你不太容易接触那些令人生厌的病菌，从而避免感冒。
Gray, dreary skies. Holiday stress. Bitter-cold weather. It seems natural to assume that depression spikes in the winter months. And yet, health experts say that’s just a myth. “Contrary to popular belief, major depression is not more rampant during the winter months than at any other time of the year, ” says John Sharp, MD, a professor at Harvard University and author of the new book The Emotional Calendar. But what about the wintertime sadness you may be feeling? “The ‘holiday blues’ is a significant, temporary, stress-related condition, but it is not a recognized medical ailment or diagnosis.” Some people may also experience Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), which has symptoms similar to depression, such as insomnia, irritability and difficulty concentrating, but only occurs during the winter months. If you suffer from these symptoms or just have less energy in general during this time of year, consider trying light therapy, suggests Dr. Sharp, who explains that an inexpensive 10, 000-lux light box (which can fit on your desk) used 20 minutes or so a day may give you a boost—even if you haven't been diagnosed with SAD by a medical professional. Click here to learn more about light therapy and search for a light box. Photo: Thinkstock
误区2：冬季有抑郁情绪的人的比其它季节多。灰色，沉闷的天空，假日压力，苦寒的天气。人们自然地认为，抑郁症是在冬季是发病高峰。然而，健康专家说，这只是一个流言。 “与普遍看法相反，在冬季，抑郁症并没有比其它时间更猖獗，” 哈佛大学教授，医学博士，新书《情感日历》的作者约翰·夏普医生说。但是，人们在冬季感到悲伤，又是怎么回事呢？“‘假日忧伤’是一个严重的、暂时的、与压力有关的情绪，但它不是正式的医学诊断，甚至不能称之为‘小恙’。”有些人也可能会发生季节性情感障碍（SAD），其中有的症状与抑郁症类似，如失眠多梦，烦躁不安，注意力不集中，但这只发生在冬季。如果你患有这些症状，或者在每年的这个时候只自觉疲乏无力，可考虑尝试光疗。Sharp医生建议道，在你的办公桌上装个灯箱，有的灯箱挺便宜的，10,000勒克斯的亮度，每天照个20分钟左右，就可令你精神振奋——即使你还没有被医生们诊断患有季节性情感障碍（SAD）。
Your mom or grandmother may have raised you to believe that there’s something magical about chicken soup when it comes to treating a cold or flu, but is it true? Yes, says Dr. Sharp. “Turns out, there’s some real science behind this, ” he says, explaining that chicken soup may have a positive effect on the immune system with something called neutrophil aggregation—which means “bringing white blood cells together.” White blood cells help fight off infection in your body and are integral to helping you feel better faster. While it’s not clear if other broths or hot beverages have similar immune system benefits, Dr. Sharp says hot liquids like tea and broth can help reduce the symptoms of a cold or flu virus, relieving sinus and throat pain. Photo: Sang An/Getty Images
误区3：有人认为，喝鸡汤可以击退感冒，这仅仅是个老奶奶辈的人口中的传说。在你成长过程中，你的母亲或祖母可能令你认为有什么神奇的鸡汤，可以治疗感冒或流感。但是，这是真的吗？是的，夏普医生说。 “原来，那背后真是些科学道理的，”他解释说，鸡肉汤对免疫系统里的中性粒细胞聚集，可能有一个积极的影响，这意味着“把白细胞聚焦在一起。”白血细胞有助于抵抗你身体里的感染，并帮助你更快地减轻病痛。虽然，目前尚不明确其它肉汤或热的饮料是否也能有与其类似的提升免疫系统之功效，夏普医生说，喝热茶和肉汤等，至少可以帮助减少感冒或病毒性流感的症状，如减轻鼻塞，缓解咽喉疼痛。
We’ve all heard this one—and perhaps it worries you when you’re out with your children during the winter months. If they don’t wear a hat in the cold, is it drawing dangerous amounts of warmth from their bodies? Not really, says Dr. Sharp. “It’s largely a myth, ” he says. While it’s true that you’ll lose heat from any part of your body that is exposed to the elements and not covered with clothing, forgetting a hat “is not a major health risk, ” he assures. “You’re no better off in shorts and a hat than warm pants and no hat.” The bottom line: A hat is great in cold conditions, but if you leave the house without one to take the dog on a walk—no biggie. A warm coat is much more important to keep you insulated. Photo: Shutterstock
误区4：你身体的大部分的热量是从头部散失的，所以你需要戴上顶帽子。我们都听说过——并且，当你与你的孩子在冬季出门在外时，戴帽子这事也许是你所担心的。如果他们在寒冷中不戴帽子，是否会令他们散失大量的热量，甚至于出现什么危险的情况？不，夏普医生说。 “这在很大程度上是一个流言，”他说。事实上，假如没有穿衣服的话，暴露在空气中的身体的任何部分，都会令你散失热量，但是，不戴帽子“对健康并非产生什么重大风险，”他保证。 “假如你穿短衣裤戴上帽子，其保温效果还不如你穿上保暖的长衣长裤不戴帽子。”底线是：在寒冷的天气里，戴上帽子绝对非常棒。但如果离开家门遛狗时忘记戴上帽子，这没什么大不了。更重要的是温暖的外套，使你隔绝寒气。
You may already be unmotivated to lace up your running shoes and head out into the cold, but if you’re worried that chilly-weather exercise is bad for your health, don’t be. “It’s fine to exercise in the cold, just make sure you warm up first, ” says Dr. Sharp. That may mean walking a bit before starting on a vigorous run, or avoiding a big hill until you’re acclimated to the temperature. Sudden physical exertion in cold weather can, at times, be a risk for cardiovascular strain—for example, leaving your armchair and heading outside to vigorously shovel snow. (An important note: Anyone with a history of heart problems should always consult his or her doctor before starting any new exercise regimen—in the cold or otherwise.) Your best bet for winter workouts is to ease in slowly. Photo: Thinkstock
误区5：你不应该在寒冷冬日里锻炼。你可能已经没有动力穿上你的跑鞋，一头扎到寒冷门外去了。但如果你担心，在寒冷的天气里运动，对你的健康不利的，就不对了。夏普医生说：“这是在寒冷天气里锻炼根本没有问题，只是要确保运动前先热身”。那就是说，在你奋力猛跑之前，要先走一段，在你适应环境温度之前，避免过度剧烈运动。在寒冷的天气中，突然的体力消耗，对心血管功能有潜在的危险。例如，你刚才还坐在温暖的室内，突然就跑到室外大力铲雪。 （重要提示：有任何心脏史的人，在开始进行新的锻炼方案前，无论是在冬天还是其它什么季节，一定要先请示医生）。冬季锻炼中，你最好是慢慢开始，慢慢结束。
Myth #6: We need more sleep in the winter.
误区6：人们在冬天需要更多的睡眠。
Admit it—when winter hits and the sun seems to all but disappear, the thought of hibernation sounds appealing, doesn’t it? But that sleepy feeling you may get in the winter doesn’t mean you should always let yourself snooze longer. “While it’s natural to want to be cozier and be in bed more, we don’t technically need more sleep, ” Dr. Sharp explains. Instead, it’s likely that the scarcity of sunlight in the winter months makes us think we’re sleepy. There’s nothing wrong with going to bed earlier, but beware of sleeping too much. “Some people find that when they get more sleep, they feel sleepier during the day, even a little dazed.” Photo: Thinkstock
是吧，冬季，太阳似乎消失了，冬眠的想法的确很诱人，嗯？但是，你在冬天那种昏昏欲睡的感觉，不意味着你应该总是让自己要多打盹。 “虽然很自然地，人们想懒洋洋地赖在床上，但实际上我们并不需要更多的睡眠，”夏普医生解释说。可能是由于冬季缺乏阳光，使我们认为自己犯困。要早点休息没有错，但不要睡眠过多。 “有些人发现，当他们睡得越多，白天就越困倦，甚至会发呆。”
It’s cold and cloudy, so you can retire your sunscreen until sunny days at the beach this summer, right? Wrong, says Debra Jaliman, MD, a New York City–based dermatologist. “The sun and UV rays are present winter, spring, summer and fall, ” she says. “I recommend that you wear a sunscreen with SPF 30, and it’s best to wear a UVA/UVB blocker. The best ones contain zinc or titanium.” Photo: Thinkstock
误区7：在冬季，你不需要防晒。天气寒冷、多云，那些在夏天灼热的沙滩上用的防晒品呢，你就让它们退休了？错了！医学博士，纽约市的皮肤科医生Debra Jaliman说。 “阳光和紫外线一年四季都一样。”她说。 “我建议你用SPF 30的防晒霜，并且最好还是包括阻挡UVA / UVB的品种。含有锌或钛当然更好。”
Frostbite may sound like something people dealt with in olden times, or possibly a condition suffered only by hardcore ski enthusiasts. But not only is frostbite easy to get, it’s more common than you think, says Dr. Jaliman, who got a case of frostbite after an afternoon on the slopes. How do you get it? When skin—usually on the extremities, like hands and feet—becomes too cold or wet (or both), it can become slightly numb and then blister. It can happen fast—even in just 30 minutes while in extreme cold and wet conditions. “If blisters occur, then there may be damage and the skin may turn black, ” says Dr. Jaliman. “Then you may become insensitive to heat and cold in the future. With further damage, you may suffer nerve damage and lose fingers and toes.” And don’t think that it needs to be -10°F for you to run into trouble. “The temperature can be relatively warm at 32°F, but it's more about how long the bare skin is exposed. Also, wet skin is very vulnerable.” Photo: Steve Wisbauer/Getty Images
误区8：不易患冻疮。冻伤可能听起来像是属于古代人的东西，或是那些铁杆的滑雪爱好者可能遭受的情况。但其实，冻伤不仅是容易发生，甚至还比你想象的更常见，Jaliman医生说。她有个病人，在山坡上玩了一下午就得了冻疮。怎么会呢？当皮肤，特别是在四肢末梢的皮肤，如手和脚，变得过于寒冷或潮湿（或两者都有时），它可以变得稍微麻木，然后出水泡。这个过程可以在短短的30分钟内就发生，在极端寒冷和潮湿的条件下，甚至更快。 “如果出现水泡，则有可能已经发生冻伤，皮肤会变黑，” Jaliman医生说， “然后，那你就可能对热和冷变得不敏感。如果发生了再进一步的损害，就会遭受神经损伤，失去的手指和脚趾。” 不以为它在-10°F，你才会遇到麻烦。 “在相对温暖的32°F，也可能发生冻伤，重要的是裸露的皮肤暴露多久。此外，湿润的皮肤是很脆弱的。”
Itchy, flaky skin can be an irritating and unsightly consequence of cold, dry air. But should you just write it off as a winter annoyance? No, says Dr. Jaliman. Dry skin, if not kept at bay, can be a portal for infection. “It’s very important to keep dry skin hydrated, ” she says. When skin becomes dry, it can lead to small cracks that can leave your body prone to infections. To prevent this, moisturize twice daily—after you shower and before bed—as well as throughout the day for body parts that are prone to dryness, like your hands. “I like Aquaphor, ” says Dr. Jaliman. “It’s inexpensive and effective.”
误区9：皮肤干燥只是冬季的一种无害的烦恼。痒啊！寒冷、干燥的空气产生的后果就是脱皮的刺激瘙痒和难看皮肤。但这只是冬天的一个烦恼吗？不， Jaliman医生说。干性皮肤，如果不能保持湿润，会发生感染。 “对干性皮肤来说，保持其中的水分是非常重要的，”她说。当皮肤变得干燥，就会发生细小皲裂，成为机体感染的门户。为了防止这种情况，每天滋润二次，如晨起淋浴和晚上就寝前。白天，则对那些容易发生皮肤干燥皲裂的部位，如双手，经常擦保湿护肤品。 “我喜欢AQUAPHOR，（图示商品）” Jaliman医生说： “这东西又便宜又有效。”
In the winter, there’s good and bad news for allergy sufferers, says Dr. Verret: “If you have pollen allergies, they will be better in the winter, but if you're sensitive to indoor allergens, such as pet dander or dust mites, your allergies may be even worse.” So although your sneezing and sniffling may not be from seasonal culprits, your indoor allergies could be more bothersome than usual. Photo: Shutterstock
误区10：在冬季的几个月里，你不会过敏。冬季，对过敏症患者来说，有好消息，也有坏消息， Verret医生说：“如果你有花粉过敏，那么在冬季会更好；但如果你是敏感的室内过敏原，如宠物皮屑，尘螨，你可能会更糟糕。”所以，虽然你可能不是因为季节性的原因打喷嚏、抽鼻子，在冬天，因为呆在室内，因而室内过敏原可能比平常惹更多的麻烦。
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