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October 20, 2004
Out of Circulation
In winter, the circulatory habits of the urban callalillie change. When the temperature dips below about fifty-five degrees, my blood flow—which, given my physical activity level and general age should be speedy, warm, and wonderful—stops. I used to think that my reptile-like body warmth (or lack thereof) had to do with poor diet or inactivity; however, I suffer from neither, and still cannot feel my fingers and toes as soon as fall hits. Basically, when I get cold, I stay cold; it is nearly impossible for me to bring my body temperature back up unless I run around or jump into a hot shower.
This presents a problem, mainly because the average person is not shivering in say, my office environment, where the air is on but the temperature is probably hovering around sixty-ish. If I begin the day cold, trouble is a-brewing. Sadly, I am the one pulling her turtleneck up over her nose during meetings and consuming more tea than any human should pass through a bladder in one day. I am also the wank walking around the streets of New York wearing a winter hat in October.
Thankfully, The Straight Dope made me feel a little better about being cold all the time. Apparently, women have less heat-generating muscle mass than men and higher vascular constriction thresholds, which means that we shed heat faster and shut off blood flow to the skin sooner. I must be the poster girl for this.
Somebody send me some mittens or some polartec feetie pajamas. It is not going to get above fifty-five all week.
And no, I have no urge to move to California for the weather. While it is nice, the pace makes me want to hang myself.
Posted by callalillie at October 20, 2004 8:30 AM | City Life
My god, you look blue! Keep drinking that Dizzy -- it will surely help. And buy a space heater.
Posted by: mp at October 20, 2004 9:30 AM
yeah, you look kind of ill in that picture. that or tired.
and maybe it's the lack of body fat?
Posted by: tien at October 20, 2004 9:49 AM
that's a really cool picture, i didn't think it was possible to get such a good shot off a monitor.
i know smoking can mess up circulation, but what about caffeine? probably. we're about to hit the part of the year wherein i break out the long underwear and i won't see my legs for the next 6 months.
Posted by: ChrisG at October 20, 2004 9:51 AM
Apparently, women have less heat-generating muscle mass than men and higher vascular constriction thresholds, which means that we shed heat faster and shut off blood flow to the skin sooner. I must be the poster girl for this.
Is that your way of saying that you need a man?
;-P
Posted by: ccs178 (Chris) at October 20, 2004 9:51 AM
Blue? Maybe it's the flourescent light and blue turtleneck?
Tien ~ yeah, I think it's just tired. In addition to winter making me forever cold, it also turns me into a hibernating bear. It's been harder and harder to peel myself out of the bed to get to the gym these past few mornings.
ChrisG ~ it's a flat screen and there's not much glare...as for the caffeine, it definitely can make you colder. I think it's the same logic as alcohol-- thins your blood or something.
Chris ~ Hey! Who says I don't have one? :P
Posted by: corie at October 20, 2004 10:20 AM
Posted by: ccs178 (Chris) at October 20, 2004 10:35 AM
Ouch! The Irving doesn't qualify as a man. We took that right away from him years ago.
Posted by: corie at October 20, 2004 10:38 AM
yes alcohol is probably not so good for the circulation but if you drink enough you mind the cold so much :D
Posted by: ChrisG at October 20, 2004 11:07 AM
clearly, the solution is to booze up so you don't mind your cold office environs.
Posted by: tien at October 20, 2004 11:34 AM
that is true. and the alcohol would probably help me cope with other office issues, as well. maybe i should look into infusing my tea with something.
Posted by: corie at October 20, 2004 11:41 AM
Posted by: Alexis at October 20, 2004 2:36 PM
Lunch at Pastis helped (thanks Q).
I think we need to start keeping brandy in our office pantry.
Posted by: corie at October 20, 2004 2:39 PM
I, too, would like to add my vote for booze... and try yelling at your blood to "get a move on!"
Posted by: matt at October 20, 2004 6:30 PM
Hey Corie,
If you have the time and the inclination, would you fill out the poll on my blog? It just asks who you are voting for and why type questions, but it may yield some interesting results.
I am sad to hear you are so cold all the time. Lack of body fat and lack of caloric in take are of course huge factors in keeping warm.
I am almost always too hot, even though I am very skinny as well, but it is probably because I eat like 5000-6000 calories a day...
Posted by: Walker at October 20, 2004 8:46 PM
Sure Walker, I'll check it out.
Just for the record, for those who've email me or posted here-- my body fat % and calorie intake are a-ok. Coldness runs in my family (my mother has it worse than I do), in addition to me most likely screwing with levels somewhere in my body at some point during my less forgiving adolescent years.
Posted by: corie at October 21, 2004 8:01 AM
I wish I could contribute somehow, because I have the warmth of ten men. (It must be all that heat-generating muscle mass.) The temp has been in the 50s for a while now, and I have yet to wear a jacket to the office.
Sending warm thoughts your way...
Posted by: LOD at October 22, 2004 4:38 PM
Don't taunt me! I've been wearing a scarf all week.
Posted by: corie at October 22, 2004 4:42 PM
