Want to Stay Warm in Winter? Think COLD (1/2)

Winter in many places means ice skating, sledding and snowball fights. But unless someone is prepared, outdoor fun can also mean frostbite and hypothermia. Today we talk about how to stay warm, dry and safe.Frostbite is damage that happens when skin is exposed to extreme cold for too long. It mainly happens on the hands, feet, nose and ears.

People with minor cases of frostbite that affect only the skin may not suffer any permanent damage. But if deeper tissue is affected, a person is likely to feel pain every time the area gets cold. If blood vessels are damaged, people can suffer an infection, gangrene. Sometimes, doctors have to remove frostbitten areas like fingers and toes.

Hypothermia happens when the body cannot produce as much heat as it loses. The condition comes on slowly. Signs include uncontrollable shaking, unusually slow breathing and difficulty thinking clearly. If not treated, hypothermia can be deadly.

The best way to avoid cold-related injuries is to be prepared for the outdoors. Here is a simple way to remember four basic steps to staying warm. Think of COLD -- C.O.L.D.

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在许多地方冬天意味着滑冰，使用雪橇和打雪仗。但是除非你准备好了，否则户外的乐趣也意味着有患冻伤和低体温症（的危险）。今天我们将谈谈如何保暖防潮和安全。冻伤是在皮肤较长时间暴露于极冷的环境中而造成的一种损伤。其主要发生于手、脚、鼻子以及耳朵。

有些人发生只限于皮肤的轻微冻伤，这可能不会造成永久性损伤。但是，如果深部组织受损，那么每次该部位接触寒冷环境时，患者都会感觉疼痛。如果血管遭到损害，他会受到感染，脱疽。有时医生不得不截去冻疮部位，比如手指和脚趾。

当身体产生的热量比损耗少时就是低体温症。该过程发生较缓慢。体征包括不自主颤抖，异常缓速呼吸和难以清晰思维。若不进行治疗，低体温症能致死。

避免受到寒冷相关伤害的最佳方法是出门前做好准备。这里有简单的方法来记住保暖的四个基本步骤。想想"冷"字的拼写―――C.O.L.D