Why am I always cold? That's the question many people ask, and want a clear answer to it as well. The thing is that if you always have a hard time dealing with cooler temperatures, you're not alone. So many people face this issue, and many feel cold even when it's sunny outside. You may even ask, "Why am I cold all the time?" and "Is there something wrong with me?" The truth is that you don't always need to worry about this situation because a number of reasons can make you feel chilly.
Why Am I Always Cold?
Iron Deficiency
You may not have enough iron in your body, which means it becomes difficult for your body to delivery oxygen to your cells. When you're low at energy, you may also feel cold. It is also important to identify why you don't have enough iron in your body – it could be due to an inability to absorb iron, insufficient iron in your diet, and blood loss. If iron deficiency is the answer to "why am I always cold?" you may also notice some other symptoms, including decreased work performance, fatigue, an inflamed tongue, and decreased immune function. It is advisable to consult your doctor who may recommend a ferritin blood test – you're fine if your levels are above 60.
Add iron-rich foods into your diet, such as liver, red meats, oysters, beans, spinach, broccoli, dried fruits, such as apricots, and fortified cereals which are among the best sources.
Hypothyroidism
Sometimes, an underlying medical condition is the answer to your question, "Why am I always cold?" Hypothyroidism may make you more sensitive to cold. In this medical condition, your thyroid gland fails to produce enough thyroid hormones that lead to temperature regulation problems. Other symptoms include dry skin, weight gain, fatigue, muscle weakness, impaired memory, facial swelling, constipation, and slowed heart rate. If you're finding it difficult to deal with cold, you may consider having your thyroid function tested.
Raynaud's Disease
You will react even if there is the slightest change in the temperature if you're suffering from Raynaud's disease. It usually affects people with certain autoimmune diseases and is often triggered by emotional stress or cold weather. Women between the age 20 and 40 years are more at risk of developing Raynaud's disease. During an attack, your blood vessels will constrict and affect your blood circulation. The affected area may turn blue when oxygen doesn't get to the extremities, and you may also experience tingling sensation in your toes and fingers.
Aging
Your immune system becomes weak as you get old, which in turn increases your sensitivity to cold. This could be due to another underlying issue. For instance, older menopausal women feel cold due to the changes in the levels of estrogen. Dietary modifications, drug therapy and lifestyle changes may help improve your condition.
Low Body Weight and Body Composition
If you're a bony person with less body fat, you may not need further explanation of why you feel cold. It is obvious that your body fat keeps you warm. The condition becomes worse when your diet doesn't have essential vitamins and nutrients and you're more into junk food. You need to work on adding muscle mass to your body to keep you warmer.
Lifestyle Factors
You may sometimes be feeling cold all the time because of certain lifestyle factors. For instance:
You don't get adequate sleep. Sleeping for at least 8 hours will help keep you healthy and keep your nervous system in top working condition, which in turn will help maintain proper body temperature.
You don't eat on time and always skipping meals. Your body takes energy from the food you eat, and if you're starving or have skipped a meal, you're definitely going to feel colder.
You lack vitamin B12. One of many reasons of cold intolerance is vitamin B 12 deficiency. Eating food like meat, eggs, poultry, and fortified cereals may help resolve this issue.
Weakened Immune System
Some people complain that they notice their hands and feet becoming cold, while others experience their entire body becoming cold intolerant. If your hands and feet are cold, this could be due to a weak immune system caused by parasites that are responsible for infections like Candida. The infections can put a lot of pressure on your system, which often affects your body's master gland and makes you cold intolerant. Taking probiotics and limiting your sugar intake may help solve this problem.
Other Causes
The pattern of blood vessels in your skin may make you cold intolerant.
Stress affects your sympathetic nervous system that may constrict your blood vessels in your feet and hands.
Other common causes include low blood pressure, anorexia, diabetes, and side effects from medication, etc.
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