My feet are always cold. Is there anything I can do to warm them?

For some people, emotional stress is enough to turn their fingers and toes to ice.

An estimated 2 to 6 percent of all Americans have hands and feet that are overly sensitive to chilly temperatures and stress. Doctors call the condition Raynaud's syndrome, after the French physician who discovered it. With Raynaud's, a dip in the temperature or a rise in stress levels causes the small blood vessels in the extremities to go into spasm, narrowing to the point that blood can barely circulate through them.


Fingers and toes turn waxy white, then blue, and are numb and cool to the touch. Then, when the fingers and toes get warm, they flush deep red and tingle and throb as blood returns full force. This kind of episode can take anywhere from a few minutes to several hours.

Seventy-five percent of people with primary Raynaud's syndrome—the most common kind—are women under 40. It's unclear why.

Secondary Raynaud's—a less common but potentially more serious kind—usually targets women over 40 and men. Factors that act on the blood vessels may trigger the problem. These include smoking, high blood pressure medicines and diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus (an autoimmune disease) and atherosclerosis. Certain wrist-flexing, wear-and-tear activities such as typing or operating vibrating power drills may increase susceptibility to secondary Raynaud's.

Here are some tips to keep your fingers and toes toasty.

Plunge your hands into warm water. If you're involved in an activity that involves cold—stuffing a turkey, for example—it helps to run your hands under warm water periodically. "This forces blood vessels to remain open," says Murray Hamlet, former director of the Army's Cold Research Division in Natick, Massachussetts.

Move your arms like a windmill. Swinging your arms briskly in 360-degree circles for a minute or two helps drive blood into the fingers and can relieve vessel spasm, according to Donald R. McIntyre, M.D., a dermatologist in private practice in Rutland, Vermont. "Just keep the elbow, fingers and wrist straight," he says.

Sip some hot cider. When the thermometer plunges, hot fruit juice can help stoke up your body's furnace because the sugar provides instant energy, says Dr. Hamlet. Hot coffee is a cold-weather no-no, however. Caffeine constricts the blood vessels, further reducing blood flow. "Alcoholic hot toddies are worse," adds John Abruzzo, M.D., professor of medicine and director of the Rheumatology and Osteoporosis Center at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia. Alcohol dilates the blood vessels, which gives a sensation of warmth, he says. But the dilated vessels are actually throwing off heat. "You'll shiver more," says Dr. Abruzzo.

Have a fish feast. Fish oil may help ease primary Raynaud's symptoms by reducing the painful blood vessel spasms that cause a shutdown of blood flow to fingers and toes, according to researchers conducting a small preliminary study at Albany Medical College in New York. They observed that 5 out of 11 people who took fish-oil capsules daily for three months had symptoms stop completely. Ask your doctor about taking these capsules. In the meantime, a daily serving of sardines, salmon or tuna may keep your fingers from getting frosty, says Joel M. Kremer, M.D., professor of medicine and head of rheumatology at Albany Medical School.

Go for the loose and layered look. "Getting chilled can trigger Raynaud's syndrome because it diverts blood away from extremities," says Dr. Abruzzo. You can keep warm all over by wearing loose, layered clothing, which helps trap heat, he says. For the layer closest to your body, cotton blends are better than pure cotton or wool because they wick away chill-causing perspiration.

Cover your head when it's nippy. "You lose up to 55 percent of body heat from your head," says Dr. Hamlet. So wear a hat whenever the temperature outside dips even slightly.

Wear mittens, not gloves. Keeping the fingers together helps them generate warmth and will protect them better than gloves, says Dr. Hamlet. Insulated mittens are best, he adds.

Wear hot socks on frigid days. If you're going to be outdoors—sitting in a chilly stadium, for example—take along chemical warmers. These are small heating pouches, available in sporting goods stores, that can be placed in pockets, gloves, boots or shoes. Battery-powered "hot socks" are also a good idea.

Buy a steering wheel cover. Gripping a cold, vibrating steering wheel drains the blood from your hands and can set you up for cold fingers.

Use oven mitts to handle frozen food. And don't be embarrassed to put on mittens to rummage around in your home freezer. You can also protect your fingers from the cold by using an insulated drinking glass or wrapping a napkin around your glass, says Dr. Hamlet.

Place mats over cold tiles. Consider using a mat with built-in heating coils in any tiled or bare-floored area where you stand for prolonged periods, says Dr. Abruzzo.

Bump up the bedroom temperature. Metabolism slows during sleep, so it's important to keep your body temperature high, says Dr. Abruzzo. Wearing socks and even mittens to bed will add extra warmth on cold nights.

Retrain your arteries. This technique, developed by Dr. Hamlet, really works. First, make sure the room where you're practicing is at a temperature that is comfortable for you—not too hot and not too cold. Sit for five minutes with your hands in an insulated container filled with hot tap water. Then wrap your hands in a towel and move to a chilly area—the porch or basement, for example. Now, unwrap your hands and dunk them into a second hot-water container for ten minutes. Then go back indoors for another two to five-minute dip. Repeat this routine 3 to 6 times every other day for a total of 50 times. "Our studies showed that after the immersion procedure, hands remained seven degrees warmer when exposed to cool air," says Dr. Hamlet. The results can last two years or longer, he adds.


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I rub them up the wife's back.....usually does the trick....even warmer when I get a slap for it.

I have cold feet all the time. I have these wicked soft slipper socks
I love them. :)

wear sox

wool socks

First thing i have to establish...are you a "Inuit".....next "do you own shoes"....hehe

Let my dog lay across them. She's really warm

Never, usually mine find their way out from under the blanket by morning.

How's your circulation? Personally, I am anemic, which causes my cold feets troubles. Otherwise, I would say big fuzzy socks and a space heater.

It sounds like you are lacking circulation in your feet. Exercise is quite helpful in that matter. Stress can trigger your problem with lack of circulation.

My wife had the same problem. Then we got a beagle-dashound mix who sleeps by her feet constantly. That little dog puts out a lot of heat!

do some exercises to increase the blood flow of your body

Put on a hat. It's an ol'survival trick. Most of your heat loss is through your head. Wearing a hat will warm your feet.

Eat some soup. They'll warm right up.

Warm socks!!

Never had them.....Mine are Hot..or so I'm told....hehe

I wear socks to bed...

Always. I wear socks.

rub em together

Good thick white cotton ankle socks.

I put some body lotion and wear soft socks on. this works for me on winters

Thick socks and I tuck the blanket in real good....lol

blankets.

Or thoughts of him ....

Yes. A little jog on the spot will usually do the trick.

Have someone warm them with their hands and then put on a pair of slipper socks.

Wear more than one pair of socks.

Stretch your legs.

One thing that works for me (always with cold feet) is not only the socks but putting on sweatpants (the kind with elastic bands around the ankles) and not putting my feet all the way through . . . kind of like footie PJ's. Niacin is good for circulation; check with your doctor first, it can make you flush. Take it with food.

you could always walk on hot coals.

Put socks or slippers on. Or you can wear socks and shoes.

Wear socks or slippers

I don't know where you work, but if you have a desk there are heaters made to fit underneath them and warm your feet and hands. They are wonderful!

Just wondering, do you eat a lot of garlic or peppers or oily foods? Or perhaps do you eat many sweets? I approach most health problems, body problems from a Traditional Chinese Medicine point of view. It sounds like you have stuck chi or your circulation is stuck in your digestive center. It could also come from an emotional center affecting your digestion and chi. Without knowing more about you I would suggest rubbing raw sesame oil on the bottoms of your feet and placing socks over them afterwards. This helps calm your body and mind and aids many nervous or anxiety conditions. Many times this will allow the body to find it's own warmth. A cup of cinnamon tea is good to warm all of you. I'll check to see if anything else might help that is readily available. I too have cold feet and hands at times but I do have access to Chinese herbs and I don't know if you do.

Usually a hot bath or shower will work best. But also get your doctor to check your circulation.

Same with me. Even in the summer I wear socks. I wear socks to bed, my feet get so cold I can't sleep. I also wear slippers around the house most of the time, feels comfortable to me.

ware socks !!! lol

If your husband or boyfriend was really a true friend, you would have the toastiest toes in town.

rub them together really fast...
with a couple of sticks in between them...

Okay Highlander already gave you my answer..so I have to come up with a new one..ummm...electric blanket,hot water bottle..LOL

another pair of socks and be active

wear socks...:)

Stick your feet in a fire. Heat your feet up. FUCKING MORON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

they came out with this crazy new invention call socks dumbass

You could have thyroid issues, could be spine problem as well.
Have your level checked, and get a Dr to check your blood flow to this area.

Share your answer...

Three years before My feet were also always cold. I did many test in which these three tests were also I have given vitamin d, malaria and heart check up. Malaria was positive. My heart valve was weak. Vitamin d was very low. Doctor prescribed Vitamin d3 and calcium for 2 months. After that he prescribed Vitamin d 2000IU. Till now I am well.

if you have been still for a period of time then your blood circulation will be slow so to get it going again jump up and down.

Cold Hands and Cold Feet Can be a Sign of Raynaud's Syndrome..
get it checked
XO Lucinda

Maybe you sit for too long of a period. Move.

hum... try this:
close your eyes, or open eyes, begin for philosophical dialectics with your feet, listen to it, analyse it, metaphysicize it, until the cold things transcended by your will.

I saw men swimming in ice water like their body vaporized in thin air. So, our will must be greater than the feet things.