Re: gloves, warm clothing, natural fibres v. synthetic

[Guest guest]

Re gloves, warm clothing for frosties!

This extract is from the chilblains section in the Raynaud's ebook

but the information on natural fibres, gloves,

shoes etc. applies to those with Raynaud's and other disorders

of peripheral circulatory insufficiency or

microvascular ischemia resulting in icy cold extremities.

I have some additional information on heated clothing I can post

later. If anyone has any other company

addresses. phone, websites etc. for warm clothing, perhaps you

could send them to me

Regards

Ray

Raynaud's Help

---

Extracted from the Raynaud's ebook section on chilblains with

permission:

....A good circulation is half the secret and any restriction of the

blood circulation will increase your

susceptibility to the cold, and produce the inflammation of

chilblains and red facial parts such as your nose and

ears. Never wear tight clothes, tight gloves, or a tight belt, corset

or other such underwear to avoid irritation

and restriction of the circulation. Shoes should not be tight as the

resulting irritation can trigger chilblains, nor

of rubber, nor thin soled. Avoid narrow or pointed fashion shoes.

Don't wear plastic or rubber shoes around

the house in cold weather. You can wear open, thick-soled

sandals around the house in winter so your feet

can breathe. Solid footwear with thick soles are preferred to give

more insulation from the cold, damp

concrete. Avoid standing for long periods on cold tiles or cold,

damp concrete. If you have to stand on a cold

surface, wear wooden or other thick, well-insulating soles.

Sheep wool insoles or paper insoles which can be cut out of

sheets of brown paper folded many times

(drawing on it the outline of your foot) have a good insulating

effect and are better for you than synthetic

insoles, which increase moisture and do not allow the feet to

breath. Sheep wool insoles for shoes are very

warming keeping away winter chills and are preferable to

synthetic linings. Pure wool feet warmers ($13.95,

small 4396001, medium 4396002, large 4396003 are available

from Alsto's Handy Helpers Catalogue, PO Box

1267, Galesburg, Illinois 61402, USA. Toll Free 800 447 0048.

Customer Service 800 621 8258. They can be

worn in bed on cold winter nights or whilst relaxing at home. You

can put raw sheep's wool in your shoe if

there is no other alternative. Wrapping chilblains in naturally

oiled, untreated, washed sheep's wool,

obtainable from any sheep farmer, is beneficial (but not if the

sheep has just been treated with

organophosphates sheep dip!) You can get sheepskin slippers,

shoes, boots, mittens, hats and steering wheel

covers from the Aussie Connection, toll free 800 950 2668. In the

UK try Kiwi Slippers, St. Margaret, Harleston,

Norfolk IP20 0TB, UK. Tel: 01986 783333. Fax: 01986 783332.

E-mail: sales@... Website:

http://www.kiwislippers.com Sheep's wool lined, leather shoes

or boots allow the feet to breath and are much

better than synthetic material insulation.

However, if you find synthetic material OK for you, Sleepy Toes

may be the answer from MadMarc Designs,

P.O. Box 1522, Union City, CT 06770, USA. Tel 203 756 44632.

Toll Free (888) 813 5556. Sleepy Toes toe

warmers are designed to be worn in bed for those with poor

circulation: Raynaud's, diabetes, etc. Made from

polyester and acetate with loop and hook closure (which

unfortunately leaves the heel area exposed), they

are designed to not restrict circulation to any part of the leg or

foot. In various colours including white,

burgundy, aqua pink, royal blue and forest green, Sleepy Toes

cost $10.95 (sizes S,M,L,XL), plus $3.00

shipping. URL - http://www.madmarc.com E-mail -

marc@...

For " Wonderfully Warm Accesories " try WarmWoman, LLC, 703

Pleasant Oak Dr, Oregon, WI 53575, USA. Toll

free number: 1-800-553-8079. Website:

http://www.WarmWoman.com WarmWoman.com is an online

boutique selling " wonderfully warm accessories " to provide the

warmth and comfort we all seek. Products

include: heated throws from Sunbeam, Cuddl Duds

undergarments, Teddy bear hot water bottle, Grabber

hand, body, and toe warmers, leather mittens and gloves for your

hands and fingers, and heated footrests,

mats, and panel for warmth during sedentary activities.

Allowing the feet to breathe is very important to health. Synthetic

materials, e.g. Thinsulate will provide

warmth, keeping the heat in, but this material does not breathe

well and can cause the feet to overheat

causing over-dilation of the peripheral blood vessels and

making the skin turn red in colour. This is also a

problem for Raynaud's sufferers. Go by your own experience.

There is no doubt that the materials will increase

the warmth of your feet as the material has a high insulating

property, which is usually the main aim.

Manufacturers claim there new fabrics 'breathe' and allow

moisture to evaporate from the skin, but they do not

come near natural fibres in effectiveness. If you like outdoor

sports, use undersocks, e.g. silk and try scrubbing

your feet in the shower in the morning before sailing or other

sports. A good stiff vegetable bristle brush gets

the circulation going. This is very effective for ski boots too. You

can scrub your whole body with either a hot

damp towel or a dry towel until the skin becomes red, every

morning or every night before retiring. If that is

not possible, at least do your hands and feet, including each

finger and toe.

A cold nose can be a problem as this can affect the body

temperature generally reducing body warmth. The

nose can be kept covered with a head slip or balaclava or a

scarf. A purpose made nose warmer made from a

synthetic soft fleece fibtre (I would prefer a natural, unmixed fibre)

is available from Comfy Nose and can be

worn indoors (even when the temperature is warm) or outdoors.

The sporty nosewarmer is generally used for

outdoor events, e.g. skiing, backpacking, hiking. Those with

Raynaud's affecting the nose may find it useful.

Comfy Nose warmers come in two sizes (Average, which fits

most noses, and Large - specify if unusually small

or large). Colours include: black, navy blue, plum, bluish/gray,

sea blue. Heavy Duty Nose Warmers are

available for extreme conditions. For more information or to order

Comfy Nose, PO Box 25175, Farmington, NY

14425, USA. or call Toll Free 1-877-290-2495 or order online at

www.comfynose.com

My recommendation - confirmed by many natural practitioners

including Ayurvedic doctors - is to always use

natural fibre materials, at least next to the skin, for underwear,

socks, wrist and ankle warmers, or inner

gloves. Natural fibres allow the skin to breathe and perspire

freely and are in harmony with the natural

bioelectrical field of the body. Natural fibres do not accumulate

static as synthetic fibres do. Accumulation of

static can interfere with our weak bioelectrical fields. Silk or

cotton is best, for both socks and gloves. Fine

weaved wool is also good, especially in the coldest months, as

wool (especially Angora wool) is one of the

warmest of natural fibres. Thin, fine weave cotton gloves which

can be worn indoors or as inner gloves are

available from Army and Navy stores, or better quality ones from

chemist shops, e.g. Boots the Chemist in the

UK. Seton Healthcare produce good quality cotton gloves,

available at pharmacies and available in three sizes,

but they are very expensive for a cotton glove. A very good source

for silk inner gloves/socks and silk and

cotton underwear, long johns, etc. is The Sportsman's Guide,

411 Farwell Avenue, PO Box 239, So. St. , MN

55075-0239, USA. Tel 1800 888 5222 customer service; order

1800 888 30 06 24 hrs. 7-7 mon to fri 1612 552

5305. Fax 1800 333 6933, USA. This is an excellent company

selling quality military surplus and closeout deals

(good boots, etc.) from leading manufacturers. Their service is

very good and prices very reasonable, and they

will deliver internationally.

Natural materials as cotton or silk are non-irritating (especially if

organically grown, undyed) and soothing to

inflammation, for example when warn as gloves. Cotton is more

cooling, wool is more heating. Thicker canvas

gloves and unbleached thinner cotton gloves are available from

Army & Navy or outdoor wear shops. The thin

cotton gloves can be used to dip in herbal infusions or to cover

creams, lotions, oil and ointment applications,

with the thicker canvas gloves as over-gloves to conserve the

heat of applications and to protect bed sheets,

etc. if worn overnight. As mentioned above better quality thin

cotton gloves are available from pharmacies or

chemist shops. In emergencies, for example, when you are

caught out in the cold and rain outside in the

mountains, thin polythene gloves can be used as inner gloves.

Polythene bags can also be put over feet under

socks to help keep them protected from the cold and wet when

boots and socks are wet.

When washing the dishes or washing clothes by hand (better to

machine wash them) use thin cotton gloves

inside thick industrial pot washing gloves to insulate you from

the hot temperature of the water. Otherwise the

water should not be too hot. Even normal blood vessels can't

cope with too much heat to quickly, let alone

Raynaud's frosties! Do not put icy cold feet or hands into hot

water. Warm them up with exercise, pressing,

massage, etc. first, before putting them into warm water. In both

Raynaud's and chilblains (and also

erythromyalgia or EM) the peripheral blood vessels will not take

too kindly to extremes of temperature

whether hot or cold. (Indeed the body in general does not take

kindly to extremes of any sort - including lack

of routine.) Keep the affected limbs warm and dry, and do not

expose the hands and feet to unnecessary

cold.

Pure silk is an even better material than cotton for underwear,

long sleeved vests, leggings, socks, stockings

and gloves. Silk is ideal for stockings. Nylon stockings can be

particularly unbalancing to the body energies. Silk

is a good conductor of the body's electrical energies and

generally does not accumulate static electricity as do

synthetic fibres, for example, if you are working with

electromagnetic equipment such as computers or

surrounded by synthetic material furnishings and fittings. Silk

underwear has good anti-stress properties worn

during the day and does not interfere in the delicate electrical

waves and fields of the body, such as the

electrical impulses mediated by chemical neurotransmitters or

the alpha, theta and beta waves of the brain. Its

stress resisting, protective property may also somewhat hinder

the release of bodily stress and it is therefore

better not to wear silk in bed, while asleep when you are

releasing tensions, stress and fatigue during the

deep rest of sleep.

Excessive static electrical charge from working with electrical

equipment, walking on synthetic carpets,

wearing synthetic clothing, sleeping in synthetic bedsheets, etc.

can interfere with the nerve currents in the

body. One effect from this is jitteriness, restlessness, and

insomnia in susceptible or sensitive people. Sleeping

on metal sprung mattresses can also have this effect. Cotton

filled futons are better and healthier as

mattresses. Futons are also better for your posture. One of the

simplest techniques to discharge the static

electricity and balance the nervous system is barefoot walking

on soil or grass. This may also help to balance

the nerve control of the peripheral vascular system (although the

sympathetic nervous system has generally

been dismissed medically as a source of a primary causative

factor of Raynaud's). The static charge is released,

grounded into the natural earth. This is an excellent remedy if

you have difficulty getting to bed early, or for

insomnia. Barefoot walking should be carried out for a minimum

of five minutes on grass, sand or soil, then the

feet should be dried vigorously with a rough towel and then

warm socks and dry shoes or slippers put on. If

you do this procedure during the night when you can't sleep, put

a pair of warm socks on when you return to

bed. Avoid synthetic bed sheets (especially nylon) - use 100 per

cent cotton or linen, preferably organically

grown.

Wool is more warming to the body but can be irritating to some

skins - the very fine weave woollens are

usually fine for most people. It is perhaps best to wear wool as

an outer garment unless of a very fine weave

and you feel comfortable with it. Double up on socks and gloves

when icy or there is frost, but make sure your

shoes are roomy enough to take extra pair of socks without

restricting movement of the toes. Women should

wear thicker or layered natural fibre (e.g. silk) tights and roomier

shoes to accommodate the extra thickness.

You can wear thicker wool flannel socks/mitts over inner

socks/gloves and tights to protect against the cold

weather and frost. Wear good quality cotton pyjamas - flanellete

for the winter. During the frost you can sleep

with socks on but do not use a hot water bottle or other strong

heat source directly in contact with the feet or

hands. Warm the bed up with the hot water bottle before getting

in. This may all seem rather unglamorous for

young women, but then the vanity associated with glamour is

one of the reasons for wearing clothes which do

not protect from the cold.

You can place a hot water bottle over the abdomen while lying in

bed, although the resulting stimulating effect

is not so conducive to sleep. Only for a few minutes would be

alright, until you warm up. This will help to

remove spasms from all parts of the body including the

abdomen and the extremities The small arterioles will

dilate and the increased blood flow will warm your hands and

feet.

One of the most effective ways to combat cold feet during the

night is to place a soft pillow between the

sheets at the end of the bed and use it as a kind of hot water

bottle. The pillow starts cold but progressively

gets warmer from your body heat, whereas a hot water bottle

starts off hot and gets progressively colder

during the night. If you can heat the pillow on a radiator before

putting it in the bed, you have the best of both

worlds. For the head it is best to use buckwheat hull pillows as

they help cool the head, allowing greater

circulation of air. Feather and synthetic pillows cause

overheating of the head, which is not good for the brain

cells. The head should always be cool, and the feet warm....

--

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