VOA慢速英語：寒冷天氣鍛煉的優(yōu)點(diǎn)和缺點(diǎn)

Good, Bad of Cold-weather Workouts

寒冷天氣鍛煉的優(yōu)點(diǎn)和缺點(diǎn)

From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle report.

這里是美國之音慢速英語健康和生活方式報(bào)道。

In winter, people might lessen their outdoor exercise. The days get dark earlier, and it can be very cold! These conditions can make it harder for some of us to get outdoors for exercise.

在冬天里，人們可能會減少戶外運(yùn)動。每天天黑得越來越早，而且天氣都很冷。這種情況會讓我們中的一些人更難到戶外鍛煉。

However, cold days can be perfect for outdoor workouts!

然而，冷天可能對戶外鍛煉來說是個(gè)極佳的選擇。

There are at least three important health benefits to cold-weather workouts.

寒冷天氣鍛煉至少有3個(gè)重要的健康益處。

1. The body works harder in cold weather.

1. 寒冷天氣身體會更加賣力工作

Health experts at the Medical University of South Carolina say the body must make extra energy to keep warm in low temperatures. This means the body is burning more calories and fat.

南卡羅來納醫(yī)科大學(xué)的健康專家們表示，人體在低溫條件下需要制造額外能量以保持體溫。這意味著身體會燃燒更多的卡路里和脂肪。

Your lungs also may work better in cold weather. Researchers at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff found some interesting results in a study of goats.

肺在寒冷天氣里也會工作更加良好。位于弗拉格斯塔夫市的北亞利桑那大學(xué)的研究人員在對山羊的研究中發(fā)現(xiàn)了一些有趣的結(jié)果。

Yes, I said "goats."

沒錯(cuò)，我說的是山羊。

But still, their results were pretty interesting.

但是，他們的研究結(jié)果還是很有趣。

The scientists looked at how cold-weather activity affected goats. They found that "during the three coldest months, the sedentary but cold-exposed goats experienced a 34% increase in maximal oxygen uptake ... and a 29% increase in running speed." When temperatures increased in the spring both oxygen uptake and running speed of the goats decreased.

科學(xué)家們研究了寒冷天氣的活動對山羊的影響。他們發(fā)現(xiàn)，“在最寒冷的三個(gè)月里，久坐不動但是暴露在寒冷中的山羊的最大攝氧量增加了34%，奔跑速度提高了29%。”當(dāng)春季氣溫上升時(shí)，山羊的攝氧量和奔跑速度都會降低。

2. Regular cold-weather exercising may help the immune system.

2. 定期在寒冷天氣鍛煉可能對免疫系統(tǒng)有益

The winter season is also cold and flu season. Making outdoor exercise a usual part of your workout may help you avoid both colds and the flu. It may strengthen your body's defense system.

冬季也是感冒和流感高發(fā)季節(jié)。讓戶外運(yùn)動成為鍛煉的一部分可以幫助人們避免感冒和流感。它可以強(qiáng)化人體的防御系統(tǒng)。

The Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research found that winter workouts can cut your risk of getting the flu by 20 to 30 percent.

梅奧醫(yī)學(xué)教育和研究基金會發(fā)現(xiàn)，冬季鍛煉可以把流感患病風(fēng)險(xiǎn)降低20%到30%。

3. Exercising outdoors in cold weather may help your mental health.

3. 寒冷天氣鍛煉身體可能對心理健康有益

Some people who suffer from "winter blues" or Seasonal Affective Disorder, may benefit from going outside to exercise in the fresh air and sunshine.

一些“冬季憂郁癥”或是季節(jié)性情感障礙的患者可能會受益于外出在陽光和新鮮空氣中鍛煉身體。

An outdoor workout increases exposure to sunlight. Sunlight helps the body produce vitamin D. And vitamin D produces hormones that brighten your mood.

戶外鍛煉可以多曬太陽。陽光有助于身體產(chǎn)生維生素D，而維生素D會產(chǎn)生讓你心情愉快的激素。

Dangers of a cold-weather workout

寒冷天氣鍛煉的危險(xiǎn)

So, there are several health benefits of exercising outdoors in very cold weather. But there are also dangers.

因此寒冷天氣到戶外運(yùn)動有多項(xiàng)健康益處，但是它也有危險(xiǎn)。

Frostbite is one of the most common.

凍傷就是最常見的危險(xiǎn)之一。

Edward Ward is a doctor at Rush University Medical Center. He explains how frostbite happens.

愛德華·沃德(Edward Ward)是拉什大學(xué)醫(yī)學(xué)中心的醫(yī)生。他解釋了凍傷是如何發(fā)生的。

"When the air temperature drops below zero especially factoring wind chill, things freeze. And that includes the fluids that's within your fingers or your toes, nose, ears, anything that's exposed to that wind chill can be affected by frostbite."

他說：“當(dāng)氣溫下降到零度以下，尤其是加上風(fēng)寒，萬物就會凍住，其中就包括人們的手指、腳趾、鼻子、耳朵里的液體。任何暴露在風(fēng)寒中的物體都可能會受到凍傷影響。”

Protecting your fingers, toes, ears and nose is very important. Cold winds affect these parts of the body more quickly than other parts.

保護(hù)你的手指、腳趾、耳朵和鼻子是非常重要的。寒風(fēng)對人體這些部位的影響比其它部位更快。

Christopher Sampson is a doctor with University of Missouri Health Care. He explains that frostbite can happen rapidly -- in less than 30 minutes.

克里斯托弗·桑普森(Christopher Sampson)是密蘇里州大學(xué)衛(wèi)生保健部門的一位醫(yī)生。他解釋說，凍傷可能會在30分鐘內(nèi)迅速發(fā)生。

"With frostbite people can start experiencing symptoms pretty rapidly, on average with mild winds and cold temperatures it can occur in as less than 30 minutes, with extreme cases. When it's very, very cold and winds are very, very strong, sometimes frostbite can develop in as little as 5 minutes."

他說：“人們凍傷后很快會開始出現(xiàn)癥狀。一般在微風(fēng)和寒冷氣溫下，它會在不到30分鐘內(nèi)發(fā)生。在極端情況下，當(dāng)天氣很冷風(fēng)很大時(shí)，有時(shí)候短短五分鐘內(nèi)就會凍傷。”

The beginning of frostbite is called "frostnip."

凍傷的初步癥狀被稱之為“亞凍傷。”

Experts at the Mayo Clinic explain that "with this mild form of frostbite, your skin pales or turns red and feels very cold. Continued exposure leads to prickling and numbness in the affected area. As your skin warms, you may feel pain and tingling. Frostnip doesn't permanently damage the skin."

梅奧診所的專家解釋說，“這種輕微凍傷會使你的皮膚發(fā)紅，并且感覺非常寒冷。持續(xù)暴露會導(dǎo)致受創(chuàng)部位的刺痛和麻木。當(dāng)皮膚變暖時(shí)，你可能會感到疼痛和刺痛。亞凍傷不會給皮膚造成永久性傷害。”

But, frostbite can. It can even lead to loss of tissue and limbs.

但是凍傷會。它能造成失去組織和四肢。

Hypothermia

失溫

The most serious danger is hypothermia. Hypothermia is when the body temperature has fallen below 35 degrees Celsius or about 95 degrees Fahrenheit. This happens when your body can not produce enough energy to keep the body warm enough.

最嚴(yán)重的威脅是失溫。失溫是指體溫降到35攝氏度或95華氏度以下。當(dāng)身體無法產(chǎn)生足夠能量維持體溫時(shí)就會發(fā)生這種情況。

Hypothermia can kill you. There are several signs to watch for before it is too late.

失溫會讓你丟命。在為時(shí)已晚前可以關(guān)注以下跡象：

difficulty in movement

運(yùn)動障礙

difficulty in thinking

思維障礙

slowed reactions

反應(yīng)遲緩

unclear speech

口齒不清

cold feet and hands

手腳發(fā)冷

shivering

身體發(fā)抖

sleepiness

嗜睡

Falling on ice

冰上滑倒

However, Dr. Sampson says it is ice that creates the biggest risk for workouts outside when it is very cold. People don't see the ice, step on it and fall.

然而，桑普森博士表示，當(dāng)天氣寒冷時(shí)，戶外鍛煉最大的風(fēng)險(xiǎn)是冰。人們沒看到冰，踩上去滑倒。

Dress properly

正確著裝

But if you are dressed right, you can exercise safely in low temperatures.

但是如果你著裝正確，就能在低溫下安全地鍛煉。

Experts on several health websites say it is important to dress in layers.

幾家健康網(wǎng)站的專家表示，分層穿衣很重要。

The layer closest to the body should be made of a material that takes moisture away from the body. The next layer should be a material that traps heat, such as wool. And finally, the outer layer should be water resistant.

最貼近身體的衣物應(yīng)該用排汗材料制成。下一層衣物應(yīng)該用保暖材料，例如羊毛。最后，外層衣物應(yīng)該是防水的。

Of course, don't forget gloves, hat, good socks and shoes. When it is really cold, a scarf or face mask will protect your skin and lungs.

當(dāng)然，不要忘記手套、帽子、合適的襪子和鞋子。當(dāng)天氣非常冷的時(shí)候，戴上圍巾和口罩可以保護(hù)你的皮膚和肺。

Check the weather forecast

關(guān)注天氣預(yù)報(bào)

Temperature is not the only things that will affect your outdoor workout. It is also important to consider wind and water.

溫度并非影響戶外鍛煉的唯一因素。關(guān)注風(fēng)和雨也很重要。

Wind can go through your clothing and steal the layer of warm air that surrounds your body. If you get wet, you may not be able to keep your body temperature high enough.

風(fēng)能穿過衣物，帶走你身體周圍的熱氣。如果身上弄濕了，你可能無法維持足夠高的體溫。

So, if you are a generally healthy person, do not think you must move your workouts indoors in winter. As long as you dress properly, drink enough water and exercise safely, you can get a lot out of a cold-weather workout.

所以，如果你身體基本健康，不要認(rèn)為冬天必須把鍛煉放在室內(nèi)。只要你穿著得當(dāng)，喝足夠多水，并安全地鍛煉，你就能從寒冷天氣的鍛煉中受益良多。

And that's the Health & Lifestyle Report.

以上就是本期健康和生活方式報(bào)道的全部內(nèi)容。

I'm Anna Matteo.

安娜·馬特奧報(bào)道。

From VOA Learning English, this is the Health & Lifestyle report.

In winter, people might lessen their outdoor exercise. The days get dark earlier, and it can be very cold! These conditions can make it harder for some of us to get outdoors for exercise.

However, cold days can be perfect for outdoor workouts!

There are at least three important health benefits to cold-weather workouts.

1. The body works harder in cold weather.

Health experts at the Medical University of South Carolina say the body must make extra energy to keep warm in low temperatures. This means the body is burning more calories and fat.

Your lungs also may work better in cold weather. Researchers at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff found some interesting results in a study of goats.

Yes, I said “goats.”

But still, their results were pretty interesting.

The scientists looked at how cold-weather activity affected goats. They found that “during the three coldest months, the sedentary but cold-exposed goats experienced a 34% increase in maximal oxygen uptake … and a 29% increase in running speed.” When temperatures increased in the spring both oxygen uptake and running speed of the goats decreased.

2. Regular cold-weather exercising may help the immune system.

The winter season is also cold and flu season. Making outdoor exercise a usual part of your workout may help you avoid both colds and the flu. It may strengthen your body’s defense system.

The Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research found that winter workouts can cut your risk of getting the flu by 20 to 30 percent.

3. Exercising outdoors in cold weather may help your mental health.

Some people who suffer from “winter blues” or Seasonal Affective Disorder, may benefit from going outside to exercise in the fresh air and sunshine.

An outdoor workout increases exposure to sunlight. Sunlight helps the body produce vitamin D. And vitamin D produces hormones that brighten your mood.

Dangers of a cold-weather workout

So, there are several health benefits of exercising outdoors in very cold weather. But there are also dangers.

Frostbite is one of the most common.

Edward Ward is a doctor at Rush University Medical Center. He explains how frostbite happens.

"When the air temperature drops below zero especially factoring wind chill, things freeze. And that includes the fluids that's within your fingers or your toes, nose, ears, anything that's exposed to that wind chill can be affected by frostbite."

Protecting your fingers, toes, ears and nose is very important. Cold winds affect these parts of the body more quickly than other parts.

Christopher Sampson is a doctor with University of Missouri Health Care. He explains that frostbite can happen rapidly -- in less than 30 minutes.

"With frostbite people can start experiencing symptoms pretty rapidly, on average with mild winds and cold temperatures it can occur in as less than 30 minutes, with extreme cases. When it's very, very cold and winds are very, very strong, sometimes frostbite can develop in as little as 5 minutes."

The beginning of frostbite is called “frostnip.”

Experts at the Mayo Clinic explain that “with this mild form of frostbite, your skin pales or turns red and feels very cold. Continued exposure leads to prickling and numbness in the affected area. As your skin warms, you may feel pain and tingling. Frostnip doesn't permanently damage the skin.”

But, frostbite can. It can even lead to loss of tissue and limbs.

Hypothermia

The most serious danger is hypothermia. Hypothermia is when the body temperature has fallen below 35 degrees Celsius or about 95 degrees Fahrenheit. This happens when your body can not produce enough energy to keep the body warm enough.

Hypothermia can kill you. There are several signs to watch for before it is too late.

difficulty in movement

difficulty in thinking

slowed reactions

unclear speech

cold feet and hands

shivering

sleepiness

Falling on ice

However, Dr. Sampson says it is ice that creates the biggest risk for workouts outside when it is very cold. People don’t see the ice, step on it and fall.

Dress properly

But if you are dressed right, you can exercise safely in low temperatures.

Experts on several health websites say it is important to dress in layers.

The layer closest to the body should be made of a material that takes moisture away from the body. The next layer should be a material that traps heat, such as wool. And finally, the outer layer should be water resistant.

Of course, don't forget gloves, hat, good socks and shoes. When it is really cold, a scarf or face mask will protect your skin and lungs.

Check the weather forecast

Temperature is not the only things that will affect your outdoor workout. It is also important to consider wind and water.

Wind can go through your clothing and steal the layer of warm air that surrounds your body. If you get wet, you may not be able to keep your body temperature high enough.

So, if you are a generally healthy person, do not think you must move your workouts indoors in winter. As long as you dress properly, drink enough water and exercise safely, you can get a lot out of a cold-weather workout.

And that’s the Health & Lifestyle Report.

I’m Anna Matteo.

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Words in This Story

benefit – n. a good or helpful result or effect

sedentary – adj. doing or involving a lot of sitting : not doing or involving much physical activity

maximal – adj. greatest or highest possible

the blues – n. a feeling of sadness or depression

mood the way someone feels : a person's emotional state

factor something that helps produce or influence a result : one of the things that cause something to happen

wind chill – n. the effect that wind has of making air feel colder than it actually is

expose – v. to leave (something) without covering or protection

rapidly – adv. happening in a short amount of time : happening quickly

symptom – n. a change in the body or mind which indicates that a disease is present

mild – adj. gentle in nature or behavior

occur – v. somewhat formal : to happen

prickle – v. to cause or experience an unpleasant feeling that is like the feeling of having many small, sharp points against your skin : prickling – n.

numb – adj. unable to feel anything in a particular part of your body because of cold, injury, etc. : numbness – n.

tingle – v. to have a feeling like the feeling of many small sharp points pressing into your skin

shiver – v. to shake slightly because you are cold, afraid, etc.