In this polar-vortex winter that is draining the life out of many of us (I know this is just about the toughest winter I’ve had to train for a race in — my new neck gaiter is my new BFF, I don’t even care that I look like I’m about to mug someone), perhaps this can be seen as a bit of a silver lining:
Shivering for 10 to 15 minutes has the similar effect on our body as exercise at triggering our body’s white fat (the kind we store) into “good” brown fat (brown fat being the fat that we burns energy and keeps us warm). Shivering muscles release a hormone called irisin and the new research from the Institute of Medical Research in Sydney, Australia, found that when exercising on a bike for one hour, participants released the same amout of irisin as when they shiver for 10 to 15 minutes.
At the rate this winter is going, maybe we’ll all emerge in spring as svelte little foxes.
(And that pic above, btw? Not Antarctica. Lake Ontario. As in just a few blocks away from where I live. Snapped it a couple of weeks ago during a frigid, frigid, frigid run…did I mention how cold it was? Freezing.)
February 12, 2014
Oh, the irony — I’m writing sniffly and scratchy throat-ish as I’ve come down with a cold. What I would give to have this Shoppers Drug Mart Cold and Flu Defense Kit right now!
Lucky for one of you — you can win this kit (valued at more than $150) so you’re prepared to prevent coming down with the cold and flu this season and so you can better manage your symptoms if you do.
In the Cold and Flu Defense Kit prize:
- $50 Shoppers Drug Mart gift card (which you can use for more cold and flu stuff if you’re practical, or beeline it over to the Beauty Boutique if you’re like me, haha)
- a humidifier (one of those items always on my should-buy list, but then I never get around to it…here, you win one in the prize pack! Sweet!)
- Life Brand Hand Sanitizer
- Vapo Rub
- Digital Thermometer
- Sugar-free cough drops
- facial tissue
- Vitamin C and D
- Simply Food Chicken Noodle Soup
You’ll be pretty grateful to have all of these cold and flu helpers if you do get sick this season!
Oh, and did you know that you can get your annual flu shot by walking in or booking an appointment online at http://shoppersdrugmart.ca/flushot.
How to enter? You can enter in five different ways (each way counts as one entry, so go ahead and enter in all five methods!):
1. Email me at healthandswellness@gmail.com with your name and mailing address. Please put “Shoppers Drug Mart Cold and Flu Defense Kit” in the subject line.
2. Twitter: Follow me on Twitter (@healthswellness) and tweet:
I want to #win this @ShopprsDrugMart Cold and Flu Defense Kit from @healthswellness: http://bit.ly/1fCFT4c
3. Comment on this post and tell me how you spend the day when you call in sick.
4. Like the Health and Swellness page on Facebook and also leave a comment on the wall post about this Cold and Flu Defense Kit giveaway about what TV show or movie you watch when you’re at home sick.
5. Instagram: Follow me on Instagram (@healthandswellness), like the Instagram photo related to this giveaway, and write a comment what you do when you’re under the weather (sleep? drink lots of tea? go into the office or stay home?)
The prize is valued at $150 and the giveaway will close at 11:50PM on Monday, October 21, 2013. Please note that this giveaway is open to Canadian residents only. The winner will be chosen at random and announced on Health & Swellness. If I cannot reach the winner within a week, another winner will be selected at random.
Psst! More prizes to be won in the Shoppers Drug Mart @LetsTalkFlu Tweet Chat on Tuesday, October 22, 2013, at 7PM! Be sure to take part! More details on the Tweet Chat coming to you shortly right here on Health & Swellness!
October 16, 2013