We Midwesterners can tolerate quite a bit.  Humid summers and biting winters are a regular occurrence here.  But, even the heartiest among us could use some simple, and scientific, tips on staying warm.  Loren Greenway is the CEO of the Wilderness Medical Center in Utah and recently told Live Science to remember two key things:  Conduction and convection.

Conduction is when your body is in direct contact with something cold.  Convection is when heat is transferred into the air (like when the wind hits your skin). 

Tip 1:  Layers!  Sweaters on shirts.  Socks on socks.  Long underwear under your pants.  Each extra layer is one more protection between you and the air or cold surfaces.

Tip 2:  Beware of shivering.  If you start to shiver, that’s nature saying you’re not only cold… but, you could be at risk.  Shivering is from your muscles contracting and relaxing trying to generate heat.  Even more alarming is when you are cold and your body stops shivering.  At that point you could be moving into moderate hypothermia.  Get someplace warm!

Tip 3:  Eat!  In the winter, your body wants to get more calories in to protect against the cold.  This is no time to skip meals.

Tip 4:  Drink!  Staying hydrated is going to be just as important as eating.  You can tolerate the cold better if you have enough water and food to keep your body maintained.

Tip 5:  Don’t drink.  This time we’re talking about booze.  While you may get that “warm feeling” after a sip of brandy, your core body temperature actually drops.  If you want something warm, choose a hot chocolate over a hot toddy.