Baby, it's cold outside, and many people get cold hands and cold feet - they just can't seem to get warm.

The old saying goes, "Cold hands, warm heart," but not according to traditional Chinese medicine. Persistently cold extremities, cold hands and feet, usually indicate an internal problem ?? too much yin (cold) energy, and not enough yang (hot) energy. This is the season to build up your energy inside with the right foods.

Then there's the simple matter of cold. Many people like to save on heating bills, so they prefer to shiver at home, bundle up, wear hats and mittens, fleece slippers, hold hand warmers, drink warm fluids, and so on. That bit of saving may not be worth it.

But if bundling up, turning on the heat, drinking hot chocolate, eating "hot" foods and keeping active don't cut any ice - then you should pay attention to your circulation and cardiovascular issues. The cold you feel may not be just a result of cold weather, it might be a sign of something more serious.

Look out for:

Frostbite: Long exposure to extreme cold reduces blood flow, especially to extremities, and this can be dangerous. The combination of cold temperatures and reduced circulation can cause freeze tissue, causing it to die.

Catching cold: Elderly people, those who are weak and anyone who is run down, are vulnerable to catching cold in winter. A head cold, runny nose, aching body, cold hands and feet are typical.

Vascular conditions and inflammations: These may get worse in cold weather, such as Raynaud's disease and Buerger's disease and may be wrongly attributed to cold temperatures. Keep in mind, these only affect a relatively few people. Be aware, but don't be a hypochondriac.

Here's the TCM take on cold hands and feet, from Wu Min, an expert in TCM at Xinhua Hospital.

"From a traditional Chinese medicine perspective, cold hands and feet are symptoms of insufficient yang energy.

"If the inner system is not treated properly," says Wu, "no external measures can solve the root of the problem. They can only temporarily warm certain areas of your body for a little while."

Wu recommends yang foods and yang herbs such as ginger, ginseng, safflower and angelica root. He recommends beef, mutton, sea food, bean products and brown sugar to promote yang energy.

Herbal baths can warm the system, too, as herbs are absorbed by the skin and enter the blood system.

Before you start to seriously dose yourself with herbs, however, it's best to consult a TCM practitioner.

Some tips:

Exercise. Walking rapidly and swinging your arms will increase blood circulation. If you do it regularly, it has many other benefits - lowering cholesterol, improving metabolism, aiding in weight loss. Give it 30 minutes a day and you should feel warm all over. Use the stairs, not the elevator.

Dress right and layer. Knitted mittens, hats, scarves, sweaters, thick coats and socks - wool is best, except for special cold weather synthetics. Remember to wear a pair of socks when you go to bed.

Eat right. A rigid diet is a taboo in winter, you need a certain amount of fat to maintain warmth. Keep a healthy snack handy and nibble when you feel hungry.

(Shanghai Daily January 6, 2009)