The Health Benefits
Introduction
Many of us struggle to keep warm and the associated health conditions. There are many benefits to the cashmere accessories that we lovingly craft here at Turtle Doves. We believe it is important to highlight how these woolly companions can benefit common health conditions that millions of people suffer from across the world. These include:
- Arthritis
- Raynaud's Syndrome
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Circulation issues
- Hypothyroidism
- Livedo Reticularis
Arthritis
Arthritis is a common condition that causes pain and inflammation in the joints which typically worsens with age. The two main kinds of arthritis are Osteoarthritis and Rheumatoid. Osteoarthritis is caused by the wear and tear of a joint due to overuse, whereas Rheumatoid arthritis is caused by the body's immune system attacking its own tissue.
There are many ways of easing the symptoms of this painful condition, one of which includes keeping warm. This allows the blood vessels to expand providing more blood, oxygen and nutrients to the injured tissue and in turn, easing stiff and painful joints. Our cashmere accessories will help you to regulate your body's temperature by focusing on the key areas that are prone to heat loss.
Raynaud's syndrome
Raynaud's affects blood circulation and causes blood vessels to narrow when an individual is feeling cold or stressed. This prevents the blood from reaching the surface of the skin, the affected area then turns white and blue in colour. Most common in the hands and feet, this condition can also make some areas of the body feel cold, numb or sore.
Raynaud's is often worse during cold spells of weather and therefore keeping the hands and feet warm is a great way of combating the symptoms. Turtle Doves Fingerless Gloves and Wrist Warmers have been praised by many Reynaud sufferers who couldn't believe the benefits of just keeping their wrists warm!
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
This occurs when the carpal tunnel inside the wrist swells and applies pressure on the nerve in the wrist. This results in pain, numbness and weakness in the hand and fingers.
Keeping the wrist and hand warm will help to relax the tense muscle and ease pain while delivering oxygen to aid the healing process. Our wrist warmers fit comfortably over the hand to sit on the wrist without restricting any movement or causing pressure.
Circulation
Poor circulation makes it difficult to efficiently send blood around the body, this can result in a number of symptoms including muscle pain and weakness, a "pins and needles" sensation on the skin, numbness, swelling, bulging veins and many more.
Maintaining the body's temperature will boost circulation allowing muscles to relax, becoming more flexible and reducing stiffness in joints. The key areas to keep warm to reduce heat loss are the hands, feet and head. Our cashmere beanies are a great way of keeping warm. Available in fitted and slouched designs, both of which can be styled with the band folded up or down to suit your preferred style.
Hypothyroidism
Hypothyroidism refers to a thyroid that is underactive, this means the thyroid gland doesn't make enough hormones to meet the body's needs. The lower levels of hormones can cause a low tolerance to the cold. Other common symptoms of this condition include tiredness, weight gain and the slowing of the metabolism, which is an integral part of the body's heat regulation.
Livedo Reticularis (also known as mottled skin)
Livedo Reticularis is a very common condition that can be made worse by cold weather. The netlike pattern of reddish-blue discolouration appears on the skin in all areas of the body. This is caused by swollen blood vessels and the flow of blood near the skin's surface.
Although mottled skin is usually harmless, it can cause self-consciousness so reducing exposure to the cold can help prevent this skin discolouration. Give yourself a boost of warmth and confidence in our cashmere accessories that will help reduce the mottled appearance and compliment the natural skin tone that lies beneath!
Stay Cosy!
Staying warm not only relieves medical symptoms but also helps to prevent colds and flu which are more common in those over the age of 65, pregnant women, babies and children under 5. It is therefore very important to stay well-insulated and cashmere accessories are a great place to start!
We offer a great range of products from baby booties and children's accessories to unisex neckwarmers, gloves and throws.
There are a few key areas to keep warm to conserve heat and help maintain your body temperature. The most well-known include the head and torso however there are a few hidden spots that can drastically improve your warmth!
Keeping your neck warm
In the upper neck, there is a heat sensor that helps to regulate temperature by sending signals to conserve heat when cold.
The head and neck lose heat faster than any other part of the body which is why is it so important to prevent the cold from reaching this area. We offer a selection of products that will help do exactly that!
Turtle Doves offer a range of styles so you can find the perfect fit for you! From neckwarmers that sit close to the skin, or a loop which is a larger variation of the neckwarmer and can be wrapped around twice for double the warmth! Or a more traditional scarf that can be styled in a fashion to suit you. Research suggests that keeping this area warm can also help relieve neck pain and stiffness, as well as other joint and inflammatory issues.
Keeping your wrists warm
Pulse points have been another area attributed to heat loss. The wrist is therefore another key area to keep covered and research has proven that by keeping the wrist warm the hand and fingers will remain warm too! Turtle Doves Fingerless Gloves focus their warmth on the lower arm, back of the hand and palm. The design of the gloves allows for dexterity and movement in the fingers and doesn't restrict movement in the wrist.
Keeping your feet warm
Nobody likes getting cold feet! There are 72,000 nerve endings in the foot, each corresponding to different areas, so how your feet feel can affect the whole of your body. They also have less heat-producing muscle making them very sensitive to temperature changes, so it's no surprise that chilly piggy's can be quite uncomfortable!
Our cashmere bed socks are very soft and cosy. The natural properties of cashmere are great for socks due to their moisture-wicking and antibacterial qualities! We also offer a day sock that is produced from our recycled cashmere offcuts. Knitted with wool for extra strength, these socks will comfort your feet wherever they may carry you!
Turtle Doves Cashmere Products
Our products have been created with you in mind and offer so many benefits!
When fighting an illness we often go from hot to cold and finding that perfect temperature can be difficult. The same applies when sleeping. Our core temperature drops to conserve energy making us sometimes feel cold during the night. Wearing our fingerless gloves or wrist warmers in bed can help our body regulate its temperature making them the perfect companion for napping or recovering from an illness.
Below are some other examples of the benefits/ uses of our cashmere accessories.
- Sports & activities including cycling, dog walking, hiking, gardening, driving, camping, shopping, concerts and festivals
- Working at a computer (that mouse hand can get chilly sometimes!)
- Therapeutic benefits, creating the feeling of security and reducing anxiety and nervousness.
- We offer a variety of colours perfect for different occasions including black, navy and grey for office/ business attire. Bright neon shades for dance and celebrations or everyday colourways to complement your personal style!
The 10 Benefits of Cashmere
1. Incredibly insulating! Cashmere is 8x warmer than wool, it'll therefore keep you warm in cold climates and environments.
2. Highly breathable! Cashmere allows air to pass through it making it very breathable.
3. Hypoallergenic! Due to its softness cashmere is very skin-friendly. It is also spun more tightly to produce a smooth, silky texture.
4. Lightweight! Its fine and soft properties make cashmere ideal for summer layering. This natural fibre offers similar benefits to wool without creating any bulk!
5. Temperature regulating! The natural properties of cashmere keep you warm in winter and cool in summer by allowing the skin to breathe.
6. Moisture Wicking! The cashmere fibres have water-repellent exteriors and the interior attracts water. This means it draws moisture away from the body keeping you fresh and cool.
7. Stretch! We only use knitted cashmere in our accessories, this allows for lots of stretch and movement making them comfortable to wear.
8. Anti-bacterial! Bacteria likes to grow in a moisture-rich environment similar to those created by synthetic fibres. Cashmere is a dry fibre that doesn't hold onto moisture and therefore doesn't provide a good climate for bacteria.
9. Stunning Drape! Combining its lightweight quality with a fine knit construction allows cashmere to drape really nicely. Creating a flattering shape around the body.
10. Turtle Doves Cashmere is 100% recycled!