In my last post I wrote about why you should be running outside, even when it's cold. This article is part 2: How to run in cold weather.

The first rule of how to run in cold weather: Suck it up.

Many people have a mental block surrounding this, but the simple fact is that you won't die, and if you've got all the proper gear then you'll not only be more comfortable, but that will have a positive impact on your motivation. In other words, you'll feel like an idiot if you drop a few hundred bucks on cold-weather running gear and then never use it.

Making the switch to all-weather running takes some planning and preparation, and you'll likely need to open your wallet to ensure that you stay both safe and warm. I firmly believe that you should get specialized equipment at a specialized store. The staff is knowledgeable in the type of equipment needed for harsher conditions, and it usually makes for a one-stop shop.

Here are a few tips for what you'll need:

One of the holiday traditions that my family has always kept is leaving out a bowl of nuts in the shell -- along with an assortment of enigmatic nut retrieval tools -- for people to help themselves to. I'm not really sure where this tradition originated (although, considering the ballet The Nutcracker was composed in 1892, I'm guessing the tradition goes back a ways), but my family sticks to it.

And why not? Keeping a bowl of healthy nuts, still in their shells to protect them from going rancid, is a holiday tradition I can really get behind. (Unlike Christmas cookies, gingerbread houses or candy canes which only seem good for tempting us with unhealthy, sugary junk.)

One of my favourite guys in the nut bowl, as well as being one of the more nutritionally dense, is the walnut. Primarily, walnuts are a terrific source of the essential fatty acid alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a heart-healthy omega-3 fat. According to the World's Healthiest Foods website, a quarter cup of walnuts provides over 90 percent of the total daily requirement for omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3s have been found to protect the cardiovascular system, promote better cognitive function, provide anti-inflammatory benefits which are helpful for asthma and rheumatoid arthritis, and the fats are helpful for skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis. And all these benefits could potentially come from a handful of nuts.

Do you have a list of nagging symptoms that don't really seem to be helped by the over-the-counter (OTC) medications that are meant to clear them up? Is that list seemingly getting bigger by the day? Heartburn, indigestion, nausea, gas and bloating, frequent loose or watery stools -- these are all signs that our system is not as healthy as it could be. Yet we tend to overlook these symptoms as more nuisances than anything else -- certainly not an indication that something requires attention. But really these nagging symptoms aren't just something we need to live with. They point to a wearing down of the body and could all be the result of chronic exposure to food allergens.

What are the symptoms?
Headaches and migraines, chronic blood sugar imbalance, stuffy-nose or post nasal drip, asthma, skin rashes and joint pain are all common food allergy symptoms. Even more serious conditions like irritable bowel, ulcerative colitis or Crohn's Disease can be traced back to unknowingly ingesting foods you are allergic to on a regular basis.

When people think of food allergies, they generally tend to think of the acute response. Acute responses include deadly reactions to foods -- like peanuts, shellfish or eggs for example -- where immediate medical attention is vitally necessary. These reactions, called anaphylactic reactions, are often life-and-death situations which can cause inflammation of the breathing passage and cut off air supply.

Each morning, we weigh in on the day's hottest headlines.

I'm sure you've heard about this already but Susan Boyle is in a posh London rehab clinic due to stress. What, going from living with your cat to being the most watched person on TV is stressful? Who woulda thought ...

Scared of Marathons? Who says you have to run? According to the New York Times, the Walk-Run Method is a way for all us regular joes to get into marathoning.

A little short of breath from asthma? Yoga will help, says a new study.

In Australia, there's a fancy schmancy beer available that you can get for $1 -- a sip! That's a little too rich for my tastes ...

Here's a word of warning to heed -- Canadian beauty Natasha Henstridge admits diet pills did damage to her body.

Each morning, we weigh in on the day's hottest headlines.

Lady Gaga, attention whore extraordinaire, recently admitted to reporters that she feels like a gay man trapped in a woman's body. Okayyyyy then ...

Speaking of bizarre, new studies have found that lice might be a cure for asthma because people who have it are less likely to experience symptoms of the respiratory condition. Um, ick. I'll take the asthma over the lice, thank you very much.

Need proof that Miracles exist? In Northern Ireland, a woman's terminal cancer simply disapeared, leaving experts baffled. Hopeful or hoaxful -- what do you think?

Here's a scary statistic -- 25% of 11-year-olds admit that they get dieting tips from pro-anorexia websites. When I was 11, I spent my time mowing lawns for change to buy a slurpee with -- my, how the times change.

Ladies, listen up -- Lenny Kravitz is hoping to break his vow of celibacy and is on the hunt for the right woman. Any takers? Only thing is, he's starting the search in England ...

Tamey McIntosh and Patti Murphy have plenty in common. They live on the same street in Ottawa, their daughters are in the same grade at school and they both care deeply about their family's health. It's the last commonality that spurred them to create the website Pure Know How that looks at dangerous toxins in everyday products and offers safe alternatives.

The idea blossomed after Patti was diagnosed with breast cancer despite regular visits to a naturopath, exercise and a diet heavy on healthy organic foods. When her naturopath asked her if she was using products with parabins in them, Patti did some research and found they were estrogren mimickers (found in shampoos, conditioners, creams etc.) and they were the last thing she wanted in her body with her breast cancer history.

Patti's health scare, combined with Tamey's environmental background kick-started their joint mission to purge their homes of toxic products and replace them with healthy, natural alternatives. Their website was born out of their desire to share all of their new-found (albeit scary) knowledge with others. Find out what products in your home are the most dangerous, if your beauty routine will give you cancer and what you should look for when buying cleaning products after the jump.

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