Did you hear the rumor that we might get snow on Halloween? A rumor is where it sits for right now because it's too far out to tell for sure, but I find it funny how many of my friends are already in full on panic over a rumor. Do you remember when we were kids? I can count on one hand the number of times I didn't trick-or-treat in some sort of snow. Whether you're a cold weather lover as I am or a cold weather hater, the fact remains that there are definitely some health benefits that come with colder weather which makes it a bit easier to embrace.

1.  Cold Weather Burns Calories-  If you're health conscious (or spend a lot of time chatting up doctors), you might have heard of "brown fat."  Brown fat is a type of fat that's found naturally in parts of the body and when triggered it can burn off other "white" fat. Researchers say that cold weather ignites brown far and sets it into motion. In other words, just being cold could cause significant calorie burn.

2.  Cold Weather Brings Us Closer- There's nothing better than snuggling under the covers with your love on a cold morning, am I right? When the weather turns really cold, we tend to reach out to contact our closest friends and family and end up chatting with them for longer than usual. This is a mood booster for sure!

3.  Cold Weather Is Less Hospitable For Disease-Carrying Bugs- Lots and lots of bugs love warm weather, but the cold weather- not so much.  Freezing or below-freezing temps help kill off some bugs which in turn protects us from the illnesses they're known to spread.

4.  Cold Weather Brings Greater Appreciation Of Brighter Days- Sure, it's easy to joke  that the sun rarely shines here in Binghamton, but there's evidence to suggest that constant sunshine doesn't necessarily make us happy. In fact, some research suggests that if the weather never changes, you start taking that sunshine for granted- those of us who live in the Southern Tier sure don't, do we? Surviving the cold makes those warm spring days seem even better when they finally arrive.

5.  Cold Weather Can Reduce Inflammation- One of the first things most of us reach for when we get hurt is an ice pack, and there's a good reason we do- the drop in temperature reduces inflammation. Anything beats summer swelling- my nemesis.

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