I've always had cold feet, in the most literal sense of the term, although applicable in the figurative sense as well. Since I assume you're not here to learn about a stranger's personality flaws, I'll tell you the story of my cold feet and I.
For as long as I can remember, I've had cold feet and hands. Covering them has become natural for me; oversized long-sleeved shirts and woolen socks are essentials for any outfit. Air conditioning is the equivalent to me of a gust of winter air; reaching into the refrigerator is done quickly and with a sense of dread. As a result, in the blazing heat of the summer, my extremities appear to be prepared for a blizzard. Unfortunately, my hands and feet don't just feel cold- they're like ice packs. My touch often elicits a flinch from friends and family who are unguarded against the chilly feeling of my fingers. Handshakes are done with me only for the chilly shock factor. Luckily, those close to me have come to accept me as a human snowman.
Since my hands and feet have always been cold, I thought nothing of the grey and purple hue that accompanied my condition until I was complimented on my interesting grey nail polish. As I replied humorously, "Oh, it's natural", I began to feel that maybe my cold hands and feet warranted a visit to the doctor.
Upon visiting a doctor, I learned that I actually had a condition called Raynaud's disease, in which cold temperatures and/or stress cause small arteries to narrow, limiting the blood flow to areas of the body and subsequently causing a drop in the temperature. Although I hadn't worried about it before learning this, Raynaud's disease can have outcomes including gangrene and ulcers. It also can indicate an underlying cause like Scleroderma or Lupus, both serious diseases.
Luckily for me, I didn't have either of these, but the issue of my poor circulation remained- my hands and feet felt like ice! My doctor gave me the option to take medicine (calcium channel blockers, alpha blockers, or vasodilators), but I chose to go without them. My research online yielded a few suggestions to ease my condition: wear thick socks and gloves, avoid stress and caffeine, and take good care of infections to avoid more permanent consequences. Although I can't stick to these rules always- after all, who can pass up a nice cup of coffee?- I attempt to follow them whenever I can. The result has been a decrease in situations in which my hands and feet have been grey and chilly, which is an improvement in my opinion!
If you're reading this, I encourage you to learn more about Raynaud's disease- about 1 in 20 people in the United States have it, with the majority of those being women or children. If you have chilly hands or feet like I do, or are simply interested in the condition, there are many great websites to learn more about it and what to do if you have it. Now, I just tell people: yes, I have cold feet- so do 13 million other people!