by Belinda Ollewagen | Jan 18, 2019 | instant tap, water cooler
Is there such a thing as drinking too much water? Should you decrease your number of visits to the office water cooler? The answer to the first question is yes. And the answer to the second question is no.
Yes, you can drink too much, but it’s an extreme ‘too much’. Runner’s World ran an article a while back entitled busting eight hydration myths, and one of those busted myths was that ‘you can’t drink too much’. If you over-hydrate it can lead to a condition called hyponatremia. As defined by the Mayo Clinic, this ‘occurs when the level of sodium in your blood is abnormally low. Sodium is an electrolyte, and it helps regulate the amount of water that’s in and around your cells. When [hyponatremia] happens, your body’s water levels rise, and your cells begin to swell. This swelling can cause many health problems, from mild to life-threating’.
And why should you not decrease your number of visits to the water cooler? Because of your thirst mechanism, that’s why. Another busted myth is that ‘thirst isn’t a good hydration tool’ – yes, it is. Your body knows what it needs, and when it needs water, it will trigger your thirst mechanism – whether you’re attuned to that trigger or not is another matter of course. So, if you learn to listen to your body and give it what it needs when it signals it, you should be fine. If you’re an athlete and you’re concerned about the amount of water you lose while exercising, knowing your sweat rate and compensating for it, is another way to ensure you receive proper hydration. Doug Casa, Ph.D., professor of kinesiology at the University of Connecticut and COO of the Korey Stringer Institute says the ‘goal isn’t to match your sweat rate, but you should try to get as close as is comfortably possible. For some runners, that may mean replacing two-thirds of the fluid they sweat during the run’. He also adds that you shouldn’t try to drink more than you lose.
And here’s another busted myth ‘caffeine dehydrates you’ – no, it doesn’t. If taken in moderation, coffee or tea can count towards your hydration quota for the day. So, if you feel the need for another hot drink, then head over to the instant taps in your breakout area and make another cup – not only will it aid your hydration levels, but the break will do you good too as both these factors are productivity enhancers!
by Belinda Ollewagen | Nov 23, 2018 | Hot Water Taps, instant tap, water cooler
After a fabulous summer, the weather has definitely turned and whether we like it or not, it’s time to start preparing for winter. That means cranking up the heat, increasing the number of layers as we step outside and increasing our intake of hot teas and coffee. Not only are hot drinks warming, but a very interesting study also found that they make us friendlier: ‘participants who briefly held a cup of hot (versus iced) coffee judged a target person as having a “warmer” personality’ – so that’s something to keep in mind the next time you want everyone to get along.
While we know hot drinks warm us up, the jury’s still out on whether this ‘fact’ is grounded in science or if it’s more psychological. Either way, there’s something very comforting about heading over to the hot water taps in your staff breakout area and making a hot cup of coffee; which brings us to an essential for winter – instant taps. With everyone vying for boiling water to make that next cup of tea, there’s nothing more frustrating than having to wait in line for a kettle to boil, but with instant taps in your staff kitchen, wasted time and poor productivity is a thing of the past.
Hot water taps are space saving – small and compact, they fit neatly underneath a counter or sink. Beautifully designed, they are stylish, modern and versatile; and provide instantly boiling water at the touch of a button. And because they’re plumbed into the mains water supply, the hot water is also limitless which means there’s plenty to go around for both staff and clients or customers – making instant taps ideal for not only breakout areas, but also boardrooms and conferencing venues. And because there’s no kettle to boil, instant taps are also more cost-effective and time-saving – factors which definitely affect a company’s bottom line.
So, if you want to keep your team warm, happy, friendlier and more productive, consider installing AquAid Instant Taps in your breakout area – not only will you benefit from the high-quality products and exceptional service provided by the UK’s leading water cooler supplier, but for a short time only you can save even more as AquAid are also offering free installation and three months free rental on all their instant taps.
by Belinda Ollewagen | Oct 17, 2018 | instant tap, water cooler
The dreaded afternoon office slump is something that afflicts many of us – come 3pm and we’re definitely NOT jumping up and down with boundless energy! Out of habit (and desperation) we usually grab a cup of coffee or a chocolate bar, but caffeine or sugar injections are most often counter-productive and we hit that slump even harder the next time around. In an effort to find healthier alternatives we went looking for options that hold more longevity, and HuffPost never disappoints, taken from Healthy Living, here are five of our favorite new energy boosters – and yes, your office water cooler is one of them.
- Munch a Lemon
No you didn’t read that wrong. Grab a lemon and bite into it – the tart citrus flavors will make your eyes pop and give you a quick boost of energy.
Extra perk: by adding lemon juice to your drinking water, you also add a number of other health benefits that help your body perform more optimally too.
- Take a Walk
Even for those of us stuck in an office, a quick walk around the block can do wonders. Between the fresh air and getting your body moving, flailing energy levels will definitely improve.
Extra perk: recent reports claim that sitting (as many of us in an office environment do all day long) is the new smoking, and that taking those frequent short walks helps ward off the negative consequences of being chair bound for so long.
- Grab a Peppermint
Different aromatherapy scents deliver different results and peppermint too has its place in the scent world, smelling peppermint fragrances or simply chewing a peppermint sweet can help one perk up.
Extra perk: drinking peppermint tea also helps soothe many digestive and stomach issues.
- Turn up the Music
While you might not be able to dance around the office to your favorite song (although stranger things have happened), nothing stops you from putting on your headphones and doing a little desk-dancing, it definitely energizes the spirit.
Extra perk: music actually helps you perform your tasks a little faster too.
- Drink Water
And finally, your water cooler: drinking water definitely does help when you’re in a slump, because very often what we mistake for fatigue is actually dehydration, and while other cold and hot drinks might aid hydration, nothing is as effective or as healthy as drinking water.
Extra perk: when using any of the AquAid products, whether water cooler or instant taps, a percentage of all sales are donated to the Africa Trust who help bring fresh drinking water to some of the most impoverished areas in Africa!
by Belinda Ollewagen | Oct 16, 2018 | instant tap, water cooler
If you’re making regular trips to your water cooler to make sure your body remains well hydrated so that it can perform optimally – well done! But if drinking regular water is starting to feel a little ho-hum, then maybe it’s time to mix things up a little, and an excellent way of doing that is to add something simple like a slice or two of lemon. Apart from enhancing the taste, lemon water also carries a number of other benefits.
Helps Prevent Urinary Tract Infections
Natural News advocates adding half a cup of lemon juice to your drinking water in the morning to help combat UTIs – lemon maintains the correct pH levels in the urinary tract preventing bacteria from growing.
Helps Strengthen the Immune System
Lemon is an excellent source of Vitamin C which, as we all know, helps combat colds and flu – especially important now as winter approaches. Not only that, but according to Greatist it’s also an antioxidant powerhouse and could help ‘decrease heart disease risk, reduce inflammation, and fight some cancers’.
Helps Reduce Inflammation
As cited on Live Strong, lemon juice helps to neutralize uric acid in the joints which is a major cause of inflammation – ‘although an acid itself, lemon juice, like apple cider vinegar, helps to promote the production of digestive juices including bicarbonate, helping to neutralize acidity in the body.’
And if preventing UTIs, strengthening your immune system and reducing inflammation is not enough reason to add lemon juice to your glass of water from the water cooler or instant taps in your breakout area, consider the aesthetic benefits: it helps neutralize the bacteria in your mouth which causes smelly breath and it aids collagen production which helps to keep your skin plump and youthful-looking. And if drunk in warm water, on an empty stomach as you start your day, lemon juice water is also said to aid weight loss as it promotes better digestion and increases your metabolism. So, go ahead and add a squeeze or two of lemon to your water – the benefits are far-reaching.
by Belinda Ollewagen | Oct 16, 2018 | instant tap, water cooler
Water is something we take very much for granted. We open our instant taps or we push the buttons on the office water cooler and without another thought, water comes flowing out. But this life-sustaining natural resource is so much greater than the casual consideration we give it. Courtesy of The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) here are a few interesting facts to remind you just how great a role water plays in our lives.
- 9% of the Earth’s surface is covered by water.
- 97% of the Earth’s water is salt water – that leaves only 3% as fresh water.
- 7% of the fresh water on Earth is trapped in glaciers.
- If enough of those glaciers were to melt to cause a ten-meter rise in sea levels, it would flood 25% of the US.
- Over 90% of the world’s supply of fresh water is located in Antarctica
- Europeans use roughly 190 litres of water per day – in the US, people use double that amount, while those living in sub-Saharan Africa survive on only 8 to 20 litres per day.
- Daily we use more water flushing our toilets than we use showering or anything else water-related.
- In one year, the average American household uses (both indoors and outdoors) nearly 400,000 litres of water.
- A leaking tap that drips at the rate of one drip per second can waste nearly 12,000 litres of water per year.
- Water is the only natural resource that can be found in all three forms – solid, liquid and gas.
- Water is the great dissolver – it can dissolve more substances than even sulfuric acid.
And here’s something else to ponder: in just one day, 200 million work hours are spent by women collecting water for their families. This is one of the many reasons why AquAid believe in helping communities that are desperate for fresh water – a percentage of all water cooler or instant taps sales are donated to the Africa Trust who along with AquAid help bring life-giving water to some of Africa’s poorest communities. So, for a water solution tailored to your specific office needs, be sure to contact AquAid today.
by Belinda Ollewagen | Sep 13, 2018 | instant tap, water cooler
1) It’s environmentally friendly
Because instant taps and mains fed water coolers are bottleless, there is no need for bottle deliveries which means fewer trucks on the road thereby conserving fuel, minimizing carbon emissions and reducing our carbon footprint.
2) It’s limitless
Because the water comes from your main water supply it means you can’t ever run out of water. There’s no need to wait for the next water delivery, because with instant taps and mains fed water coolers there will always be a constant supply of healthy and safely-filtered drinking water on tap.
3) It’s hygienic
Although your water cooler is attached to your main water supply, it doesn’t mean you’ll be drinking water directly from the tap. We all know that our tap water contains various chemicals, but with our bottleless water coolers your water passes through a highly-advanced filtration system first to provide you with the safest drinking water possible.
4) It’s convenient
Because there are no bulky water bottles, there is no longer a need to find storage space. Our instant taps and mains fed water coolers are all sleek and compact, taking up less space than before. And because there are no water bottle deliveries, the admin process is vastly simplified.
5) It’s socially responsible
By choosing AquAid you not only take care of your own water needs, but you also help impoverished communities, because a percentage of sales is automatically donated to The Africa Trust and Christian Aid who help bring safe drinking water to some of Africa’s poorest people.
Five very good reasons to switch to instant taps and mains fed water coolers. Also remember that if you prefer to stay with bottled water coolers, AquAid offer a refillable 19ltr bottle which is reused between 30 and 35 times, so this is also a more environmentally friendly option. Whatever your water needs may be, AquAid have the solution.
