Hydrate Health – Pinch Yourself!

Hydrate Health – Pinch Yourself!

You did read that right. One of the simplest ways to check how hydrated (or dehydrated for that matter) you are is to:

Pinch yourself. Your hydration level directly affects your skin’s ability to change shape and return to normal. Using your pointer finger and thumb, gently pinch the skin on the back of your hand and hold for a few seconds. If the skin takes a while to return to its normal position when you let go, you could be dehydrated. A gentle pinch, mind, the idea is not to hurt yourself.

Reverse the dehydration. Now that you’ve established that you are more dehydrated than you realised, counteraction is easy.

Drink water more. In the current circumstances, good health habits can easily fall by the wayside. Don’t allow this. Whether you work remotely, have returned to your office or formal workplace or are constantly on the go, make sure you always have access to drinking water and carry water with you.

Hydration boosts better function.  Increasing your water intake not only produces a healthier, plumped up skin but also your body and mind’s ability to function better overall.

Water refresh where?  That’s where AquAid come in. For over 22 years, we have been providing an extensive range of high quality water coolers to businesses, work sites and the educational sector across the UK. With more than 23 branches nationwide, we are well equipped to provide the best drinking water solution for your organisation, however large or small your staff contingent. Once installed, our range of water dispensers, from Bottle-Fed and Mains-Fed through to Hot Water Boilers and Instant Taps, each carry a donation to charity, providing safe water resources to millions of people in need in impoverished communities.

Contact us at AquAid today.

Simple Water Cooler Warm-Ups while the weather is dreary

Simple Water Cooler Warm-Ups while the weather is dreary

The first one is easy: Not only do AquAid supply a wide range of high quality water coolers, dispensing chilled or ambient drinking water, we also offer a range of hot and cold water dispensers, hot water boilers as well as our stylish, space saving Instant Taps.

What’s even more (heart)warming, is that for every Mains Fed/Plumbed-in water dispenser AquAid install, a portion of that sale is donated to charities that we support.  These donations are used to fund life-saving clean water delivery projects for communities in need.  A method guaranteed to warm you up as you sip your hot drink.

Bake something. We may not all qualify as contestants for events such as The Great British Bake Off, but that doesn’t matter – baking is a guaranteed method to warm your environment – also eating hot food raises your body temperature somewhat.

Wear a hat. Although it’s been disproved, we can’t negate the fact that covering your head while outside certainly feels warmer than leaving your extremities bare. In addition, some hats look great – you never know – you could start a trend.  Note: Fascinators don’t count.

Exercise. Sure-footed and steady wins the race! Or at least keeps you mobile while you negotiate ice and slush covered pavements. Although higher impact, cardio-vascular exercise is a great health benefit, it is sometimes better to take exercise that produces a slow burn – it may make for a longer lasting raised core temperature, which will keep you warm and toasty as you move between in and outdoors.

That Lemon at the Water Cooler

That Lemon at the Water Cooler

No, we are not referring to a dud car parked at the water cooler; we are referring to the lemon: the wonder fruit.

Lemons are mostly attributed as being a good source of vitamin C, (which they are) but that isn’t all they contain.

According to the USDA National Nutrient Database lemons contain everything from vitamin B6, vitamin A, vitamin E, folate, niacin, thiamine, riboflavin, and pantothenic acid to minerals like calcium, copper, iron, magnesium and phosphorus. They also contain more potassium than do apples or grapes.

As we head into the shivery months, we look at the myriad health boosts, easily achievable through simply drinking a glass of warm lemon water every day (mornings are usually best):

Aids digestion*

Lemon juice encourages the liver to produce bile, which is an acid that is required for digestion. That’s important when you consider that a study showed that over 30% of men and women over age 60 had atrophic gastritis, a condition marked by little or no stomach acid. Drinking warm lemon water every morning can help kick-start your digestive system without overloading it.

Good for your brain*

They’re high in potassium, which research shows stimulates brain and nerve function.  Just one lemon contains 80 milligrams of this essential mineral – which is also important for basic cell and muscle functions and maintaining your body’s fluid balance.

Boosts your immune system*

Lemons are high in Vitamin C, which is great for fighting colds.  Not an old wives’ tale then – as Vitamin C has been shown to increase the production of white blood cells. White blood cells are the defender cells that attack bacteria and viruses. Vitamin C may also keep existing immune cells healthier and better able to produce enough of the kind of antibodies that attach to viruses and bacteria to mark them for destruction.

It clears skin*

The vitamin C in warm lemon water helps decrease wrinkles and blemishes. Lemon water purges toxins from the blood, which helps keep skin clear as well. In addition to drinking it, lemon water can actually be applied directly to scars to help reduce their appearance.

There are tons more benefits which will be detailed in upcoming blog – consider this your starter pack on your pathway to healthy hydration.

If you’re concerned about forgetting your daily power packed warm glass of Vitamin C every day, (you head into the kitchen, switch the kettle on, wander back to your workstation, and promptly forget you switched the kettle on), fear not, AquAid has the perfect solution.  We supply a range of hot and cold water coolers and water boilers that keep your lemon water base at the perfect temperature throughout the day. Pour yourself a glass, squeeze in your lemon juice and you are set. Lemon up!

 

*Extracts from an article at La Jolla Mom

Ginger’s in Hot Water

Ginger’s in Hot Water

I always find it fascinating how certain words have certain connotations.

Take the word ‘ginger’.  Go on, say it aloud – “Ginger!”  What’s the first thing that comes to mind? The hair colour of a much-maligned set of people (with a rather amazing DNA sequence I might add)? Freckles sunburn and Children of the Corn type movies? Or does that word conjure up the spice and *horror for me* glacé ginger pieces and similar undeserving of the title of a Sweet?

Ginger in itself is a rather miraculous spice.  Its health-giving benefits are myriad. It contains nearly a dozen antiviral compounds. Ginger is pain-relieving, antiseptic and antioxidant. It is valuable for preventing and treating colds, sore throats and inflammation of mucus membranes.

Ginger reduces pain and fever and has a mild sedative effect that will encourage rest.  Drink a tea, or soak fresh ginger in hot water, take as a tincture and include it in your food. Ginger is also delicious in a fruit smoothie or in a healthy water drink combo.

The ginger plant itself: Zingiber officinale is a perennial which can grow to about 3 or 4 feet and produces clusters of pink and white flowers. Although the leaves are sometimes eaten, it is the rhizome or underground stem that is of medicinal and culinary interest. This stem is a chunky root-like thing with a thin brown skin and hard light flesh inside. It is often erroneously called ginger root since the rhizome resembles a root but this is actually not the root of the plant at all but an underground ‘stem’.

Despite it not being a favourite, I can attest to ginger’s stomach calming and settling effects, as well as its ability to both cleanse and invigorate the palate.

The versatility of ginger is such that you can steep it in hot water from your water boiler or let it infuse in cool water drawn from your water cooler and sip on it throughout the day – it’ll help to keep you shored up and resistant to all the workplace chills and summer and winter colds.

*updated from a 2014 blog

How to keep the H2O in Hydration during Winter

How to keep the H2O in Hydration during Winter

We often, somewhat mistakenly, assume that keeping hydrated during winter is less important than in summer.  As it turns out, the opposite is true.

In winter, in an effort to keep warm, we rely on using heaters, hairdryers and hats which quite literally suck the moisture and oils right out of our bodies, skin and hair. When we’re outside, low humidity and gusty winds don’t help much either.

The good news though is that there are a number of easy hydration options available to keep you smooth skinned, glossy haired and properly hydrated internally too:

Wear layers

Trapping small pockets of air between layers is better than wearing one big chunky coat. A wool or fleece layer is a good idea, as it will be soft and lightweight, and warm air is more easily trapped in the fibres. Fabrics with a piled, terry or textured finish will also be effective at trapping air.

Exercise and keep hydrated!

The urge to hibernate when it is cold is understandable, without the sunshine outside enabling us to soak up Vitamin D; hibernation is a completely natural reaction.  That’s why it’s especially important to keep active wherever you can, whether that involves brisk walks (weather permitting) and other alternate forms of exercise:  yoga is a good example – it doesn’t have to be a gym.

Because you also need to keep drinking water when the temperatures dip, try to develop a routine at work where you sip throughout the day. One option whether at home or at work, is to use a smaller glass or water bottle. It may mean more trips to the water cooler, but if you’re walking more, that’s being active and when it’s colder, every step counts.

Body scrubs and oils

Frigid temperatures and dry indoor heat cause water to evaporate from your skin because there’s more moisture in it than in the air. Bundling up doesn’t help matters – all those layers keep skin from breathing. Fight back with a one-two punch of body scrub and moisturising lotion or oil. Once a week, exfoliate with a body scrub to help slough off dead cells that make skin look dull. You’ll also find that giving your skin a brisk scrub will warm you right up too. When skin is freshly exfoliated, lotion and oil are better absorbed. To maintain hydration, smooth on the lotion daily after a shower.*

‘Eat’ your water

Fruit and veggies are packed with water, that high water content adds volume and keeps you satisfied without the calories. Soups are also a great way to sneak in some extra water. At AquAid we offer a range of hot and cold water coolers and water boilers which allow you to make your favourite hot water drink while at work or at home.

Maintain a good drinking water habit

Drinking enough water, as boring as it sounds, is still the simplest route to maintaining good ‘external’ physical health. We need to be well hydrated in order to maintain supple skin and unfrizzed hair.

Being fussy can help

A lot of us just don’t like drinking water, period.  Try adopting a different approach.  Try drinking your water at room temperature.  If you’re into branded gear (this isn’t just a children’s domain), then use your favourite cartoon character branded water bottle to drink from if it makes your happy. Figure out what appeals to you. And since your ability to recognise your thirst worsens as you age, today, early this New Year is a good a time as any to start to begin a ‘maintaining good hydration’ habit.

*updated from an 8 Jan 2015 blog

Instant Taps & Winter Water

Instant Taps & Winter Water

In less than two weeks winter will officially begin in the UK and while reclining in a warm sunny garden, cold drink in hand, might now be a distant memory, what we shouldn’t change is the drink in hand bit. The weather might have changed, but our basic bodily functions haven’t and we still need our daily intake of drinking water to ensure optimal health. That said, it’s not as easy to drink water in the colder weather and while pure water remains the healthiest of options, all liquids – with the exception of alcohol – do count towards your daily requirements. So, it’s a good idea to try and experiment with a variety of warm and tasty herbal teas to ensure your healthy liquid intake remains high.

While a water cooler will always be a necessity in the office, it’s at this point that water boilers and instant taps in staff kitchens or breakout areas became very handy. When it’s chilly and we’re all wanting a hot cup of something to warm us up, it can be very frustrating waiting in line for a kettle to boil. But with hot water taps there is a limitless supply of boiling water, ready at just the touch of a button. It’s the perfect opportunity to sample your way through a wild variety of herbal teas that not only hydrate you, but offer a host of other medicinal benefits too.

Peppermint tea

It can help relieve abdominal gas and bloating as well as relieve muscle spasms. It can also be used for nausea, heating up the body and making you sweat.

Ginger tea

Great in aiding digestion, it can curb nausea, vomiting or help settle an upset stomach. Adding lemon and honey can help your body fight off colds and flu, plus the honey’s powerful antioxidants can help eliminate free radicals.

Chamomile tea

Very helpful for insomnia, it has a gentle calming and sedative effect. It is also recommended for use with a cold or fever, and when used as a gargle it can help with inflammation of the mouth.

Rooibos tea

It is high in vitamin C and has many antioxidant properties which can help strengthen your immune system – it is also recommended as a topical treatment for skin irritations such as eczema.

Lemon balm tea

It can help lift your mood and is also said to help improve concentration.

Milk thistle and dandelion tea

Known as a gentle liver cleanser, it can help the liver regenerate and function more optimally. As with ginger, it too can aid digestion.

Rosehip tea

An excellent source of vitamin C, it can also help optimize your skin and tissue health, adrenal function and immune system.