The Water Cooler and Your Body

by Belinda Ollewagen | Oct 16, 2018 | water cooler

We all know that drinking water is essential to our wellbeing and that without it, our bodies would cease to function properly; which is one of the many reasons why regular trips to your water cooler are so important. But what exactly are some of the bodily functions governed by water? Here are just a few of those life-sustaining operations:

• Water helps to regulate our body temperature – when we’re hot we perspire and the evaporation of water from our skin surface helps to cool our body. Just think back to our recent heat wave and how much moisture your body lost trying to keep itself cool.
• Water helps to moisten tissues such as those found in our mouth, eyes and nose – think saliva, tears and mucous, all of which play a very important role in homeostasis. This is especially important when you’re in an air conditioned office which can dry out your skin.
• Water helps to lubricate and cushion our joints – not only that, but water allows waste products to move out of our joints allowing them to function optimally. This is especially vital to remember with strenuous exercise as lactic acid can build up and additional water is needed to flush it out of our systems.
• Water helps to keep our bowel movements regular – not something you would normally associate with your water cooler, but those extra glasses of water help the food we eat to move along our intestines. If we’re dehydrated the large intestine soaks up much-needed water from our food waste which results in harder stools and ultimately constipation.
• Water helps our kidneys and liver work smarter – being dehydrated puts an extra burden on these organs which means they are less effective in flushing out waste products resulting in toxin build-up.
• Water is also the carrier of nutrients and oxygen to our cells – white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets are all suspended in plasma which is 92 percent water. Without water acting as a delivery service, most of our cells would clog up with waste and the consequences would be dire.

And there you have it, only a few of the life-sustaining bodily functions facilitated by the ‘matrix of life’ – water. For all your water cooler needs, be sure to contact AquAid Water Coolers today.

Should I Drink Less Water now that it’s Autumn?

by Fern Shaw | Oct 11, 2018 | water cooler

Now we’re in October already well into autumn, the last remnants of summer have left us (as I write this, however, the weather has been particularly summery in parts of England this week, lucky us), we’re slowly gearing up for the colder weather and perhaps, we’re already cutting back on our exercise and gearing up for more indoors and less out and about.

You may also think that with the colder temperatures this means that you shouldn’t be drinking as much water as you were during the (hot!) summer months.  Reducing our water intake during autumn and winter, however, is a common error, as irrespective of the seasons, adequate hydration is necessary throughout the year.

In order to maintain optimal health, your body needs a regular and sufficient water intake as water literally feeds your entire body and is responsible for your get up and go – in order to maintain your basic health and body functions, you must remain hydrated.

Every single atom of your body consists of a high water component e.g. as much as 83% of your lungs and overall, 73% of your entire body is made up of water.

So whereas you might be adding on more layers and opting for Netflix marathons instead of exercise marathons, you still need to maintain your water ‘habit’.

That’s why, now, as with each season, is not the time to be ignoring your water cooler, or indeed, cutting back on refilling your water bottle every day, whether you’re at home, work, school or play.

Maintaining your water ‘fix’ not only helps keep you in good health during the colder weather, it will ease the transition when you begin upping your water consumption for the warmer months.

Health Benefits of drinking Water – the very Heart of you

by Fern Shaw | Oct 10, 2018 | water cooler

Health & Well-Being – How your Brain needs Water to function properly

by Fern Shaw | Oct 10, 2018 | water cooler

Which Fluids and Foods Dehydrate?

by Belinda Ollewagen | Sep 19, 2018 | water cooler

We all know how important it is to remain properly hydrated, but that doesn’t just mean ensuring we make regular trips to the water cooler and eat water-rich foods every day, it also means avoiding those foods or drinks which can counteract our good efforts and leave us dehydrated. And a popular myth to dispel right from the get-go is that a cup of coffee or tea is dehydrating. Although the caffeine inherent in both is dehydrating, it is offset by the water also contained in your cup so the odd drink will not adversely affect your system, in fact it counts towards the ‘eight glasses a day’ rule of thumb many of us follow.

So, what should you be wary of? To begin with avoid excessive consumption of diuretics – these are foods or drink that increase urination. Most notably amongst fluids is alcohol – beer, wine and spirits are all diuretic, and apart from the obvious unhealthy and potentially dangerous side-effects of overindulging, too much of it in your system literally wrings you dry. Which explains why you have that nasty ‘dry mouth’ feeling after a heavy night of excess and why you’d give all you own to wake up to a water cooler right next to your bed. Too much of certain foods can also play a role: mangoes, fennel, artichokes and asparagus are all diuretics, so avoid eating too many of these foods particularly if you’re not hydrating in other ways.

Next on the list is eating too much high-protein foods. While most healthy eating plans incorporate all food groups, there are some popular plans that encourage upping protein in favor of reducing carbohydrates. While this eating plan might work for some, one thing to keep in mind is that because protein is harder to digest than carbohydrate, our body not only has to work harder, but it also uses ‘more water to flush out the naturally-occurring nitrogen in protein’ – as noted by Monica Reinagel a board-certified, licensed nutritionist who features regularly on the Huffington Post.

And lastly there is salt and sugar to consider. Too much of either of these can also be detrimental in terms of remaining properly hydrated, not to mention the other more obvious health concerns like diabetes and high blood pressure. When you eat too much salt or sugar your body needs more and more water drawn into the intestine in an effort to dilute the excessive amounts you’ve eaten, which can ultimately leave you parched.

In short, if consumed in moderation, none of these foods or drinks will cause dehydration; but if consumed in excess, without increasing your trips to the water cooler to right the balance, dehydration is a concern. So, keep it mind the next time you’re inclined to overindulge on cocktails, steak and rich desserts.