Life-Giving Water

Life-Giving Water

by | Nov 2, 2018 | Uncategorized, water cooler

It’s been said that the next great wars will be fought over water, and it’s easy to see why if we consider the life-giving properties of this unassuming clear fluid plus the fact that this natural resource seems to be dwindling in many parts of the world.

Water is the only substance that all living organisms need to survive – from the smallest amoeba to the largest mammal. We all need water, so much so that the lack of water will kill you much faster than the lack of food will – survival estimates seem to vary between three to four days and one week, depending on factors like heat and exercise etc. But what exactly makes water so essential?

Water is important because it makes up the majority of our body. According to the USGS the brain and heart are composed of 73% water; the lungs 83%; the skin contains 64% water; muscles and kidneys 79%; and even our bones are 31% water. Water is vital for transporting all the nutrients, minerals and vitamins our bodies need to function optimally every day. And even slight dehydration affects this performance, both mentally and physically.

Dehydration occurs when the body is not getting enough water, or it has lost too much water which isn’t being replaced fast enough. It’s dangerous for all human beings, no matter the age, circumstance or fitness level. Having said that, the biggest risk developmentally is amongst young children where the lack of sufficient drinking water can lead to stunted growth, reduced mental ability and poor physical performance. One study showed that when 59 children aged 7 to 9 years, were divided into two groups with the one group following their normal drinking habits; and the other group offered extra water, the latter group reported less thirst and performed better when visual attention tasks were carried out.

When one considers the dangers of dehydration it’s easy to see why a water cooler is such an essential component in nearly every kind of environment, whether it be schools, offices, hospitals or care centers to name but a few. Call AquaAid today for more on what water cooler would better suit your needs.

 

Small Ways to Save Water

Small Ways to Save Water

by | Nov 2, 2018 | water cooler

With the heatwaves and minimal rainfall experienced across the UK this year, UK government bodies and environmental groups have warned that unless we have heavy rainfall this winter, we may be facing water restrictions of some kind in 2019 – which is worrying to say the least. We know that when we open a tap or push the button on the water cooler, drinking water will flow, but we do need to be more mindful of how much water we can save in other areas of our lives by making a few small changes. Something as simple as choosing to shower instead of bath for example can make a big difference, saving half the amount of water.

LEAKS:

The best place to start is at home. Have all your taps checked to make sure there are no leaks or drips – if there are, get someone out to repair it as soon as possible. A dripping or leaking tap can lead to thousands of liters of water simply lost forever. Not to mention a leaking toilet, if your toilet has a leak, you could be wasting about 200 litres of water every day – that equates to flushing your toilet an additional 50 times for no reason.

MINDFUL:

Another simple way to save water is to not let the water run while you’re brushing your teeth. It’s amazing how many of us stand at the basin brushing our teeth, looking in the mirror, while water literally goes down the drain. Turn off the tap to save water. The same goes for when you’re busy in the kitchen – we often leave the tap running while we clean a cup or rinse our vegetables. Try instead, to keep a bowl filled with water in the kitchen sink and use that for rinsing dishes, and another bowl to rinse fruit or vegetables – that water can then be repurposed in the garden.

In short you can actively be more vigilant about the way you use water, and you should make sure that all your water sources are functioning optimally, which includes your water cooler – whether at home or at the office, having it regularly serviced ensures that it performs as it should. For all your water cooler needs, be sure to contact AquAid – they are the UK’s leading water cooler supplier, delivering exceptional service to over 33,000 customers nationwide.

Halloween Water

Halloween Water

by | Oct 31, 2018 | water cooler

It’s nearly time for one of our favorite holidays, and if you have young children at home then you’ll understand how excitement levels begin to reach dizzying heights as the day approaches. Costumes need to be made; decorations need to be dragged out of storage and all the treats needs to be shopped for. Halloween is of course synonymous with sugar – I recently read that the average trick-or-treater collects 600g of sugar which equates to three cups of sugar! I don’t think any parent would willingly hand over three cups of sugar for their child to eat, so moderation (without being a killjoy of course) really is key along with increasing their water intake.

Between the energy expended trick-or-treating and all that extra sugar coursing through their bodies, they really do need the extra water to remain properly hydrated and to help clean out their systems. One way to help the process along is ‘Halloween Water’ – a two-pronged approach to make drinking water easier and more fun. Two-pronged, because it focuses on both the water bottles and the water itself.

To encourage trick-or-treaters to carry their water bottles with them, we suggest theming the bottles. There are a whole host of printable Halloween labels out there – Pinterest alone will keep you busy for hours trying to decide between different designs. The other option is to match the costume to the water bottle, if your child is dressing up as a vampire, make a matching outfit for their water bottle – a simple piece of black felt cut to size and tied around the neck of the water bottle makes the perfect vampire cape.

And then to make what goes inside their water bottles more enticing, have them help dice pieces of fruit to pop into their water bottles to add colour and flavor. Good combinations to try are strawberry and slices of lime; apple and cinnamon; cucumber and mint; raspberry and lemon or blueberries with ginger. Try to incorporate whatever tastes your child might enjoy as this will encourage them to keep taking those much-needed sips.

And if you happen to be celebrating Halloween at the office and it involves a glass or two of something ‘adult’, remember to make extra trips to the water cooler, because you too will need extra water to remain properly hydrated.

Happy Halloween Everyone!

Experiencing muscular aches and pains? How your water consumption makes a difference.

Experiencing muscular aches and pains? How your water consumption makes a difference.

by | Oct 26, 2018 | water cooler

At AquAid, we understand that you may think that we belabour the point about water consumption.

We do have valid reasons for doing so though – for two decades we’ve been at the forefront of providing the best drinking water delivery service to our customers.  Foremost is installing the right water cooler for our customer requirements.  Also taking precedence is trying to ensure as best we can, that the customer understands the vital importance of making use of their water cooler.

The reasons are manifold – with our body’s high water content – maintaining our water consumption can literally make the difference between having the ability to perform at our peak, every day or; rapidly become lethargic: experiencing aches and pains and muscular discomfort.

The fact is that every organ in our body requires water to function well – and none more so than our muscles.

If you’ve ever wondered why you experience muscular cramps, aches and pains, the most likely cause could be dehydration.

When you’re water deficient, the heart is unable to pump oxygenated blood into the muscles as efficiently. When the muscle cells are not receiving enough oxygenated blood, they start dying, causing performance issues.

Dehydration also disrupts the electrolytes level of the muscles, causing painful cramps. This happens when the muscles are overworked and under-lubricated. Water deficiency could also increase your risk of muscle and skeletal damage.

Water helps energise muscles. Cells that don’t maintain their balance of fluids and electrolytes shrivel, which can result in muscle fatigue. When muscle cells don’t have adequate fluids, they don’t work as well and performance can suffer.  Drinking water regularly helps lubricate the muscles along with the joints, bones, and ligaments. It boosts performance and extends endurance.

If you require a solution to ensure that everyone at your work place, fitness centre or work site has easy access to refreshing drinking water every day, speak to us at AquAid. We’ll get you watered up in no time at all.

 

Can Dehydration Cause Shortness of Breath?

Can Dehydration Cause Shortness of Breath?

by | Oct 24, 2018 | water cooler, Water Coolers

While it may not be the most common phrase one might be used to seeing and the association isn’t immediately clear, the fact is that good hydration habits make a significant positive impact on our ability to breathe well.  And as we are all acutely aware, breath is life!

Dehydration can contribute to various health issues, including shortness of breath, dizziness, and an increased heart rate. When the body loses more fluids than it consumes, blood volume decreases, potentially affecting pulmonary function and oxygen circulation. This can be particularly concerning for individuals with asthma or other chronic medical conditions.

Dehydration and Your Respiratory System

Research has shown that dehydration vastly affects all of the systems in your body including your respiratory system. Drinking water helps to thin the mucus lining your airways and lungs. Dehydration can cause that mucus to thicken and get sticky, which slows down overall respiration and makes you more susceptible to illness, allergies and other respiratory problems.

The Lungs

The airways and lungs are coated with clear secretions that promote proper respiration. When you are water deficient, the linings of the sinuses and airways become dry and prone to irritation. When the airways become too dry, the risk of shortness of breath or breathing-related problems increases.

Dehydration Can Cause Shortness of Breath

Water is used in the nasal passages, bronchial tubes, and lungs to keep them moist. But when you breathe out, moisture from these tissues is expelled and every breath in brings in drying air. Under hydrated conditions, water is rapidly replaced.

Dehydration Can Trigger Allergies

Allergies are caused by a histamine reaction in the body.  If you are allergic to pollen, your body views pollen as a danger and overreacts, causing your immune system to produce histamines to fight the irritants.

Histamines also have other functions, including regulating the body’s water supply.  A 1995 Dutch study confirmed that dehydration triggers histamine production as a defensive mechanism to preserve water remaining in the body as well as to prevent future loss. When we are dehydrated, histamine production increases and can cause us to have the symptoms of seasonal allergies such as runny nose, sneezing, and itchy eyes. This accelerated histamine production to compensate for the body’s lack of water is easily avoided by simply drinking more.

When to Seek Medical Help

If dehydration leads to severe symptoms such as chest pain, extreme fatigue, or difficulty breathing, it’s important to seek medical attention. Visit a clinic or contact us for health services that can assist in rehydration and addressing any underlying health issues.

By ensuring adequate fluid consumption, you can maintain good health and avoid the cause of shortness of breath due to dehydration. Make sure you drink enough water daily—it’s crucial for overall well-being!

These examples make it easier to understand why maintaining your water intake is of such vital importance. This is why using your water cooler to fill your water bottle should be part of your daily routine: whether you’re at home, away, at work or exercising.  Breath is life, so water + breath equates to an easier and healthier life.

Hypothalamus | Thirst | Water Cooler

Hypothalamus | Thirst | Water Cooler

by | Oct 17, 2018 | water cooler

We feel thirsty; we head over to our closest water cooler and we drink water – simple problem, simple solution. But have you ever wondered exactly how your body knows when to feel thirsty and what triggers this reaction? The answer begins with your hypothalamus.

Your hypothalamus is responsible for a number of vital functions in your body, from regulating body temperature and sleep, to monitoring your appetite. And because it also monitors blood volume and pressure, it can detect, amongst other, excessive loss of fluid in sweat and diarrhea, or changes in blood sodium concentration levels. When any of this happens it sends a signal to the brain ‘drink something’, which is why the hypothalamus is known as the body’s thirst center. There are a number of factors that affect the thirst mechanism: aneurysms or other brain injuries can sometimes impair the sensors which regulate blood sodium levels; but most notably, changes can often be seen amongst the elderly where ageing can affect the body’s ability to maintain homeostasis.

But your hypothalamus triggering your thirst mechanism isn’t the only way your brain responds to dehydration. When water levels in the body drop, the hypothalamus instructs the pituitary gland to secret more vasopressin – an antidiuretic hormone which causes water to be reabsorbed from the urine, decreasing the need to urinate and conserving water until such time as water has been replenished. A condition known as Diabetes insipidus can come about if the pituitary gland malfunctions or if the kidneys no longer respond to vasopressin – in which case a synthetic drug called demopressin can be administered which mimics the function of vasopressin.

According to Brainfacts.org, an online source of information about the brain and the nervous system, ‘although much has been learned about the neural regulation of thirst, research continues. Scientists are exploring, for example, why such factors as swallowing and the emptying of fluids from the stomach appear to inhibit thirst even before the body becomes fully hydrated. Studies into the thirst mechanism also are helping unravel some of the mechanisms by which the brain motivates sleep, appetite, and other basic human instincts.’

We may only have scraped the surface of fully understanding the role the thirst mechanism plays in our body, but undeniable is the sheer brilliance of our brain! And while our body naturally seems to know what it’s doing, it would be wise to help it along whenever possible, so make visits to your water cooler a regular part of your day, because remaining properly hydrated helps your entire body perform better.