The Spring in Your Water

The Spring in Your Water

Finally! Spring has sprung! After what can sometimes feel like an eternity of grey skies and chilly mornings, there’s a real sense of things coming back to life. And just as the natural world is renewing and re-energising, it’s a cracking time for us to think about doing the same for ourselves.

One of the simplest, yet most effective ways to give yourself a boost, no matter what you’re up to, is to make sure you’re drinking enough water. Whether you’re on your way to work, hitting the gym, sat at your desk, putting your feet up at home, or out and about socialising – honestly, for pretty much anything you’re doing – staying properly hydrated can only do you good.

Now, if we turn our thoughts to the workplace, a lot of organisations are probably thinking about how to refresh things after the winter months. So, the question is, how can you help your company feel ready for this season of renewal? Here at AquAid, we genuinely believe we have the perfect solution to make it easy for your workforce to keep those hydration levels topped up throughout the working day. Whether your team prefers a nice cool drink, something chilled on a warmer day, or even instant hot water for a cuppa and no matter the size of your organisation, AquAid has a solution that will fit the bill perfectly.

We offer a fantastic range of water dispensers, catering to all sorts of needs. For schools, where keeping both children and staff hydrated is key, we have high-volume watercoolers that can handle the demand. And for all sorts of other environments, from bustling building sites and busy events to warehouses, workspaces, and offices right across the nation, we’ve got a selection of mains-fed or bottle-fed watercoolers able to dispense low, medium and high volumes of refreshing drinking water.

But there’s more to it than just keeping everyone refreshed. We’re also incredibly proud of the charity aspect of our business. With every mains-fed water dispenser installation and every purchase of our bottled water, there are automatic donations made to the truly fantastic charities we support.

These organisations are doing incredible work implementing safe water resources, predominantly in Africa, for millions of people who desperately need it. These sustainable water projects are a huge part of what we do, and it’s something we know our customers really value. So, when you choose AquAid, you’re not just looking after your own hydration needs; you’re also helping to make a real difference to the lives of others.

Water Cooler Health – How Drinking Water Helps Protect Your Kidneys

Water Cooler Health – How Drinking Water Helps Protect Your Kidneys

Our kidneys carry a very weighty responsibility in our bodies – as organs, they are one of the biggest multi-taskers we have – they are responsible for a myriad of functions – primarily:

  • To remove waste and extra fluid.
  • Control blood pressure.
  • Make red blood cells.
  • Keep bones healthy (Vitamin D production) and
  • To control pH levels.

As our kidneys consist of 79% water it becomes more apparent of how crucial they are to keeping our systems running smoothly.

To elaborate: Water helps the kidneys remove wastes from your blood in the form of urine. Water also helps keep your blood vessels open so that blood can travel freely to your kidneys and deliver essential nutrients to them. But if you become dehydrated, then it is more difficult for this delivery system to work. Mild dehydration can make you feel tired and can impair normal bodily functions. Severe dehydration can lead to kidney damage, so it is important to drink enough when you work or exercise hard.

What may not be that apparent though is experiencing pain in the kidneys is often mistaken for back pain, which can be why we may not always realise that our kidneys are water deficient and are unable to function at optimal level.

That’s why it’s important to maintain good drinking water habits as this often is the simplest method towards ensuring good kidney health.

Due to the complex nature of our body’s kidney’s function, it’s always good to monitor your water consumption and to be ‘water wise.’

One of the first indications you may be dehydrated can easily be seen in the colour of your urine. If you’re sufficiently hydrated, your urine will be light yellow or close to colourless. The darker yellow your urine is, the more dehydrated you are.

Another reason to maintain sufficient water intake is this practise can help reduce the likelihood of both kidney stones and urinary tract infections (UTIs). Kidney stones form less easily when there is sufficient water available to prevent stone-forming crystals from sticking together. Water helps dissolve the antibiotics used to treat urinary tract infections, making them more effective. Drinking enough water also helps produce more urine, which helps to flush out infection-causing bacteria.

At AquAid we take the business of proper hydration seriously, from several perspectives:

We’re constantly working to ensure that our customers are supplied with water dispensers that perfectly match their drinking water requirements.

We also provide re-usable water bottles to schools to encourage healthy hydration habits among the children (and staff!)

We understand the importance of helping others gain access to clean drinking water. Which is one of the reasons that, for over 24 years, AquAid have donated funds to charity. The charities we support implement sustainable water projects for people in need. To date, we have donated over £22 million funding vital access to potable water for more than four million people.

AquAid’s Best Practises Guide – Hydration Helps

AquAid’s Best Practises Guide – Hydration Helps

We’re here to help. Yes, of course, we’re in the business of providing you with cool, chilled and hot drinking water at your premises, whether that’s at your office; warehouse; site; practice; university; college or school, however, we’re also concerned with ensuring that you drink enough water to keep yourself well hydrated throughout the day, which is why we’ve written this ‘Best Practices Guide’ for you:

Step One
Educate: Having everybody in the workspace on board is the most crucial component in a hydration plan. Educate yourself about the negative effects and downsides resulting from drinking too many fizzy drinks and caffeinated drinks instead of water. Use visual reminders – e.g. put up a poster illustrating good hydration techniques; these are a great way to continually reinforce to you the importance of drinking water.
The benefits of drinking sufficient water are manifold.

Step Two
Assessment: The best way to assess your hydration status given the variables of body mass, work routines and other personal and physical aspects is to monitor urine colour. When you are drinking enough water, your body is in balance and your urine will be a pale straw yellow colour (Hydrated). When you haven’t drunk enough water your kidneys try to save as much water as they can and cause you urine to be darker in colour (Dehydrated). Chat with your local AquAid branch about our dehydration charts, which clearly illustrate the difference between being hydrated to mildly and severely hydrated.

Step Three
Implementation: The most critical part of the best practises guide is to ensure that drinking water is readily accessible and is appealing to drink. Keeping a refillable water bottle or glass on your desk or in your workspace is a helpful reminder to keep drinking water while you’re at work. If you’re in a smaller work space, perhaps you and your colleagues can request that the water cooler be placed in an area that you can either see from your desk or that you are sure to walk past more than once a day.

Conclusion: Encouraging hydration during the workday can have a significant impact on your own overall performance and well-being. This requires a commitment from you, so keep up to date on the positive effects of staying hydrated.

Contact us at AquAid today – we’d be delighted to assist you, advising which water cooler dispenser is best suited for you based on your requirements.

World Pulses Day: Charity Support and Pigeon Peas in Malawi

World Pulses Day: Charity Support and Pigeon Peas in Malawi

World Pulses Day

Since its inception in 2019, the 10th of February every year commemorates World Pulses Day. A few facts about pulses:

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN recognizes eleven different types of pulses: dry beans, dry broad beans, dry peas, chickpeas, cow peas, pigeon peas, lentils, Bambara beans, vetches, lupins and pulses nes (other minor types of pulses that don’t fit within the other categories).

Pulses are highly sustainable and climate-resilient crops. They require relatively low amounts of water compared to other protein sources and can grow on marginal land. They also help increase soil fertility by fixing nitrogen, making them a crucial element in crop rotation practices.*

World Pulses Day History

World Pulses Day serves as a global celebration of the nutritional and environmental benefits that pulses offer. Recognising the vital role these protein-rich legumes play in promoting sustainable agriculture and addressing important issues such as food security, nutrition and climate change, World Pulses Day has seen an outpouring of support from governments, farmers, researchers and consumers alike, working collaboratively to ensure pulses become a staple part of diets on a global scale.

World Pulses Day provides an opportunity for the international community to celebrate the importance of pulses in ensuring a sustainable and healthy future.*

Christian Aid

From Christian Aid “For thousands of farming families in Malawi, pigeon peas are a route out of poverty. The mighty pigeon pea is drought resistant, so thrives in the dry fields of southern Malawi. It’s an essential part of the diet of millions of people around the world.

Together with our partners, we empower vulnerable communities to find practical and sustainable ways out of poverty, including giving them the skills to:

  • Form cooperatives to improve their access to markets and secure a fairer price for their crops.
  • Set up savings and loans to start their own businesses
  • Boost the quality of their seeds and restore soil fertility
  • Build warehouses to keep their crops safe from floods and cyclones, compete against large-scale producers and gain new markets
  • Promote pigeon pea recipes to increase consumption in Malawi and prevent hunger.”

AquAid

Thanks to the support of AquAid customers, together we have funded projects in Malawi that have helped over 3,300 pigeon pea farming households by reducing income poverty.

By choosing AquAid as your water cooler provider, you are helping people living in poverty globally to access clean water and build healthy lives. AquAid has supported Christian Aid for more than 15 years, donating over £4 million to water and capacity building projects around the world.

*source: WinCalendar – World Pulses Day

 

Eight Advantages of Installing a Hot Water Boiler

Eight Advantages of Installing a Hot Water Boiler

Hot water boilers are a terrific way to get instant hot water without having to wait for a kettle to boil. They are the perfect option for any busy premises or organisation where people need quick access to hot water for tea, coffee or indeed, any hot drinks.
Convenience. Hot water is dispensed at the touch of a button or slight handle rotation, making it faster and easier than waiting for a kettle to boil.

Energy efficient. Hot water boiler dispensers are more energy efficient than kettles as they only heat the water needed, rather than heating a whole kettle of water at once.

Safety. Every hot water boiler has a built-in safety mechanism which prevents overheating, making them safer than a boiling kettle.

Space-saving. As a hot water boiler can be installed under a counter or in a cupboard, a substantial amount of surface area or countertop space can be saved.

Versatility: From teas, coffees, hot chocolate through to soups, pasta and ramen, dispensing piping hot water from a hot water boiler broadens your hot water drink options.

Installing a hot water dispenser also provides other, unseen, advantages too:

Increased productivity. Having instant access to hot water can help you to be more productive, as there’s no time wasted waiting for the kettle to boil.

Reduces stress levels. Making a cup of tea or coffee can be a relaxing way to take a break from work or studies. Having instant access to hot water can make this process even more enjoyable, as although you’re taking a break, you’re still not needing to wait for a kettle to boil.

Saves money. Hot water boiler dispensers offer significant savings. More energy-efficient than kettles, they also help reduce water bills.

With a range of stylish finishes to complement any environment, AquAid hot water dispensers provide instant boiling water for staff, customers and visitors alike.

Water Coolers in Schools – The Link Between Hydration and Education

Water Coolers in Schools – The Link Between Hydration and Education

It was the International Day of Education recently. The day is aimed at advocating for quality education and equal access to education for all.

Numerous activities promoting the significance of and highlighting how important education is, were held across the UK.

What may be surprising is that something as simple as drinking water can significantly impact a child’s education as staying hydrated is crucial for cognitive function, focus, and overall well-being, all of which play a vital role in a child’s ability to learn.

How does hydration affect learning?

Improved concentration and focus. When children are dehydrated, their brains don’t function at their best. Dehydration can lead to fatigue, headaches and difficulty concentrating, making it harder for them to pay attention in class and absorb information.

Enhanced memory and cognitive function. Studies have shown that proper hydration can improve memory, critical thinking skills and overall cognitive function. This means that well-hydrated children are better equipped to tackle challenging subjects and retain information.

Reduced illness and absenteeism. Dehydration can weaken the immune system, making children more susceptible to illness. By staying hydrated, children are less likely to get sick, reducing the number of school days missed and ensuring they don’t fall behind in their studies.

Improved mood and behaviour. Dehydration can affect mood, leading to irritability and fatigue. When children are well-hydrated, they are more likely to be happy, alert, and engaged in their learning.

What can parents and educators do to encourage children to drink water?

Make water readily available. Ensure that children have access to clean water throughout the day, both at home and at school.

Set a good example. Children are more likely to drink water if they see their peers, parents and teachers doing the same.

Encourage children to bring water bottles to school*. This allows them to stay hydrated throughout the day.

By making a conscious effort to ensure that children are well-hydrated is a simple method that can help create a more conducive learning environment and help them reach their full potential.

Installing AquAid water coolers and water fountains in places of education provides students and staff alike direct access to a constant source of drinking water. All which help create and instil better hydration habits.

AquAid also offer *free refillable drinking water bottles and free school posters to help keep water top of mind during the school day.