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.

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.

Education at the Water Cooler Station – The Vital Role Teachers Play in Society

Education at the Water Cooler Station – The Vital Role Teachers Play in Society

World Teachers’ Day is dedicated to celebrating the invaluable contributions of teachers to our society. Their role extends far beyond the classroom – shaping minds, nurturing potential and inspiring generations to come.

Why are Teachers so Important?

Foundational Knowledge: Teachers are the architects of young minds. They impart essential knowledge, skills and values that form the foundation for a child’s future.

Nurturing Growth: Beyond academics, teachers create a supportive environment that fosters personal and social development. They encourage critical thinking, problem-solving and creativity.

Adapting to Change: In an ever-evolving world, teachers must continuously adapt their teaching methods to meet the needs of diverse learners and embrace new technologies.

Inspiration and Motivation: Teachers have the power to inspire students to reach their full potential. By fostering a love for learning and encouraging curiosity, they help students develop a lifelong passion for knowledge.

At AquAid we provide water dispensers to educational facilities from pre-schools, primary & high schools, academies through to colleges and universities across the UK. We hope you will join us as we express our appreciation and gratitude for everything that teachers do!

Does Drinking Water Help with Reading?

Does Drinking Water Help with Reading?

As we turn the page and see #BookLoversDay is coming up and with it the increased beat of the bibliophile’s heart, we wondered whether drinking water regularly benefits our ability to read better.

As it happens, while there isn’t direct scientific research linking water consumption solely to improved reading comprehension, the overall benefits of hydration on cognitive function strongly suggest a positive correlation. So, while drinking water won’t magically transform you into a book loving reader, it certainly contributes to creating an optimal environment for concentration and learning.

  • Enhanced memory. Water plays a crucial role in brain function. Proper hydration supports overall brain function, including memory. By staying hydrated, you might find it easier to remember details and comprehend the material.
  • Improved focus and concentration. Staying hydrated helps keep your mind sharp and focused, allowing you to better focus on and absorb information from the text.
  • Less eye strain. Dry eyes can be uncomfortable and make reading difficult. Drinking water helps maintain overall bodily hydration, which can contribute to healthier eyes.
  • Reduced fatigue. By drinking water often, you’re less likely to experience fatigue while reading, allowing for a more productive and enjoyable reading session.

So, next time you’re diving into a good book, make sure your water bottle is topped up or you can make a beeline to your water dispenser to replenish your glass of water.

Good hydration habits aside, if you’re not a fan of books and/or reading and still aren’t convinced, here’s a few facts collated by WinCalendar that may change your mind:

  • Reading is a terrific way to relax and unwind. A study by the University of Sussex revealed that just six minutes of reading can reduce stress levels by 68%.
  • A study by the Yale University School of Public Health found that book readers live an average of nearly two years longer than non-readers.
  • The British Library in London is one of the largest libraries in the world, with a collection of over 170 million items spanning 3,000 years of human history.
  • According to a survey by the Reading Agency, around 36% of adults in the UK read for at least 30 minutes per day, with most people (48%) preferring to read physical books rather than digital formats.

Happy Book Lovers Day!

Drink Water and Pay It Forward

Drink Water and Pay It Forward

As things heat up across the UK, so does the demand for chilled, refreshing drinking water.

At AquAid, where we’ve been in the business of providing a range of high quality water coolers and water, both spring and bottled at source, for over twenty years, we understand this more than most. That’s why it’s important to us to be able to ensure that we’re able to offer the very best in both water dispensers and bottled water.

But we’re not just about the provision on water coolers. We also firmly believe that providing water to those who may not necessarily have access to water as we do is vital.

If we struggle with keeping hydrated in this heat, take a minute and imagine what it would be like experiencing hot weather but not having access, not only to drinking water, but any water, at all. Sadly, this is a reality for millions of people around the globe, in many developing countries.

Then to this scary scenario add if you want water, you need to walk to find it. And not just down to the corner caf, but a few miles away. If you’re lucky enough to find a water source, you can’t just buy a bottle of water (or any liquid for that matter); you must fill the bucket you brought with you and walk back home, carrying the now full bucket.

The water that you’ve just fetched is most likely not safe to drink and may be so full of bacteria, that even while trying to hydrate yourself, you may very well be making yourself ill without even realising it.

This is the day-to-day existence for many communities throughout the Third World and in the summer months, lack of potable water is amplified by the heat.

That’s just one of the reasons, since our rather humble beginnings in 1998, that we chose to work with sustainable charities like The Africa Trust and Christian Aid. Using donations from AquAid, both charities work tirelessly implementing sustainable water projects for communities in need.

So, although we’re always tooting our own horn about being one of the top water dispenser providers in the U.K. we also (truly) believe in helping others less fortunate to help themselves. So, while we have you to thank, most valued customer, for your support and through your purchases making it possible for others to help themselves; isn’t it rather nice to know that when you’re sipping cool spring or bottled at source water from one of our water coolers, there’s another water well or water project being installed in Africa, bringing clean drinking water to yet another community in need?

We think so. Good on yer. Toot toot!