by Fern Shaw | Mar 9, 2017 | mains fed water cooler, Water Coolers
*Various campaigns and studies to do with schools and drinking water conducted over the last decade or so have produced a mixed bag of results.
What is clear though: a hydrated child is a much happier child. This fact, combined with you as the parents leading by example and the schools ensuring that drinking water is readily available, makes for a more holistic approach to hydration.
It boosts learning
- The key to boosting the capacity to learn is to keep well hydrated throughout the day.
- When we are thirsty, mental performance including memory, attention and concentration can decrease by around 10%. Pupils concentrate better because they are not distracted by the effects of dehydration such as thirst, tiredness and irritability.
- Children will achieve more when both their health and learning needs are met. Ensuring free access to water and promoting a regular water intake throughout the school day is a vital role for schools in promoting health and providing a healthy learning environment.
It’s healthy!
- Drinking adequate amounts of water regularly throughout the day can protect health and contribute to well-being.
- Drinking sufficient water can help prevent a range of short and long-term health problems that stem from dehydration such as lethargy; dizziness; constipation; headaches and bladder, kidney and bowel problems.
- Water has none of the health problems associated with drinks containing sugar, additives, sweeteners, acids or caffeine.
Parents?
- By keeping yourself hydrated, you teach your children good drinking habits.
- By checking that your children’s school has ablutions that you would use and that there are sufficient drinking points (not only in the toilets), you’re working your way towards ensuring that your children are able to easily hydrate while at school.
And for the school?
- Various studies have shown that schools that lead by example and encourage their children to keep hydrated show a marked improvement in overall attention given as well as learning capabilities.
- A child who is not irritable because of dehydration means that teachers are able to better teach their pupils.
At AquAid, being involved in the provision of water for more than 20 years, we know that keeping hydrated is of vital importance. To this end, we continue to ensure that we provide the right water dispensers to meet the hydration requirements when installing our water coolers into schools, gyms and learning centres across the country.
When AquAid install a water cooler in a school or learning facility, individual water bottles are also supplied to encourage the children to fill their water bottles throughout the day.
Our water coolers can either be Mains Fed for large schools where the water consumption is high, or Bottle Fed for schools where there are no water mains close to a particular area.
*Updated from a blog posted 11 March 2013
by Fern Shaw | Feb 21, 2017 | Water, water cooler
We’re here to help. Yes, of course, we’re in the business of providing you with cool drinking (and hot) water at your premises, whether that’s at your office; warehouse; site; practice; university; college or school, but we’re also concerned with ensuring that you...
by Fern Shaw | Feb 21, 2017 | Water, water cooler
Yes, yes, we know we blather on about water. A lot. But it’s mainly because we’re so invested and immersed in the provision of water and through this we’re well aware of the benefits of making sure you’re probably hydrated. We’re also aware that drinking water...
by Fern Shaw | Jan 25, 2017 | Water, water cooler
The winter weather is upon us, bringing with it time to bundle up, exercise less and usually eat less greens, and more of the comfort food … or so we’d think.
But, resorting to more hibernation type habits isn’t really the way to go (One of my personal mantras is ‘shoulda been a bear’ – as I believe hibernating for 8 months of the year is a sound idea). There are loads of options we can take in the winter months that actually aren’t that difficult to follow and can keep as summer lean in the process.
Keep exercising
I’m not suggesting that you swim the Channel or go running in minus ten degree weather, but if you attend a gym or health fitness club, keep up with it. In cold months, your own exertions will keep you nice and toasty while exercising, instead of trying to continuously cool down when you’re exercising in the summer months. Just remember to keep hydrated. You can become just as dehydrated in winter as you can in the summer. Drink water, lots of it.
If you don’t have access to a fitness club, exercise at home – there is tons of information on YouTube; on social media or on the internet in general that can give you adequate instruction on exercise regimes you can follow to keep toned up.
Bulk up with rich healthy food
Again, the instinct (which is hard wired into our genetic code) is to eat rich, fatty foods in winter so we can bulk up and insulate ourselves. The thing is, we’re not seals and we don’t live in the Arctic (even if some days if may feel like it). There are loads of options to eat hearty warming food without packing on the weight.
The food in season right now is plentiful and it makes good sense, because if you eat with the seasons, it keeps your spend on food down, as in-season food is more readily available.
There’s such a huge range food that’s available this Autumn, you’ll be spoilt for choice:
Fruit- Pears; apples, cranberries; elderberries and quinces are all in season now.
Vegetables – Artichoke, beetroot; butternut squash; celeriac; celery; chicory; chillies; horseradish; leeks; marrow; parsnips; pumpkin; shallots; swede; sweetcorn and tomatoes.
Herbs and nuts – Almonds; brazil nuts; chestnuts; chives; hazelnuts; rosemary; sage; sorrel and walnuts.
For the meat eaters – Beef; duck; lamb; rabbit; turkey and venison.
Fish – Clams; cod; dover sole; haddock; halibut; hake; lobster; mackerel and plaice.
Finally, in the food annals – don’t forget about good old porridge: Oats provide soluble fibre called beta-glucan which can help lower LDL (bad) cholesterol. The fibre in oats makes it a slow-releasing carbohydrate which keeps blood sugars steady so should stop you reaching for a high-fat snack. If you are not a fan of porridge, add oats to smoothies, mueslis or yogurts, to bread or fish.
Don’t stop drinking your water!
Throughout all of this, keeping up with exercising; eating the right food, the most important winter months regime is to keep up with drinking water – if you’re averse to cold water, then drink warm water. If you’re drinking from your water cooler in the work place and the water’s a bit chilly, then adjust the thermostat.
Not only does water fill you up and make you less inclined to eat too much, but often when you think you’re hungry, you’re actually dehydrated, so drinking enough water is a win-win all round.
by Fern Shaw | Jan 25, 2017 | Health and Hydration, Water
I know we keep on at you, dear hallowed visitor of the blog, about how important it is to keep hydrated and it can get a bit much, but, here’s the thing – it IS important. As in possibly the most important thing that keeps your wonderful self alive and operational, not to mention functioning, lucid, thinking, your organs doing what they need to do, your skin all plumped up and your eyes shiny berry clear.
Here are some fast facts just to give you an indication of how true my mention of your organs needing water to function is:
- Your brain is 75% water.
- Blood is 92% water.
- Your bones are 22% water.
- Your muscles (or musskills as my family call them) are 75% water.
See? I wasn’t kidding when I said how crucial keeping hydrated is!
Adverse effects from not drinking enough water include digestive, skin, bladder and kidney problems, fatigue, and even headaches. We need water as much as the air we breathe in! Keeping your body hydrated is not a joke.
Did you know that dehydration actually sets in just before you start feeling thirsty? Sipping water throughout the day is the best way to handle it. Always have a bottle or a glass of water handy. If you’re not a morning person, having two glasses of water right after you wake up will boost up your blood pressure to normal levels, and it’s way healthier than having your first coffee on an empty stomach. This I can personally attest to – I’m the antithesis of a morning person, but I started with 2 glasses of warm-ish water in the mornings when I wake up and I’ve stuck with it. I’ve since noticed a marked difference in my energy levels – not huge – but marked, if I don’t start the day drinking water.
Many of us believe that merely drinking fluids like sweetened juices, cool drinks or tea will hydrate you as well as water does. This is not true. It’s actually the opposite. To deal with the excess sugar and salt you are taking in your body wastes immense amounts of precious water just to clean it out from your system. And if you love your coffee, make sure to drink one extra glass of water for every cup you have.
Drinking water regularly speeds up your metabolism and makes you feel more ‘full’. You will eat less once you start drinking more! It’s the safest and healthiest way to lose weight. Drink up!
