by Fern Shaw | Nov 21, 2014 | Water
We should all know by now that keeping hydrated is one of the givens whilst travelling – it really is one of the simplest ways to combat fatigue, puffiness (everywhere where it shouldn’t be), jet lag and generally feeling like you’ve partied with a roving band of Muscovites who’ve just been given furlough from their time in the Gulag.
But, as it happens, especially on those long haul trips, drinking sufficient water can often be the last thing on a traveller’s mind, as fatigue that stems from jet lag can take your common sense and twist it to the point that you can find yourself incapable of stringing together a legible sentence never mind remembering the R, K and E’s of healthy travel.
I myself have whigged out on occasion whilst in the air. An incident that I remember in particular was after almost 3 days of air travel with a crushing 6 hour layover in Dubai. I had very little money in the airport of bling and a pot of tea cost about £10. That was pretty much my only sustenance over the already 2 days of travel, so stretching the tea for 6 hours was asking a bit much.
By the time I landed at home I still had a final leg to do. The wonderful ground crew wouldn’t let me check-in early. Exhausted, grubby and with zero sense of humour, when I finally boarded the plane that was half empty, I was squished in next to 2 people and my claustrophobia rose to the surface kick-starting a panic attack of note. I barely managed to keep it together during take-off, then launched myself across my neighbours into the aisle and flung myself into an open row of seats further back, gasping like a guppy out of water, flight attendants peering at me all the while. All of this was done with much drama, drama, drama, but I was past caring.
I suppose that there are certain elements of modern travel that we just have to accept. This is something that I normally do with general aplomb. I Richard Scarry with the best of them; I’ve come up with ways to pretzel twist my rather long body so that I can get a bit of shut-eye (feet HAVE to be off the ground for me to sleep – I’m make a really poor soldier) but sooner or later (usually later) there’s a sense of humour failure that no amount of chugging water can prevent.
So, take it from me – rather drink your water as you should during the course of your travels and possibly avoid turning into that throw the toys out toddler that so many grown ‘uns seem to turn into – again, me being the case in point.
by Fern Shaw | Sep 2, 2014 | Water, water cooler
Seeing as I’ve done more intensive online research for blogging this week than a mole trying to tunnel through concrete, I’m taking my foot off the proverbial accelerator pedal and doing a gentle segue into a few fun water facts:
- Human blood is 83% water. Now I better understand Dracul and his ilk – the oke’s just dehydrated, man!
- Over 90% of the world’s supply of fresh water is located in Antarctica. Ernest Shackleton and those that followed were definitely onto something.
- Since life began, we have had the same amount of water on the planet. To the best of human understanding, life can only exist with water. Now you know.
- The water from your tap could contain molecules that dinosaurs drank. Ew.
- More than half (63%) our daily water consumption at home originates from the bathroom and the toilet. Grey water rules!
- Water regulates the Earth’s temperature. Mine too! I overheat badly, so I can really relate.
- Water is the only mineral that is found naturally on Earth in three forms; liquid, gas, solid. Gas – *snigger*
- If the entire adult population of England and Wales remembered to turn off the tap when they were brushing their teeth, we could save 180 mega litres a day – enough to supply nearly 500,000 homes and fill 180 Olympic swimming pools! (One Olympic sized pool is 1 million litres / 1Ml). More brushing, less tap on and more tap off, people!
- Each Briton uses about 150 litres of tap water a day, but if you include the amount of water embedded within products, our water consumption increases to about 3400 litres a day.
At the rate this consumption is going on, I think I’m going to be bringing my blankie to work and draping myself around the water cooler for the foreseeable future.
by Fern Shaw | Aug 19, 2014 | Health and Hydration
It’s summer. It’s holiday time. But for those of us that are left to sweat it out in the office; cramps, headaches, sore muscles and wish-I-was-on-holiday blues are at an all-time high.
Here are a few tips to keep you moving and grooving at work:
The Lumberjack: Stand and clasp the hands together, resting them on the right shoulder as if holding an axe. Gently swing the imaginary “axe” by straightening the elbows and moving the hands toward the left thigh. Next, bring the clasped hands to the left shoulder followed by a swing to right thigh. Repeat 15 times on each side, or until all office plants have been hacked down.
The Cubicle Wanderer: Take a stroll down the corridor or to the water cooler to catch up with colleagues or welcome a new employee. Or, instead of dialling extensions and sending lazy emails to the manager two doors down, put in some face time. No sneak visits to Mr. Marmaduke’s biscuit tin en route though.
The Stapler Curl: Seated or standing, take the stapler in one hand with the palm facing upwards. Starting at the thighs, bend the elbow and curl the arm up towards the chest, just like a regular dumbbell biceps curl. Pause momentarily and then lower the stapler back down. Continue for 12-15 reps, then switch. Don’t have a weighty stapler? Try using a filled water bottle or a heavy change purse (the vending machine can wait!).
The Namaste: Whether you’re praying for a project extension or for more defined arms, this move has you covered. Seated upright with feet flat on the floor, bring the palms together in front of the chest and push both hands together powerfully until you feel the arm muscles contract. Hold the prayer hands pushed together for 20 seconds. Release and repeat the sequence until you feel a little more Zen.
Righty-oh, that should be enough to get you started. More of these later.
Remember though, whether your office / workplace is icier than the Northern Sea because of the aircon. that’s on at full tilt or its au naturel baking hot, both mean you can dehydrate pretty quickly, so make sure that you increase your water intake to stave off dehydration and match the physical exercise that you’re doing.
by Fern Shaw | Aug 4, 2014 | Health and Hydration
Last week was the intro. to the rather clever *pointing above* – this week I present *pointing above to the end of the heading*.
We kick off with something rather serious and molto importante:
- 1) Stay out of the sun between the hours of 10am and 3pm. The hottest part of the day during the summer is the most damaging time. Don’t stay out in the sun for long periods of time around the hottest hours; the longer you’re outside, the longer your skin is exposed to the radiation. Get your exercise and activities done in the earlier, cooler hours, or in the later, cooler hours of the day.
- 2) Note that some latitudes advise staying out of the sun between 11am and 4pm. Know what is advised for you particular location and err on the side of being cautious either side as well as during the hours suggested.
- 3) Avoid spraying perfume on your skin in the sun. The psoralens in perfume (especially in citrus perfumes) can permanently stain your skin when they react with the sun. During the summertime, it is recommended that you spritz your clothes with your fragrance rather than your skin.
- 4) Yogurt is a healthy addition to your diet; just be sure it’s natural and not chock-a-block full of sugar. I’ve recently converted to full fat plain yogurt (thanks Mum!) and if nothing else, it certainly helps my digestion.
- 5) No-fat or low-fat diets will cause your skin to dry, wrinkle and age. You need essential fats in your diet to keep your skin moist and supple. The answer is to exclude unhealthy fats (hydrogenated, trans fats, and heat or light damaged fats) from your diet but to keep using healthy fats daily. Nuts and seeds and fresh fish are excellent sources of good fats.
So there you have it, some good advice to keep you hydrated externally (and internally) throughout summer.
I can’t resist, though, reverting back to type and suggesting that, while you practise as above, it can only be a good thing to drink sufficient water too. Enjoy summer folks!
by Fern Shaw | Aug 4, 2014 | Health and Hydration
As we all know – and as Gravesend especially knows – a recorded 25.7 °C two weeks ago – summer is most definitely here.
Being all things water, one can imagine that I’ll be coming out with reams of ‘drink thy water’ tomes, but just for argy bargy’s sake, today, I’m not.
Yep, you read right, today I’m not going to be talking drink water; today I’m talking about how to keep hydrated externally. Watch this sportsfans!
See that sponge? That’s your skin, that is! (If not looked after …)
Seriously though, are there ways other than drinking sufficient water to keep your skin well moisturised and plumped up smooth or this just an old wives tale?
Blogista Shaw went walkabout (cyber style) and came across some pretty good tips:
- 1. Wear protective clothing over your skin. A lot of clothing in outdoor stores and fashion stores has a UV protection rating. The UV protection rating is a good indicator of how clothing can act as an excellent barrier against the sun’s rays. Cover up as much skin as you can, using lightweight fabrics when it’s really hot and uncomfortable. Choose fabrics that won’t itch, scratch, or overheat you and choose light colours over dark ones, to keep the heat level down. My own personal jury is still out on this light colour clothing vs. dark, but that’s for another time.
- 2.Wear a hat. Your facial skin will benefit enormously from a permanent ring of shade over it in the heat of the sun. This I can attest to. I have the coolest soft cowgirl style hat that I’ve had for years that’s all UV protected as above and it has served me well. Plus, it looks very styling!
- 3. Give your skin a break. By watching the weather over summer, you can work out the days when you won’t need to slather on the chemicals, such as when it’s pouring with rain or it’s a very overcast day. Be sure to pop on your hat and cover clothing as usual because UV rays still penetrate the clouds; you can at least allow your skin a break from the sun cream.
- 4. If you’re going on holiday and you’re driving, then take your make-up off before you leave as it gives your skin time to breathe. Leave your make-up off as often as possible while you’re on holiday. This is a great opportunity to let your skin breathe and be free from the chemicals in cosmetics.
- 5. Rinse skin after swimming. This is especially important when you’ve been swimming in chlorinated environments as the chlorine can dry out your skin and for some people it can even result in an allergic reaction. And whereas the salt in the sea can be very healing for cuts, grazes and unhappy ‘winter feet’, the same can’t be said for chlorinated water.
Now you know. More in the next insert. ‘Peace an’ love, peace an’ love, people’ as Ringo says!
