by Fern Shaw | Aug 30, 2013 | Health and Hydration
“Rivers know this: there is no hurry. We shall get there some day.”
A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh
The term ‘running water’ has so many permutations as to be almost infinite. Running water can mean wastage. It can mean advancement in the distribution of water. It can also, as wise old Winnie-the-Pooh said above, teach us patience. As we know, patience is ha ha, not my strongest suit.
There are many schools of thought as to who first invented piped in water for bathing, I came across this while researching the running water topic:
Ancient Baths
Roman Baths
The Romans were famous for their baths, and they brought them even into Gaul and Britain. While Roman manors often had their own smaller private bath-houses, the Roman public generally frequented relatively inexpensive public baths. By the peak of their popularity, they included hot and cold rooms, and medium-temperature lounging rooms with a variety of extra services such as food, wine, exercise and/or personal training being offered. At different points in the history of Rome, baths were gender segregated by place or time, while at other times the bathing was mixed. (Fagan, Bathing in Public in the Roman World)
Judaic Ritual Bathing
Ritual bathing is also part of ancient (and modern) Jewish culture. Ritual cleansing baths (mikvot) from the classical period have been found in archaeological digs at multiple sites, including Masada.
The distinctive nature of mikveh structures causes them to be regarded as archaeological markers of Jewish communities at classical and medieval sites. A mikveh dating from around 1150 has been uncovered by archaeologists in Bristol, England (Aldous, p. 27), and another in Cologne, Germany dates from around 1170 (http://www.thetravelzine.com/ejht3.htm).
Early Christians
In the 4th and 5th centuries CE, ‘fathers of the Christian Church’ such as Clement and Jerome condemned excessive attendance at the public baths, and attendance for pleasure. Because bathhouses had mixed facilities, church authorities condemned women’s attendance at mixed gender bathhouses.
Eastern cultures
Roman-type baths were continued and/or re-established in Islamic countries through the medieval and Renaissance periods, and bathing was endorsed by Islamic writers. The hammam, referred to in modern times as the ‘Turkish Bath,’ was a major feature of Islamic culture, and preserved the Roman traditions of cleaning the body first, then soaking and socializing. Due to the Islamic religious requirements for frequent washing (when water was unavailable, dust or dirt could be used for ritual ablutions), baths and washing equipment remained popular. Some historians believe that the habit of the baths return to Western Europe from the Middle East with the Crusaders, but documentary evidence suggests that the resurgence of public baths in Western Europe may have been more a function of political and economic stability.
Japanese baths are of similar if not greater antiquity. Western writers claim that the soaking baths of Japan originate from the extensive use of Japanese hot springs. From A Short History of Bathing before 1601
Fascinating stuff. So, whether running water means wastage (tighten that tap!) or a gently burbling (not burping!) brook that teaches you Tao type patience, remember that we don’t recommend, nor suggest, that you use the AquAid water from source (3 of them, mind you) for bathing (yes, I know it’s been hot), but rather to refresh and hydrate your children at school and your staff in the office. As we all know, drinking sufficient water keeps you healthy both inside and out – it will even keep your skin looking plumped up and ramp gorgeous (even if you’re not into that type of thing). Cheers!
by Fern Shaw | Jul 26, 2013 | Charity, Health and Hydration
AquAid is all about water, hydration and water coolers, and most importantly, supporting sustainable charities.
Kidney Research UK is all about funding research aimed at finding better treatments, and ultimately a cure, for kidney disease. They have over £10.1 million invested in research at any one time, awarding grants to doctors, nurses and researchers across the UK. They also campaign for better patient access to renal services and are dedicated to raising awareness of kidney disease.
As AquAid is constantly looking at ways to increase awareness about how important keeping our vital organs hydrated is, we chose to supply this year’s Kidney Research U.K. London Bridges Walk with a rather fabulous bank of bottle fed water coolers – to keep the energetic walkers well hydrated! This amazing walk covers a route of approximately 7 miles, and takes you over some of London’s most famous bridges.
There were 1 190 people who took part in this year’s event on 14th July 2013 and understandably, with the glorious sunny weather, there was many a thirsty walker whose eyes lit up when they saw the cool drinking water.
The event was a great success and they were joined by celebrities Nina Wadia and Nadia Sawalha, both well known for having starred in the popular soap EastEnders, along with DJ Oliver Scott from Star Radio, Cambridgeshire and fitness instructor Julia McCabe.
Have water, will walk!
by Fern Shaw | Jul 24, 2013 | Health and Hydration, water cooler, Water Coolers
Too Much Salt (High Sodium Levels)
The most common form of sodium imbalance is a blood sodium level that is too high. Excessive blood sodium levels mean that your body lacks enough water to cope with the amount of sodium it contains.
Contrary to popular belief, the primary cause of high blood sodium levels is not consumption of too much salt, but dehydration (not enough water intake).
Lack of adequate water intake is a very common condition in the United Kingdom due to the fact that most people fail to drink enough water each day, while also eating foods that are high in sodium. Other possible causes of dehydration include diarrhoea; vomiting; fever; excessive sweating (particularly during hot weather); abnormal kidney function; diabetes; head trauma or surgery involving the pituitary gland; imbalanced calcium and/or potassium levels; sickle cell disease, and use of drugs such as corticosteroids or diuretics.
When the amount of sodium in your body becomes too high, your body’s blood volume increases. When this happens extra fluid accumulates in the space surrounding your body’s cells. Such an accumulation of fluid around your cells can cause a variety of problems.
The most common symptoms of high blood sodium levels are confusion, depression, fatigue, fluid retention, irritability, lack of coordination, muscle cramps or twitching, nausea, restlessness, and general weakness.
Another common symptom of high sodium levels is oedema, which is characterized by swelling of body tissues, especially in the feet and ankles.
More serious symptoms of high sodium levels can include changes in blood pressure and heart rate, coma, seizure, and death.
A check-up by your physician is necessary to determine if you suffer from high blood sodium levels. If you are found to have this problem, then by all means you should avoid eating salty foods. But you should also beware of drinking salty beverages, such as sports drinks. And you should also increase your daily intake of water, especially following exercise or if you are taking medications.
It really is up to you to ensure that you take as best care that you can of the rather marvellous body that you’ve been given. If you’re already doing so, bully for you – perhaps you can share your knowledge with others less in the know.
So be especially careful in this heat, remember to keep hydrated and spread the water word as you’ve gathered around the water cooler.
by Fern Shaw | Jul 24, 2013 | water cooler
So, last week, we spoke about the keeping hydrated in a heat wave. This week, before everyone goes doo-lally with water usage, the Sergeant Major in me (he’s as stocky as Stockton and he’s moustache is more bristly than Bristol) harrumphed up and hissed ‘Water conservation at all costs Shaw, regardless!’ to me.
So, this blog, I’m moving away from the how to look after ourselves aspect and looking at how to look after our gardens, lawns and plants in this heat:
- Adjust your lawn mower to a higher setting. A taller lawn shades roots and holds soil moisture better than if it is closely clipped.
- Use sprinklers for large areas of grass. Water small patches by hand to avoid waste.
- Do not water your lawns and or plants during the hottest hours of the day – more than likely it will just burn the lawn and or plants and not feed either.
- Remember to check your sprinkler system valves periodically for leaks and keep the sprinkler heads in good shape.
- Don’t water your lawn on windy days when most of the water blows away or evaporates.
- Trickling or cascading fountains lose less water to evaporation than those spraying water into the air. In fact, during a heat wave, it’s advisable to turn the fountain off (unless it’s a drinking fountain or is a source of water for animals and pets).
And remember, preferable not to use the water from your office water cooler to water your garden, lawn or plants – unless of course it’s your carefully cultivated, ten year old bonsai that you keep on the conference table (a. because it’s inside and b. because it’s in the shade, so you’re allowed).
by Fern Shaw | Jul 24, 2013 | Health and Hydration
I’ve always had an inkling about the too little / too much salt intake factor. To me, it’s always about balance and moderation. Yes, most foods are so stuffed with salt that we’ve become a nation that could probably turn into a pillar of salt without any help from Lot and his tribe. Or a salt lick for a gee-gee (that’s horse in adult language). So, whenever I am tempted to salt everything (which I pretty much do anyhow), ending up as a salt lick for an animal gives me pause for thought.
I’ve always had a fascination with salt; my current obsession is curing olives. From scratch – well, from pick. Yes, olives that I picked with my very own pale and interesting hands. Basic requirements: bags of salt, water and oceans of patience. Like, really. Up to 9 weeks of patience. As this is a rather lengthy subject (as with the olive curing), I’m going to be dividing the water and sodium blogs up, so that I don’t lose you – zzzzzz – halfway through and so that you can absorb (ha) the information.
Most of us are familiar with the warning that we should restrict salt (sodium) in our diet. Too much salt intake, we are told, can be bad for us.
While that is true, it is also true that sodium, in proper concentrations, is a mineral that is essential for helping your body to maintain good health. Located primarily in the blood and in the fluids inside and outside of the cells, sodium is vital for normal nerve and muscle function, and is required to maintain normal fluid balance within and around the cells.
It’s when sodium levels become too high or too low that imbalances can result, setting the stage for disease.
Your body’s supply of sodium is derived from foods and drinks you consume, while sodium is excreted primarily through perspiration and during urination. Your kidneys maintain a consistent level of sodium in the body by regulating the amount of sodium that is eliminated in the urine. But when sodium intake and excretion are not in balance, the total amount of sodium in the body is affected. Changes in your body’s sodium levels directly affect your body’s blood volume (how much water your blood contains).
Later blogs will detail what too much and too little salt does to us; good and bad salts and the top 10 foods high in sodium.
For this week, and especially keeping in mind the heat we’re experiencing; I think it’s important to remember to keep hydrated, especially as you are more likely to sweat (men); perspire (general people) and ‘glow’ (women with Victorian age sensibilities). This means that you are not only losing water vital to all your body functions, but you are also sweating salt, which needs to be replenished.
This does not necessarily mean that you now have license to eat bags and bags of salt ‘n vinegar crisps as you will find that most foodstuffs are already salted (contain sodium). Just stay cool, drink your water, keep calm and carry on.
